TĀMAKI TOUR

"...the calibre of dancing and performance is through the roof."

Carrie Rae Cunningham
Theatreview

"It was crazy and funny. I liked how it was serious and calm then would get loud and silly."

9-year old audience member

"Joyous, celebratory and sophisticated."

Carrie Rae Cunningham
Theatreview

Matariki Hunga Nui, a mixed bill programme of short works celebrating Matariki that delighted audiences around Tāmaki Makaurau

Oneness by Karlia Cook
This work aims to share a teaching about Oneness, instilling that all life is precious, threaded and woven together in close connection. If we nurture and take care of the plants, trees, animals, whānau and our community, then we are able to take part in the Oneness and find a space of belonging and healing. Here we can co-exist within the land, waterways and skies, listening and nurturing all that is within us and around us.

Skylark by Miriam Eskildsen

Skylark celebrates the special bond between teachers and students or the guides and leaders on the journey through life. Inspired by the graceful movements of birds, Skylark shows how friends can help each other through the ups and downs of growing up and discovering who we truly are.

Just Say Hi by Tupua Tigafua

Choreographed NZDC founding member Tupua Tigafua, Just Say Hi is a light-hearted duet performed to the classic American folk song “Hallelujah! I’m a Bum.” Just Say Hi reflects on the life of struggle and judgment that comes hand in hand with being a lonely homeless person…unless someone takes the time to just say hi.

From Me To You Stella Grace Seawright
From Me To You tells the story of two people navigating the challenges of life and their return to the maternal stories of the stars that guide them. As lives blossom, the gift of childhood whimsy and curiosity has us asking all kinds of questions, and can become a backbone for us to lean into as we grow up.

This work is dotted with moments of reflection, openness, and undisclosed secrets suspending us into wonder. As the stars spiral above us, we spiral back to our people, to our maternal figures. The shared love between two, assuring us it is okay to return home?

Triptych by Jacob Reynolds

Triptych explores the worlds of siblinghood, family bonds, connection, support and celebration. The work evolved froma constant exchange of ideas, inspirations, and playful improvisations that weave together moments of joy, love, and laughter, painting a vibrant tapestry of tender shared experiences.

Company of Another by Katie Rudd

When making Company of Another during the time of Matariki, Katie was inspired to take a moment to reflect on what has been. To use the body as a vessel; fill it with warm memories, experiences and interactions; then translate them into movement and energies. We walk backwards into the future: taking our past into the newness of day with the feeling of a warm hug from a grandparent on a cold winter’s night.

Accomplished New Zealand dancer and choreographer Sean MacDonald (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Raukawa) brings to life a group of friends who journey throughout Aotearoa during the Matariki season – an annual custom that honours ongoing relationships to place and each other.

This band of players discovers the landscape of lush ngahere (forests), mighty maunga (mountains), and majestic moana (oceans), while encountering flora and fauna through the seasonal change.

Along the way, the wairua (spirit) of each of the nine whetū of Matariki also inhabit the performers, who through their adventures use the power and meaning of karakia (prayer), waiata (song) and whakapapa (lineage) to reflect and plant the seeds of new beginnings. With such a tumultuous start to our current year, join us in generating fun and hope for the future ahead.

Sean’s majestic choreography in Matariki for Tamariki paired with evocative costume and set design by Rona Ngahuia Osborne, and spectacular sound design by Alistair Deverick, will leave kids and “kidaults” alike filled with joy and gratitude for the whenua (land) we call home.

Tāmaki Tour is back! The New Zealand Dance Company is developing a brand new performance exploring the values around ‘equality’ through a playful and creative integration of dance, storytelling and spoken word.

How do we engage with our perceptions and sense of place when we feel something’s not fair? What should belonging, kindness and resilience look like in Aotearoa today? An honest and uplifting 35-minute performance followed by audience engagement, games, and discussion, this Tāmaki Tour presentation offers students an entertaining and thought-provoking experience not to be missed.

DIRECTED BY:
Cathy Livermore
Batanai Mashingaidze
James O’Hara

MUSIC:
Jack Jenkins
Jasmine Mary Phillips

Made with the participation of Point Chev. Drama School

Collide by Mia Mason

Mia Mason’s Collide is as the name suggested, a beautiful duet that expresses a tender, yet powerful collision between two lovers. She paints a story that is familiar to us all, a story of love, its sweet and bitterness, and the complex chemistry it projects.

