LIFTOFF!
) Photo: John McDermott |
Choreographers: Shona McCullagh, Justin Haiu; Kowhai Kids with Shona McCullagh, Tupua Tigafua & Richie Cesan; Renee Richards, Grace Pritchard, Rodney Tyrell, Xavier Breed; Sarah Foster-Sproull [1 hour] at ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre, Auckland 11 Aug 2012 Reviewed by: Raewyn Whyte; |
Alongside the Language of Living season, The New Zealand Dance Company is also offering a dedicated youth engagement programme.
A partnership with Kowhai Intermediate School sees 20 children take to the stage along with NZDC Youth Company, our own dancers and special guests from Rutherford College performing a dynamic programme of short works that include excerpts from the Language of Living launch performance.
NZDC Executive/Artistic Director Shona McCullagh and company member Tupua Tigafua have worked over several months with the students at Kowhai helping them to create their own choreographic language, celebrating identity through their own personal connection with community, whanau, culture and passion. Best We Can Be, set to music by Trinity Roots, is a unique work inspiring our youth to be courageous in their individuality through the transformative power of dance.
This new work will be featured alongside works from NZDC's Language of Living season. These include Justin Haiu‘s quirky and comical solo work Release Your Robot with live music by The Electric Boutique; Shona McCullagh's Trees, Birds then People with live music by NZTrio; Sarah Foster-Sproull‘s intriguing group work Human Human God with music by Motocade's Eden Mulholland; and Evolve, a solo for Ursula Robb featuring the music of John Elmsley and animations by Japanese artist Macoto Murayama.
Our Youth Engagement Programme is an important part of our crusade to communicate the power of dance and its ability to transform young lives. The New Zealand Dance Company is proud to share the stage with some of New Zealand's most talented and inspiring young dancers in a diverse, high energy performance.
Dancers: NZDC: Alex Leonhartsberger / Craig Bary / Sarah Foster-Sproull / Justin Haiu/ Hannah Tasker-Poland / Tupua Tigafua / Lucy Lynch/ Ursula Robb
& NZDC Youth Company – Angel Morrell, Anneke Tomkins, Hosanna Ball, Holly Brogan, Cameo Fityus, Vida Gibson, Tori Manley, Claire Esterman, Caitlin Davey, Esther Saborio-Ramano, Onyeka Arapai, Duncan Armstrong, Lisa McLaughlan, Xavier Breed, Grace Pritchard, Renee Richards, Rodney Tyrell
Kowhai Kids: Emily Hayward, Sarah Gudsell, Lesha Laile, Keiana Arona, Maia Edge Woodward, Roslyn Hifo, Kate Moss-Mason, Evangeline Tsong, Sila Siaki, Ricardo Dominiko, Harel Feliciano, Flo-Jo Adams, Tane Wolfgram, Desmond Petelo, Ammon McCarthy, Mahina Holland-Bennet