Innovative dance company's first outing

Language of Living, The New Zealand Dance Company
Foundation partner, Westpac
ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre, Auckland
Friday, August 10, 7.30pm, gala opening
Saturday, August 11, 7.30pm

The company has been formed to create a new focus for contemporary dance and provide a vehicle which aims change the way New Zealanders see and experience it.

It believes that by extending the boundaries of dance and creating new and relevant work it will be able to establish new connections.

By staging compelling works in highly engaging ways it hopes to not only entertain and engage but also connect emotionally with audiences.

The company’s first foray is a diverse programme of five works entitled Language of Living – inspired by the belief that dance is the most beautifully truthful language of living.

Earthy, funny, brave and beautiful, the five works on the programme choreographed by Michael Parmenter, Shona McCullagh, Sarah Foster-Sproull and Justin Haiu showcase some of New Zealand’s finest dancers.

They include Ursula Robb, Alex Leonhartsberger, Craig Bary, Sarah Foster-Sproull, Justin Haiu, Hannah Tasker-Poland, Tupua Tigafua and Lucy Lynch as artistic athletes in innovative and relevant choreography.

The programme opens with Evolve, a solo choreographed by NZDC artistic director Shona McCullagh and featuring global dance superstar Robb, whose stellar career includes work with the Paris Opera.

Evolve incorporates the animations of Japanese artist Macoto Murayama, a soundscape by New Zealand composer John Elmsly and innovative design work by Andreas Mikellis, AUT’s head of fashion, in collaboration with CoLab.

The great New Zealand choreographer Michael Parmenter’s duet Tenerezza works on the premise that no movement occurs without initiation by the other. Beautifully danced by Craig Bary and Justin Haiu, music by C P E Bach is performed live by David Guerin on piano.

Release Your Robot is choreographed and danced by So You Think You Can Dance star Justin Haiu. Inspired by street dance movement known as robot and liquiding, it features an original score by south Auckland trio The Electric Boutique, who will perform live during the piece.

McCullagh’s second work, Trees, Birds Then People, is a group piece set to Gareth Farr’s Mondo Rondo performed live by the NZTrio. This playful work is inspired by New Zealand’s unique bird life and explores shifting hierarchy in relationships.

Human Human God by Sarah Foster-Sproull is a poignant and comical piece about Generation Y by a Generation X-er and features an original music score by Motorcade’s Eden Mulholland.

“Globally, dance is at a high point right now, which is really exciting. Our mission is to unravel the current perception in New Zealand of contemporary dance being elitist and inaccessible," McCullagh says. 

"There's no reason why it should be out of reach or irrelevant on the fringes. Sharing the power of dance is what we are really passionate about.”