Set in the Dark Age of the Future, "The Age of Influence" promises to transcend artistic boundaries, captivating audiences with its innovative blend of contemporary dance, live music, comedy, and visual storytelling. At the intersection of the near future and the reimagined past, a multiverse unfolds, creating a totally deconstructed space-time where the artists invite you to explore and experience dance and sound in a new dimension.

Audiences are in for a unique experience that challenges perceptions, offering a captivating journey into a world of artistic innovation. A world premiere commissioned by PDX Jazz, "The Age of Influence" showcases the dynamic collaboration of director and choreographer Shaun Keylock and the drums-and-electronics duo Methods Body, comprising John Niekratz and Luke Wyland. The show will also include a special guest appearance by the multi-talented performer Andrea Parson ('You Can't Be Serious,' NW Dance Project). The choreography is crafted by Keylock, assisted by SKC founding company member Jillian Hobbs and the dancers.

Shaun Keylock Company is one of the Pacific Northwest’s leading contemporary dance companies. It is the resident dance company of Conduit Dance, Inc. based in Portland, Oregon. As a commissioner, collaborator, and presenter, SKC performs locally and nationally with the top choreographers, artists, and dancers while proudly celebrating LGBTQ+ identity in dance and the performing arts. Since its founding, the organization has been an originator of many unique projects and collaborations, from staging the first queer chamber opera “When the Sun Comes Out” to preserving the archives of community dance elders.

Methods Body creates original sound art and music using custom tuning systems, involuted polyrhythms, and the cadences of language. John Niekrasz (Ecstatic Peace, ESP-Disk') and Luke Wyland (AU, The Leaf Label) use bespoke live-sampling technologies and meta-cognitive compositions to inhabit waves of subliminal melody and deep, uncanny grooves.