Malia Johnston awarded Creative NZ Choreographic Fellowship

Malia Johnston awarded 2013 Creative New Zealand Choreographic Fellowship

Leading New Zealand choreographer Malia Johnston has been awarded the 2013 Creative New Zealand Choreographic Fellowship.

The $65,000 fellowship is the largest choreographic award available in New Zealand. It provides established choreographers with resources and time to commit to a period of investigation, experimentation and research in their practice.

“Malia has a fantastic national reputation as a choreographer and is highly regarded throughout the dance sector. We are pleased to award her with this year’s Choreographic Fellowship,” says Creative New Zealand Chief Executive Stephen Wainwright.

Malia will use the fellowship to research different performance ideas and environments. This will include attending workshops at the Maine Island Dance Festival in June and, in July, attending the Avignon Festival in France, which is renowned for presenting the best of international dance.

“For me, choreography is a life-long practice, so being able to engage in an intensive period of professional and creative development is extremely exciting and highly motivating,” says Malia.

“The resource, time and space to deepen my knowledge, understanding and skill as a choreographer and director is an important opportunity – one that I am very honoured to be able to undertake.”

Known for her innovative and collaborative approach, Malia has helped to develop new ways of presenting contemporary dance and has been engaging audiences with diverse material for more than a decade.

Malia is the artistic director and principal choreographer for New Zealand’s successful World of Wearable Art awards event, and is well known in the dance sector for her work through her company Rifleman Productions. In addition to her own projects, Malia has been commissioned to create work for Touch Compass Dance Company, Footnote Dance Company and leading New Zealand tertiary dance schools.

Malia has won numerous awards for her choreographic contributions. Her work has toured to venues and arts festivals throughout New Zealand and has also been taken overseas. Malia has collaborative associations with composer Eden Mulholland, dancer/choreographer Guy Ryan, theatre director Dr Emma Willis and designer Rowan Pearce.

Previous recipients of this Fellowship: Catherine Chappell (2011), Daniel Belton (2009), Lemi Ponifasio (2008), Michael Parmenter (2006), Douglas Wright (2005) and Shona McCullagh (2004).

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