Teaching versatility aim of new Maori theatre & dance course

Teaching versatility aim of new Maori theatre and dance course

Tools acquired on NorthTec courses to culminate in a collective performance

An introductory Māori theatre and dance course being offered at NorthTec in August is looking to produce graduates who can demonstrate versatility in their range and be able to tell their own stories, building on the traditions of the past.

Auditions for the new Māori theatre and dance strand of NorthTec’s Certificate in Whakairo, are to take place Thursday and Friday this week at The Barn located on the Raumanga campus.

A departure from the usual interview process, the workshop auditions will expose those that attend to what it is like being on stage and performing live in front of others, says Matariki playwright development winner, Michael Rewiri-Thorsen, who is tutoring this NorthTec course.

He said the workshop auditions to select students for the course were introduced as a novel way to identify the drive and passion people have for both the Māori theatre and dance disciplines.

“Everyone who wants to be on the course will need to attend the auditions where I’ll put them through their paces,” explained Michael. Each person vying for a place will be part of physical and vocal warm up activities, prior to performing a monologue (one-person dramatic speech) on any topic of their choice.

The expectations Michael has for those that make it onto the course starting on 1 August are high. Inspired by the work of multitalented actors such as Meryl Streep, Michael wants his students to become just as adaptable in their acting capabilities.

Comments Michael, “I think the best actor going is Meryl Streep, who is versatile - that is really important for an actor to have such skills these days. I want the students on my course to be open to learning everything they can because versatility comes from having the tools to take on new roles and they have to be open to learning these.”

Michael, who has affiliations to Ngati Wai, Ngapuhi, Ngati Raukawa ki Kauwhata and Ngati Pakahi, impressed that the course was established to enable people who want to tell their personal stories through performance art to do so. “During the course, there will be times students will learn to write, perform and tell things from their perspective,” he noted.

Michael undertook his formal training in 1998, earning his National Certificate in Performing Arts from the drama school at Eastern Institute of Technology and he hasn’t looked back since, having been a professional actor in Auckland, Wellington, Hawke’s Bay, and in Sydney, Australia.

His first play Strong Hands was staged over three nights at the Auckland Town Hall as part of a Matariki series in June.

Tutoring the new course gives Michael the opportunity to pass on his accumulated skills. He believes that it has only been in the past 30 years that Māori theatre has been performed by Māori for Māori. He would like to see that continue by producing graduates from the new course who are capable of holding their own in any audition or in performing their stories on stage.

“We need to connect with our people. For a while Māori theatre went through a lull, but it has started to pick up again with new voices, new people and it is exciting to be a part of that movement,” he commented.

The Māori theatre and dance stream of the NorthTec certificate is one of three new streams. The other two are traditional Māori carving tutored by Korotangi Kapa-Kingi, and fibre, stone and feathers which uses native materials to create traditional Māori adornments.

Michael said all three strands will eventually “come together,” culminating in a live performance that will be based around a waiata being composed by Tatai Henare of NorthTec’s Te Puna.

ENDS

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