Interview with Donna Oefinger of Center Space Studio

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January 22, 2010 by Katerina | Comments (0)

Donna Oefinger, owner of Center Space Studio in southeast Portland, teaches Afro-Cuban, Afro-Brazilian, and Samba dance. She also practices cranio sacral therapy, bio-dynamic therapy, and is the artistic director of Axe Dide Music and Dance Company. Meeting Donna, she seems to be the emblem of wellness– fit, beautiful, timeless AND she can put it down to any beat…. the wilder the drums, the better, however. We wanted to hear her story as an entrepreneur, dancer, teacher, student, therapist… you name it, she does it!

What is dance for you?
It’s a way to investigate the self, especially with Cuban dance because it requires one to embody different archetypes and forces of nature that want to be expressed inside one’s self. It’s a great tool for recognizing different aspects of myself, ranging from the different elements like water and fire, to emotions like rage and pure joy. And dance has a social aspect that is crucial because it brings people together from all walks of life and serves as a form of communication that extends beyond the verbal realm. On a practical level, dance allows my body to stay limber and move energy in ways that it would not do so otherwise. For me, it’s not about staying in shape; it’s just therapeutic to the body.

Center Space Studio is described as a constantly evolving environment facilitating a variety of movement forms, Cranio Sacral Therapy, visual art, and performance. The studio is available for workshops, rehearsals and ongoing classes, as well as events and parties. Is there anything else you would have to add about what is Center Space?
What I didn’t know is that Center Space would create several different communities. It’s not every class where people actually meet each other and get to know one another. I didn’t know that it’d become a second home for some students.

Did you always want to own a dance studio?
Nope, it chose me!

So how did you get into dance in general?
Well I started dance at 11—tap, jazz and ballet—and then in college I joined a modern dance company. Shortly afterward, I became disenchanted by these styles (except for tap). I was exposed to Cuban dance at a one day workshop and immediately fell in love! I loved the relationship between the drums, the dance and the singing. I was hooked and traveled to Cuba eight months later for three weeks. I was living in D.C. at the time and couldn’t find any one of the culture to learn from. So I studied independently through watching videos and traveling. I was asked to teach Rumba in D.C., and when I moved back to Portland I was asked to teach as well. Eventually I was offered an opportunity to co-own a studio with a friend of mine and went from there.

How did you get into cranio-sacral therapy and other forms of therapy?
We chose each other… dance chose me but in this case, I’d say it was mutual! I had tried it out in 1999 and it changed my life in terms of clarity and overall wellness. I started to learn without any intention to study it seriously, but I did end up taking it seriously and find that doing this type of body work is a great balance for the external work I do in teaching dance. I never thought I would have progressed to being my teacher’s assistant.

What advice do you have for the younger baby boomers in living an active lifestyle?
Be active but go slow in your actions and in your mind. Be present. I know that sounds like such a cliché, but the slower we go, the more opportunity we have to be human and feel everything.

What do you mean by “go slow?”
To be mindful about getting on to the next. Take your time from one thing to the other.

For more information on Donna’s classes at Center Space, click here.

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