The New Zealand Dance Company

Summary


The New Zealand Dance Company (incorporated as The New Zealand Dance Advancement Trust) is an Auckland based, nationally focused contemporary dance company.

Established in 2012, by co-founders Chief Executive/Artistic Director (and Arts Laureate) Shona McCullagh[1] and the founding General Manager Frances Turner, the company sought to break the paradigm of dance companies operating on a project by project basis, presenting work by one choreographer, and moved instead to a sustainable model of presenting a variety of choreographic works.

About edit

The New Zealand Dance Company (NZDC) was founded in 2012 by former Limbs Dance Company member Shona McCullagh. Like Limbs, the NZDC company commissions work from New Zealand and international choreographers.[2] Part of the mission was to support new talent and utilise dancers and choreographers who had left New Zealand.[3] The founding production was the Language of Living, featuring choreographers Michael Parmenter, Justin Haiu, Sarah Foster-Sproull and Shona McCullagh.[4]

NZDC has developed more than 27 new works by choreographers from New Zealand, Australia, Holland and South Korea and has toured internationally including to the Holland Dance Festival, Australia, Germany, Liverpool, France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Canada.[3]

In addition to a professional Company, NZDC has a Youth and Community Engagement Programme of weekly classes, masterclasses and workshops for all ages and levels – including an over 60s Feisty Feet class.[5]

In 2011 Creative New Zealand funded the new venture of The New Zealand Dance Company and Westpac bank sponsored.[4]

Dancers edit

  • Katie Rudd[6]
  • Brydie Colquhoun
  • 'Isope 'Akau'ola

Management edit

  • Chief Executive/Artistic Director - Moss Te Ururangi Patterson
  • Artistic Manager - Caroline Bindon
  • Creative Producer & Marketing Lead - JP Bolton
  • Finance Manager - Christine Rice
  • Office & Community Coordinator - Tamara Nicholson

Works edit

Stage of Being (2023)

Location - ASB Waterfront Theatre,[7] Auckland 
Choreographers - Tupua Tigifua (LittleBits and AddOns), Xin Ji & Xiao Chao Wen (Made in Them)

ArteFact (2022 & 2023)

Location - New Zealand Tour 2022 & 2023[8]
Director/ Choreographer - Ross McCormack

Night Light [9](2022 & 2023)

Location - ASB Waterfront Theatre, Auckland
Choreographers - Tor Colombus and Eddie Elliott 

This Fragile Planet (2020) Location - Auckland Fringe Festival and Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival

Choreographers - Nina Nawalowalo and Tom McCrory (The Conch), Ross McCormack
International Tours (2019, 2018, 2016, 2015, 2014)
Location - Canada, Belgium, Luxemburg, Paris, Liverpool, Germany, Holland, Australia, Netherlands
Matariki for Tamariki (2019, 2020, 2022)
Location - Auckland, Northland
Choreographer - Sean McDonald
Kiss the Sky (2019, 2017)
Location - Bay of Islands, Wanaka, Invercargill, Wellington, New Plymouth, Nelson, Hamilton, Auckland
Choreographers - KIM Jae Duk, Victoria Columbus, Stephanie Lake, Sue Healey
Tamaki Tour
Location - Auckland
Choreographers - Sean McDonald, Mia Mason, Lucy Marinkovich, Chrissy Kokiri, Taniora Motutere, Ashleigh Perriot, Tupua Tigafua, Bianca Hyslop, Scott Ewen, Omea Geary, Malia Johnston, Joshua Cesan
Lumina (2018, 2016 ,2015)
Location - Paris, Liverpool, Hamilton, Christchurch, Nelson, Auckland, Germany, Holland, Whangarei, Napier, Wellington, New Plymouth
Choreographers - Stephen Shropshire, Louise Potiki Bryant, Malia Johnston
OrphEus - A Dance Opera (2018)
Location - Auckland Festival, New Zealand Festival Wellington
Choreographer - Michael Parmenter
The Absurdity of Humanity (2017, 2016)
Location - New Plymouth, Marlborough, Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland
Rotunda (2015, 2014, 2013)
Location - Tauranga, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, Auckland, Adelaide, Melbourne, Parramatta, Geelong, Den Haag, Amsterdam, Auckland
Choreographer - Shona McCullagh in collaboration with dancers
Language of Living (2014, 2013, 2012)
Location - Invercargill, Christchurch, Nelson, New Plymouth, Tauranga, Auckland, Whangarei, Hawke's Bay, Wellington
Choreographers - Shona McCullagh, Michael Parmenter, Sarah Foster-Sproull, Justin Haiu, Tupua Tigafua, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker
Shaun Parker's Trolleys
Winner of the Argus Angel Award (Brighton Festival, UK)
Location - UK, Spain, Belgium, France, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Australia, Auckland
Choreographer - Shaun Parker

References edit

  1. ^ McCullagh, Shona. "Shona McCullagh". The New Zealand Dance Company. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  2. ^ Schultz, Marianne (2017). Limbs Dance Company. OCLC 1030942994.
  3. ^ a b "About". New Zealand Dance Company. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  4. ^ a b Francis, Rain (1 July 2012). "The New New Zealand Dance Company". Dance Informa Magazine. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  5. ^ Engagement Programme, Youth and Community. "MĀTAURANGA/ EDUCATION". The New Zealand Dance Company. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  6. ^ Rudd, Katie. "A part of our life force". Taranaki Daily News. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
  7. ^ Zealand (www.bka.co.nz), Site designed and developed by bka interactive ltd, Auckland, New. "ASB Waterfront Theatre | ASB Waterfront Theatre". www.asbwaterfronttheatre.co.nz. Retrieved 24 October 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ "Artefact – How to Behave in a Museum". Theatreview. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  9. ^ "Night Light". Theatreview. Retrieved 24 October 2023.

External links edit

  • The New Zealand Dance Company