International Dance Day, Sunday 30th April at Te Papa

International Dance Day 2017

Wednesday 12th April 2017
Media Release: YouthDance Education Trust

YouthDance Education Trust present International Dance Day, free dance workshops, films and performances.

Sunday 30th April 2017, 10.45am – 4pm
Te Papa
Free event

Dance Day celebrations have been held around the world since 1982 when UNESCO dedicated 29th April International Dance Day. This is the 17th year the event is being held in Wellington and coincides with the end of New Zealand Dance Week. As the last day of the school holidays it is also a great event for families to enjoy a day of dance.

Performance and Welcome, 10.45am
Get down with a hoedown! We start the day with a performance from Le Dance, on the Te Papa forecourt, a contemporary take on this American folk dance. Then come up to the Wellington foyer for the welcome address followed by a warm-up of music and movement with the Wellington Community Choir.

Workshops
Have-a-go and learn a new dance, there will be nine workshops to choose from Samoan Sasa to Cuban Salsa, Bollywood to Hollywood – Shut Up and Dance will be teaching routines inspired by film and music videos.

Kids love to dance and this year we have a series of workshops just for them, they can dance to the rhythms of Swing, try a traditional Hawaiian hula, learn some hip hop moves and have fun with circus hoops.

Films
There is a showing of Touch Compass DanceBox collection of short films portraying significant moments in dancers lives.

Performances
The performances are a celebration of the diversity of dance in Wellington. Experience high energy Bhangra from the Punjab alongside a street dance hip hop battle; Indonesian group Caraka Seni perform a traditional plate dance, then Full Swing bring us ‘The Big Apple’ a fast paced classic Charleston; and we have a contemporary Tokelauan piece developed for the Pacific Dance Choreolab. Other cultures being celebrated are Chinese, Samoan, Israeli, African and Hawaiian, plus performers of tap, musical theatre and circus dance!

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