Forklift Danceworks
Performing ArtsTexas, United States11-50 Employees
Forklift Danceworks is a small to mid-sized performing arts organization based in Austin, Texas, that makes dances with people who do not identify as dancers. It partners with diverse communities—such as utility lineworkers, warehouse staff, and pool and aquatics workers—to surface the skilled movement behind everyday city life and to tell the often unheard stories of the people who sustain daily urban functioning. The company develops large-scale civic performances by co-authoring pieces with community members, creating opportunities for public engagement and shared cultural experience. Within the contemporary performing arts field, Forklift Danceworks emphasizes participatory, community-based creation rather than traditional stage work. By focusing on essential occupations and the connections between residents across neighborhoods, the organization aims to deepen understanding of urban work and strengthen civic ties. Based in Austin, it collaborates across communities to produce performances that reflect lived experience and broaden access to the arts.