Awesome Robots by Lucy Marinkovich

Inspired by the concept of Afrofuturism and Ethiopian dance from Eskista, Awesome Robots draws from the distinct characteristics of science-fiction and technology to trigger the audience’s limitless imagination. Complimented by Lucien Johnson’s rhythmic, electronic soundtrack Tone Science, Lucy’s work demonstrates polyrhythmic patterns that mimic the mechanical movements of a robot and is super fun for young audiences to enjoy.

Kaleidoscope by Sean MacDonald

Celebrating beautiful landscapes inspired from New Zealand landscape painting by Don Binney, Colin McCahon and Rita Angus. Sean MacDonald creates an imaginative world where a band of movers travel through forests, mountains, beaches and valleys expressed through contemporary dance.

Blue Ink by Chrissy Kokiri

Fascinated by the movement of the octopus, Chrissy created a duet that reflects the complexity of this creature and its habits. Rhythm, pulse, sensation…Chrissy elicits all of this in a palpable way through her choreography that leaves you wanting more.

Save Mart by Taniora Motutere

Using a simple idea of costumes as props, Taniora playfully explores in three different solos what happens when these pieces of clothing become the central focus of his dancing. His smooth grooves and polished moves can’t help but make you smile while you’re watching Save Mart.

The Game of Go by Xin Ji

NZDC dancer Xin JI was commissioned to make his first professional work based on an ancient Chinese board game. The work featured helium balloons and the use of microphones and speakers to enhance a language created by the dancers where their sounds drove the choreography. Costuming was a large part of the work as the use of black costumes for two dancers and white costumes for the other two dancers represented the pieces used in this ancient game. This special work directly drew from Xin’s culture and connected easily with young audiences.

Good to be Alive by Tupua Tigafua

This upbeat ensemble piece was created with the intention of bringing joy to audiences. With infectious Samoan music and distinct cultural influences from Tupua's Samoan heritage such as musicality, dynamic and rhythmic inflections, gestural language and more, Good to be Alive is one of our most popular works within in the Tāmaki Tour programme.

Five Solos by Tupua Tigafua

Five interlinking solos, created on dancer Chris Ofanoa, are unmistakably Samoan drawing from Tupua's cultural influences. Daring footwork, gestural language, narrative stories and acute musicality were hallmarks of these solos.

The Adventures of Xin by Ashleigh Perriot

Xin is unique.
Xin doesn't give up.
Xin is happy.
Be like Xin and you will be happy too.

This three-part dance comedy gives us a slice of Xin's impressive life, with an undercurrent that questions success, individuality and happiness.

Just Say Hi by Tupua Tigafua,

Just Say Hi is a humourous duet to Harry McClintock’s famous American folk song “Hallelujah! I’m a Bum.” Light-heartedly reflecting on a life of struggle and judgment that comes hand in hand with being a lonely homeless person … unless someone takes the time to just say hi.

A Murmuration by Bianca Hyslop

A Murmuration is a living work that serves as a reminder of the extraordinary movements in life. Bianca draws inspiration from the patterns she observes in nature, from scientific cosmologies to the ever-changing swirl of bird formations. The work is layered with ideas that contemplate the natural phenomena of human physiology and the beauty in motion and seeks to evoke a deeper sense of unification.

Shadow Orbit by Scott Ewen

"We are often defined by our contrasting characteristics: spontaneous and calculated, calm and neurotic, jealous and proud, and greedy and generous." In this work, Scott experiments with the idea of good and bad and invites the audience to realise the lightness and darkness in the decisions they choose to make.

Tracked by Omea Geary

The core ideas in “Tracked” explore three independent individuals moving through assorted pathways yet in a shared unison rhythm, created by the dancers. The trio’s trajectory moves through a journey resulting in a deconstructed form. The composer’s, James Risbey, involvement in creating the track allowed for the soundscape to be heavily influential during the creation process resulting in a highly integrated environment for viewers. I encourage the audience to let go of the entrancing nature of this work.

Brouhaha by Malia Johnston

Brouhaha means “much fuss about nothing”. When a drop of water falls into a pool, the ripple effect it can cause is big — “little drop, big effect”. Choreographed by Malia Johnston for The New Zealand Dance Company as part of their highly acclaimed show Lumina, with original music by Eden Mulholland.

Tupua’s Solo

A boy who’s a dreamer leaves home and imagines a world full of fantasy and magic. Music by Vivaldi.

influences of chainge by Joshua Cesan

influences of chainge is choreographed by Joshua Cesan with original music by Andrew Cesan, Joshua Faleatua, Magnetic Man, and Hellion. Do you control your future, or do these guys?

Ghost Dance by Choreographed by The New Zealand Dance Company’s Tupua Tigafua