 reviewed by Ewen Coleman (The Dominion Post) 1 Jun 2007 |
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Underlying themes undeveloped Much can be said for the value of devised works, allowing those in the group to work collectively on all aspects of the production and many such works have performed to great critical acclaim. Unfortunately however this can’t be said of Landlies, the group involved in this production appearing to focus far too much on the presentation rather than the content. [more] |
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reviewed by Melody Nixon (The Lumiere Reader) 6 Jun 2007 |
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Volatile and relevant issues probed but not fully explored When I think of connections to the land in Aotearoa I think, first of all, of Māori tūrangawaewae and spirituality. Pakehã connections I make more tenuously with the ¼ acre block and cultural icons like holidays at the beach and puriri fence posts. Which isn’t to say Pākehā land connections aren’t spiritual; just that they’re not often explored in a spiritual way. Landlies, by Picket Fence Productions, attempts to present the ‘all kiwi’ perspective on land sale in New Zealand ... [more] |
 reviewed by Bernadette Rae (NZ Herald) 12 Aug 2012 |
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Language of living with the New Zealand Dance Company Diverse, relevant, revealing - a platinum performance indeed! [more] |
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reviewed by Jack Gray 11 Aug 2012 |
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Punching above their weight This company, like the others (Black Grace, Footnote, Touch Compass, Atamira) operate on a knifes edge. But as with most things, we have to go back to the essence in order to continue paving the way for our success as well as our excellence. The New Zealand Dance Company has begun with a new starting point from which they can and will now be judged: as all dance artists, do, they exist to reflect New Zealand’s people, place and identity, to sing with their bodies and be a hotbed of creativity and a safe place for the bravery that inspires us, and the audience. [more] |
 reviewed by Ann Hunt (The Dominion Post) 18 Jun 2013 |
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Combined talents produce magic Artistic director Shona McCullagh's Trees, Birds Then People is an amusing investigation into behavioural similarities between birds and people. The avian movements were well caught and all four danced with high energy and musicality. Gareth Okan was particularly expressive. As the light faded, it ended with a wonderful leap off stage, as if a bird was taking flight at dusk. [more] |
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reviewed by Bernadette Rae (NZ Herald) 28 May 2013 |
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Gripped by Robb's animal magic When Ursula Robb, New Zealand dancer turned global star, takes the stage in her stunning solo Faune, set to Debussy's most famous Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune, the everyday world stops and there is only this nascent little creature in its woodland grove, somewhere else. [more] |
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reviewed by Jenny Stevenson 26 May 2013 |
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A showcase of contemporary dance styles Although it is an exploration of space performed largely in profile, De Keersmaeker’s work Prélude à L'après-midi d'un Faune, created in conjunction with Mark Lorimer, is clearly expressed differently to the New Zealand works. Referencing Nijinsky’s iconic choreography of L'après-midi d'un Faune, to Debussy’s music, it harnesses the raw, laconic energy of the original and turns it on its head by having a female perform the intimate dance of thwarted desire. Robb’s strength and mercurial directional changes invest the work with a charged and vigorous dynamic, vesting every nuance of the movement with meaning and layering the whole with an understated femininity. [more] |
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reviewed by Jillian Davey 13 Jun 2013 |
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Strong, fierce, competent dancing The New Zealand Dance Company impresses in their ability to retain the ‘contemporary’ in contemporary dance, as with Justin Haiu’s and Sarah Foster-Sproull’s choreographies, the show’s professional presentation, as made evident in their lighting, music, and stage design, and in spotlighting what New Zealand dancers are known for; strong, fierce, competent dancing. Pity they’re based in Auckland. [more] |
 reviewed by John Smythe 22 Apr 2009 |
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Who or what is driving this and why? The idea of Lantern is to use the impetus of a Chinese New Year family gathering to reveal their stories, confront their issues and thereby share something of what it is to be a New Zealander with Chinese heritage. The result is not as well crafted as it could have been. [more] |
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reviewed by Laurie Atkinson (The Dominion Post) 23 Apr 2009 |
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Problems shared under one moon On leaving the opening night of Lantern the audience was handed a Chinese New Year gift of a chocolate dollar and an 11th century poem which ends with the lines: All we can hope for is life enough to see that though a thousand leagues apart, we all look at the same moon. [more] |
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