DANZ Online Round-Up: Latest DANZ Dance Articles
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DANZ Magazine Issue No. 45
October-December
Featuring:
A Kiwi Dancer in New York
The Julliard School is one of the most regarded arts institutions in the world, with notable alumni including Ohad Naharin, Miles Davis and Robin Williams. In 2017 a young Kiwi dancer, Joshua Guillemot-Rodgerson, will be one of the first New Zealand alumni. We chat with Joshua about his life as a Julliard student.
Preparing and Paving, the Future of Contemporary Dance at Festivals in Aotearoa
This is the second article of a two part series in which Dione Joseph examines the current dynamics around creating and curating festivals in New Zealand. She begins to unpack the available statistics to explore the implications behind the numbers and examine how maximising this information can potentially develop a dialogue around the future of contemporary dance.
The Value of International Choreographic Residencies
Senior dance practitioners from Aotearoa have been spending a great deal of time overseas employed in convening, facilitating or participating in choreographic and teaching residencies. Now the younger generation are starting to enjoy similar benefits. Lucy Marinkovich and Matthew Moore speak of the positive outcomes of their recent international choreographic residencies.
Dance Therapy Treatment for Parkinson's
In this article Francesca Horsley speaks to Hester Phillips about how medical dance movement therapy can be used to support people who are facing physical un-wellness of whatever kind, including Parkinson's sufferers.
In Conversation with val smith
In this article val smith talks to DANZ CE Anton Carter. Caroline Plummer Fellow val smith is a white genderqueer choreographic artist based in Tāmaki Makaurau, whose performance work rethinks the political body through perceptual experiments that challenge converntions of spectatorship.
Read the the latest DANZ Magazine, Issue 47, online now!
Featuring Atamira Dance Company and colloboaration, in conversation with Matthew Moore, creative ageing, a profile on Java Dance Theatre's Sacha Copland + much more...
Latest DANZ Dance Reviews
Three by Ekman, Royal New Zealand Ballet
Opera House, Wellington - 17 & 18 May
Reviewed by Deirdre Tarrant
Three by Ekman is an adventurous programme with a triple bill by a single choreographer. Alexander Ekman has an international reputation and has developed a movement vocabulary that dismisses the aesthetic and technique of classical ballet, pared back to a gestural, percussive confined, rebellion of frenetic extremity movement. There were similarities and clear connections between the three works -the dancers were limited by light beams, boxes, rostra and only momentarily broke from this imposed attention on self. Each work asked us to consider difference and dialogue which was imposed by external voices.
Tiki Taane Mahuta, Taki Rua Productions
Regent on Broadway, Palmerston North - 19 May
Reviewed by Tania Kopytko
Tiki Taane Mahuta premiered in Palmerston North. It is an amazing, cross-genre show entering new territory – a wonderful two-hour music gig by the accomplished Tiki Taane; a full length dance narrative using contemporary and aerial dance, hip hop, haka and mau rākau, which tells the story of two generations; beautiful videography evoking the ancestral past; rolled together in a concert with a strong kaupapa/message about life.
Bugs and Worms and Desire, Jennifer De Leon
Basement Theatre, Auckland - 27 April
Reviewed by Susi Hadassah
This work owes its success to a transdisciplinary collaboration that together, forms an exquisite whole. From its beginning, as a seed of inspiration in Jenny’s imagination; the camera work of Vernon Rive; the music of James Blake and Oliver Tank; the costuming by Olga Khimitch; the sound editing of Gary Potts; Twink’s clever lighting design; Jenny’s choreography; the dancing of both Justin and herself: all these elements combine to make Swimmer a feast for all our senses. As a prelude to Bugs & Worms & Desire the piece is inspired; both complimenting and contrasting wonderfully.
The Rebel Pink, Footnote New Zealand Dance
Hannah Playhouse, Wellington - 28 April
Reviewed by Leah Maclean
The Rebel Pink was the first show of the year for the company, performed with an entirely new cast. Plus we were spoiled with the incredible talents of a live musician, drummer Tom Scrase and vibrant lighting and set design by Marcus McShane. The show was comprised of three original works by female choreographers; Holly Newsome, Eliza Sanders and Nancy Wijohn, each bringing their own fresh touch to the programme. This cycle of Footnote dancers include Georgia Beechey-Gradwell, Tyler Carney, Joshua Faleatua, Anu Khapung and Adam Naughton; a group that showed great cohesion and fluidity in their premiere piece.
New Zealand School of Dance 50 Years, Turid Revfeim
Book Review
Reviewed by Janet Colson
Turid Revfeim’s book captures the essence of each decade in the development of the New Zealand School of Dance from its inception as a ballet school to the mature training institution for professional dancers it is today. The book is stylishly produced in soft back format. Design is by Neil Pardington, featuring Stephen A’Court’s accomplished photography.
Axis: Anatomy of Space, Good Company Arts
Otago Museum, Dunedin - 25 March
Reviewed by Hahna Briggs
AXIS is a 35 minute work showing a complex dialogue between bodies, movement, music, sound, light and texture using ‘optical devices, along with mapping and sound technologies’. AXIS appears to be an extension upon ideas developed in Belton’s 2014 choreography Satellites, a work commissioned by the Royal New Zealand Ballet. In Satellites dancers held onto similar round discs which I learnt were related to Jim Murphey’s kinetic sculptures. Belton describes the human dancers as satellites, “we are all orbiting each other all the time. Everything is moving all the time.” (ODT, 15 August 2014).