Eddie Elliott
Choreographer

NGĀTI MANIAPOTO

Eddie Elliott is from Aotearoa/New Zealand. A 2013 Performing and Screen Arts graduate of Unitec, Eddie is a dancer and choreographer whose career has led him all around the world.
Eddie has been nominated for numerous awards throughout his career including the iconic Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative and the 2014 I Am Auckland Awards, which won him the Youth Active Award. In 2015, James Cook High School named a recognition award for students in his honour, the Eddie Elliott Award for Outstanding Contribution to Dance.

Eddie has worked with leading arts companies in New Zealand including Atamira Dance Company, Black Grace, Okareka Dance Company, Auckland Theatre Company, Douglas Wright and The New Zealand Dance Company.

In 2017, Eddie was awarded the Eileen May Norris scholarship and Toi Tipu Toi Rea grant for the associate artist programme. This allowed him to build an extraordinary Indigenous relationship with Red Sky Performance in Canada where he has gone on to facilitate, dance, teach and choreograph throughout the traditional territory of many nations across Turtle Island (North America). He is currently now in his fourth year as an associate artist with the company.

Eddie’s reputation has been built on the success of cultural, highly accessible and relevant productions he has been a part of such as the opening of the 150th Canada Day celebrations and the opening of the 2017 World Masters, performing alongside one of the most recognised Kapa Haka groups In the world - Te Waka Huia. Eddie was also part of the opening Jacobs Pillow Dance Festival’s inaugural The Land on Which We Dance programme – his second time performing at the iconic American festival.

Eddie has choreographed and collaborated on works that have been recognised as profoundly moving and raw. His choreographic career includes: I’ll Stand Outside (2012), with performances in the Great Lakes, Ontario, the South Island of New Zealand and Rarotonga; Kia Tau (2019) with performances in Macau; and two works for Unitec ‘s graduation season - Kei konei au (2013) and In-tuition (2018). His work In-tuition then went on to tour New Zealand and Canada.

Eddie has strengthened his identity and aspirations as a proud indigenous choreographer, and has used his current trimester development Uku - Behind the Canvas as his anchor. It is with excitement that Eddie is utilising what he has gathered and experienced from around the world to re-imagine and prosper for the future.