Sean MacDonald
Choreographer

NGĀTI KAHUNGUNU / NGĀTI RAUKAWA

Tenā koutou, ko Sean MacDonald toku ingoa. Back in the 90s I decided against a career in economics or medicine and took up theatre and dance instead. Nearly 30 years later I’m still at it, a veteran of many campaigns, getting physical and interpretive across countless stages and arenas throughout both Aotearoa and overseas.

When I was a teenager I watched from the audience in awe as these other worldly beings dance whispered their secrets of life to me. These same beings soon became my teachers and mentors and then eventually my employers, colleagues and friends.

Along the way in the mediums of dance, opera, theatre and film I’ve got into strife as Slinki Malinki, danced in the underworld, in Knee Dance and the in the golden glow that is Gloria for Douglas Wright. I was a junior centaur, a minotaur and a ‘Mad Angel’ for Shona McCullagh, a bluebird for Ann Dewey and a Māori demi-god and lover for Lyne Pringle. Most recently I was the man in the Moon for Malia Johnston at ATC, a Shel Silverstein tree for Tupua Tigafua and a collaborator in Kelly Nash’s latest work for Atamira titled Atamira.

Since its beginning in 1995 I have been a member of Black Grace Dance Company dancing on Broadway in New York City, at altitude in Mexico, in the villages of Taiwan and working with the community of Invercargill and much, much more.

In 2018, I had a second chance to work with Michael Parmenter in OrphEus – a dance opera after working with him the first time in 1999 with his epic work Jereusalem.

I like to climb Rangitoto, jump off boats into the ocean and watch great films with a glass of cold buttery chardonnay! Ngā mihi.

Sean is a 2023 Arts Foundation Laureate.