Photo taken by John Klicker & Julie Keefer, shared to da Vinci community via e-mail
My apologies if I’m sharing information out of turn, but I know that there’s been a flood of inbound traffic looking for memorial service information for Keith Goodman.
I received the following email tonight from the da Vinci middle school parent mailing list I’m now on sharing the official district statement about Goodman’s death, am presuming the ‘I’ in the statement below is from Superintendent Carole Smith (I’m told that this communication will also be up on the PPS site shortly.) I’m also sharing one of the two photos shown here from that list (am still nailing down proper photo credits for same.)
It is with great sadness that I announce the death of beloved dance teacher Keith V. Goodman, who worked extensively in the district, most recently at Buckman Elementary School. Keith lost consciousness immediately following a performance outside the Beaverton library Saturday afternoon June 27 and died soon after. He was 54.
Keith was a celebrated figure in the Portland arts community and beyond but to many Portland Public Schools students, he was the man who opened the world of dance to them. He was especially known for inspiring boys.
“He was really quite masterful at taking shuffling, I-don’t-want-to-do-it boys and helping them become more comfortable and confident with their bodies and their movement,” said Tom Breuckman, director of student services and a friend of Keith’s.
Keith taught dance at Jefferson High School from 1986 to 1993 and at Mt. Tabor Middle School for the 1993-94 school year. He returned to the district in 1997 and taught at Buckman until his untimely death.
Keith had just finished performing at the Beaverton Farmer’s Market Saturday with four students – two from da Vinci Middle School, one from Mt. Tabor Middle School and one former Buckman student – when he suffered an apparent heart attack on stage. Many students from Buckman and other schools were in the audience after completion of a week-long dance camp with Keith.
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On Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., a memorial service for the PPS community to remember Keith will be held in the Buckman cafeteria. (More information about the Buckman gathering here, although it should be noted that it’s primarily for the Buckman community, as you’ll see. I have more photos I’ve taken of the memorial tribute crafted by Buckman kids and families on the Buckman site.)
(photo of part of the memorial tribute assembled at Buckman Elementary school)
Information about a Portland-wide memorial service Thursday at Gerding Theater and a fund to further Keith’s legacy can be found on the Dance Gatherer Web site, the dance company Keith formed and directed.
Keith is survived by his partner, Bill Flood, daughter Anahelena of Portland and his mother and brother in Atlanta.
Finally, for those on Facebook, join the group “In loving memory of Keith V. Goodman” to share your stories and photos.
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Betsy — Thank you for sharing this with us. I just received email notice of his memorial at the Gerdling this Thursday, there will be many dancers in attendance to celebrate his life.
It is fitting that Saturday was a performance involving many different groups within the dance community, a community to which Keith had given so much over the years. The strength of the Portland-area dance community is a tribute to Keith and the many dance teachers in schools and studios throughout the area. Keith will be sorely missed.
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