NZ’S Leading Dance Festival Is In The Heart Of The City

NZ’S Leading Dance Festival Is In The Heart Of The City!

Tempo New Zealand’s Festival of Dance presents nine days of spectacular performances at Q from 30 September to 8 October 2011.

Tempo has been at the heart of the discipline of dance in New Zealand for nearly a decade now, and it is fitting that this year such a festival will be housed in the new arts epicentre of Auckland. The newly completed Q will be home for the 2011 season – a nine day tour de force of all forms of dance.

Featuring ballet to burlesque, hip hop to contemporary, this is an outstanding season packed with stunning performances by some of New Zealand’s most acclaimed choreographers and companies. Evening length works by Malia Johnston, Ann Dewey, Mary Jane O’Reilly, Footnote Dance, Jennifer Nikolai, Kristian Larsen, the multi award winning choreographer and performance artist, Alexa Wilson and a triple bill from Southern Lights, up from Christchurch to share with us their dynamic dance.

The triple bills, shared programmes and showcases (Southern Lights, Prime Cuts, Kids/Teen Showcase, Tertiary Colours, Y Chromozone, Out of the Box) feature a dynamic mix of short works by Michael Parmenter, Riki Von Falken (Germany), Fleur de Thier, Chung-Fu Chang (Taiwan), Cat Ruka, Mia Mason and Sarah Foster-Sproull, with artists from the Royal New Zealand Ballet, Okareka Dance Company (Taiaroa Royal and Taane Mete), internationally awarded hip hop group Prestige, and the New Zealand School of Dance.

The sharp, succinct, concentrated calendar of events this year is also a celebration of the diversity of dance, from the sexy fun of caberet/burlesque, to New Zealand’s most exciting experimental artists. 2011 must-see works from Ann Dewey whose Shine Lady is set to tour internationally,
Malia Johnston, director of WOW, presenting a new work with music composed by her longtime brilliant collaborator Eden Mulholland, while Girl With A Movie Camera integrates dance, theatre, live and video performance. Footnote’s Hullapoloi is a must-see also - a weird and wonderful world is created which is hilarious and awful/awesome in equal parts. The return of popular programmes including the all male Y Chromozone event and the exuberant Hip-Hop Showcase Out of The Box are sure to sell out, so book your tickets now!

Tempo 2011 also includes the hallowed Honouring A Dancer ceremony; Russell Kerr, ONZM, QSM will be honoured this year, with a career in dance that spans half a century. Kerr travelled to Europe after receiving a New Zealand Government Bursary at the age of 20, he performed with many international dance companies before returning to New Zealand in 1957 with a new vision for dance. His roles from then included Artistic Director of New Zealand Ballet, Director of the New Zealand Dance Centre, the Southern Ballet Theatre and a patron of the International Ballet Academy. Now at 81 he is still an active and much loved elder/Kaumatua in the dance community.

2011 also marks the end of an era, the Festival’s Artistic Director Mary Jane O’Reilly will step down from her role at the conclusion of this year’s festivities. “The profession and art form of dance is by definition a moving medium - nothing should stay still” says O’Reilly. “I've been blessed with this job - given amazing opportunities to curate and facilitate some truly memorable programmes, creating a platform for talent and ideas in that wonderful big, boisterous spectrum that is dance”. O’Reilly will be presenting her provocative new work entitled In Flagrante; the burlesque/cabaret show that will have everyone wanting more!
ends

© Scoop Media