Auckland Fundraising Event for 'Antarctica: The First Dance'

Fundraising Event for Antarctica: The First Dance

Antarctica: The First Dance Fundraising Gala Event at the Pah Homestad The Wallace Arts Trust is honoured to host a fundraising event in support of Corey Baker’s project, Antarctica: The First Dancetonight, Wednesday 1 November 2017, from 6:30pm at the Pah Homestead, 72 Hillsborough Rd, Hillsborough, Auckland.

We would like to invite you to join us to witness the first public revealing of the project, announcing the dancer chosen to join Corey on the ice, to see an exclusive preview of the documentary footage from the project, and to enjoy a short live dance performance.

In February 2018, Awardwinning New Zealand choreographer Corey Baker will embark on a journey to Antarctica with a dancer from the Royal New Zealand Ballet and a filmmaker to begin a ground breaking creative project.

Spending a month in Antarctica with a team of worldleading scientists, Corey Baker will ignite four groundbreaking projects, including the first dance creation and performance to be made in Antarctica, in collaboration with major partners including The Space (BBC and Arts Council England), Antarctica New Zealand, Royal New Zealand Ballet, New Zealand High Commission and British Antarctica Survey.

The projects:

1. A short dance film, including a 360° virtual reality version, capturing both the staggering beauty of the icy Antarctic landscape while it still exists, integrated with movement performed by a Royal New Zealand Ballet dancer.

Corey Baker has been granted rare access through the prestigious Antarctica New Zealand Cultural and Media Programme, to create an unforgettable performance in an extreme environment.

Antarctica: The First Dance will premiere on British and New Zealand television before being released online.

2. A documentary crew will follow Corey and team on their 15day residency with scientists at Scott Base as they learn what Antarctica’s changing environment means for the world.

The documentary will be presented on both UK and New Zealand television before a global online release.

3. The live element will be made following the residency in Antarctica, for a UK and New Zealand tour of museums, venues and festivals.

The installation will be housed in two shipping containers, previously used by British Antarctic Survey to move scientist and their equipment across Antarctica, and will offer audiences access to all our digital content, exclusive extended footage, interactive experiences and live dance performances.

4. Upon his return from Antarctica in April 2018, Corey Baker will create a new oneact ballet for the Royal New Zealand Ballet to be presented as part of the company’s Dancing with Mozart season which premieres in Wellington on 31 May 2018, then tours to nine centres around New Zealand.

This work will expand on the Antarctica dance film project and aim to transport audiences from the theatre to Antarctica.

The Need Over 5 trillion tonnes of ice from Antarctica and Greenland have melted in the past 20 years, resulting in over 13 tonnes of water pouring into our oceans every single second. A sea level rise of one metre would flood gigantic land areas destroying the homes of more than 100 million people, turning them into environmental refugees. This will affect the entire world.

Climate change can be curbed but it requires massive investments in green technologies, and crucially, people need to connect with the issue.

Antarctica: The First Dance is a call to arms, bringing arts and science together to inspire, inform and connect. It will draw attention to global warming in a creative and visual way. More young people watched Planet Earth than Xfactor, a clear sign that there is an appetite to learn more about climate change and appreciate the planet we have.

‘Climate change ... we are really in a race against time’ says former US President Barack Obama.

Antarctica: The First Dance will connect dance, music and film audiences.

It will appeal to young people and engage new voices in the conversation for action around climate justice. It is an opportunity to celebrate the amazing landscape of Antarctica while we can, and to share its beauty around the world.

The Fundraiser After extensive fundraising in the UK, Corey Baker Dance are hoping to raise NZ$20,000 in support of the project.

The funds will go directly towards to the journey to Antarctica and the postproduction of the film.

Corey Baker NZborn Corey is an awardwinning choreographer and filmmaker, celebrated for his innovation and commitment to driving dance into the 21st century.

With a passion that dance is for everyone, Corey takes dance out of traditional settings and puts it into parks, playgrounds, stadiums, shopping centres, rugby fields, on TV & film and even Antarctica. Corey is also renowned for highly-designed, inventive and relevant contemporary and ballet.

ENDS

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