Louise Potiki Bryant
Choreographer

Kāi Tahu, Kāti Mamoe and Waitaha

Louise Pōtiki Bryant is a New Zealand Arts Laureate and an award-winning choreographer, dancer and video artist. Her iwi are Kāi Tahu, Kāti Mamoe and Waitaha. Louise is dedicated to creating works which inspire the care, protection and regeneration of the whenua, moana, and awa, and with her practice she aims to honour mana wahine and Mātauranga Māori. She is a founding member of Atamira Dance Company for whom she has choreographed six works. Louise has also choreographed for companies such as The New Zealand Dance Company, Black Grace Dance Company and Ōrotokare, Art, Story, Motion. She also has a body of solo and collaborative works for which she designs, animates and edits the projected video elements - an integral part of each performance.

Her video art practice also includes the creation of video and digital dance installations, such as Te Taki o te Ua / The Sound of Rain, a collaboration with Ariana Tikao and Paddy Free, addressing the effects of climate change. Te Taki o te Ua was recently exhibited in Māori Moving Image ki te Puna o Waiwhetū, Christchurch Art Gallery. Recent video installations also include Te Korowai a Kahukura, a site-specific work for the 30 metre video wall at Te Ara Ātea and Te Au o Te Moana, a video installation commissioned for Te Rā: The Māori Sail exhibition at Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū. Louise has designed video for many opera, music and dance productions, including for ‘Bird Like Men’ by Tararua, ‘Te Wheke’ by Atamira Dance company, and ‘Re-quickening’, ‘Blood Tides’ and ‘Blood Water Earth’ by Kaha:wi Dance Theatre. Louise also has a body of dance films and music videos, including film works for the Mana Moana Collective and the music video for Ariana Tikao’s ‘Tuia’ which won 'Best Music Video' at the ImagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival.