GENESIS – TAKAPUNA GRAMMAR SCHOOL A matriarchal leader enters into the space, testing and blessing the ground ahead of her transient family group emerging and celebrating life. This piece celebrates matriarchal lineage and the passing down of rituals and knowledge through generations.

TAKE A WALK – GLENDOWIE COLLEGE Choreographed by year 11 dance students, as a co-curricular project. The dance provided an opportunity for students to create a routine that caters for a large group of dancers with a variety of abilities. The dance portrays people’s different approaches to responsibility, frustration, denial, contemplation and acceptance. This theme is shown through the use of different movements, formations, pathways, and relationships. This is the first time Glendowie College has had the opportunity to perform in the Tempo dance festival, and the students are looking forward to presenting their work to the public.

BOLLYWOOD – GLENFIELD COLLEGE Blend Bollywood dance with stunts, lifts, hip hop, jazz and humour in a high-energy, fast-paced routine. The 16 dancers perform to a variety of English and Hindi pop songs blended into one 5 minute dance. Our dancers are aged between 13 and 18 years and represent the great diversity of a cosmopolitan city; Maori, Pakeha, Filipino, Thai, South-African, Indian, Fijian-Indian, and Vietnamese.

CANDY LANE ELITE GROUP Competition winners of the New Zealand Formation Championship held in April of this year (2014). As the name woul suggest, trained and choreographed by the fabulous Candy Lane.

IKO IKO – PERRI EXETER for RUTHERFORD COLLEGE Performed by Rutherford CollegeYear 13 Dance students ‘Iko Iko’ is based on childhood memories, experiences from the womb to lunch times in the playground, hyperactivity and dressing up to create a make-believe world.

PERHAPS – LEAOD Perhaps is a a show jazz number originally choreographed for LEAOD’s Christmas Party and then was featured in their recent Debut Show, Evolution Dance. The Dancers are part of the schools performance team called Showteam and are selected to be in the team from their passion, ability and commitment. LEAOD is thrilled to be making its Tempo debut.

WE CAUGHT ME – ONE STEP BEYOND One Step Beyond have recently returned from Glasgow, Scotland where they performed “We Caught Me” at the Commonwealth Youth Dance Festival. The work was acclaimed for its well-crafted, beautiful choreography and for the high technical standard and performance by the company. This work follows the performers through their journeys from places of isolation towards community.

JUST WHIP IT? – POINTY DOG Dance can be an empowering way to know and own your body. Blind mimicry and the thoughtless sexualisation of young bodies takes that power away. Justifying this content in the name of dance is a discredit to both this art form and to our young people.

KIRIMATE – AUCKLAND GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL School dance student Madison Davies makes her debut this year, presenting her latest dance work titled “Kirimate” or “the skin of the dead”. The trio described as “powerful and moving” (Royal, 2014), is beautifully danced by the choreographer herself, Shelly Lloyd and Lavender Tuigamala and focuses on the effects of death for the whanaupani or immediate family. Kirimate is a thought provoking and beautifully crafted piece which shows how dance can deal with issues close to the hearts of many and should not be missed at this year’s Tempo festival.

ISOLATION – WESTERN SPRINGS COLLEGE Whether it is feeling shy, self-conscious or left out; ironically, we all share feelings of isolation in common. Isolation is choreographed and performed by year 13 Dance students from Western Springs College. Photo credit – Nina Gastreich

AS ONE – DEVONPORT SCHOOL OF DANCE A contemporary dance piece inspired by the idea of unity. It is about working together to uplift each other in times of need. It is about hope and reaching/looking forward.

YOUNG AND BEAUTIFUL – AVONDALE COLLEGE Drawing on student choreography director Destiny Anderson has crafted a beautiful ensemble for fourteen young women. This powerful and technical performance takes us on a nostalgic journey that celebrates the beauty of youth and the hope it will last forever.

BREATH – DIOCESAN SCHOOL FOR GIRLS Based on the quote “Gasping for breath he catches glimpses of true spirit, he runs wishing he could fly.”This choreography explores an individual’s journey to discover their true identity by searching within the heart, soul and breath. This is done by overcoming external barriers in order to embrace and express yourself.

ANNA’S DILEMMA Choreography by Ashleigh Morgan. The contemporary style piece is based on the famous choreography of Anna Teresa de Keersmaeker’s Rosas danst Rosas. The dance lends itself to femininity through a series of everyday gestures. A unique piece with its own twist is performed expertly by Year 12 dancers…be prepared to be captivated!

SETTLE DOWN – MT ALBERT GRAMMAR Student choreographer Deborah Fletcher is in year 13 at Mt Albert Grammar where she has excelled in dance particularly in choreographic tasks. Settle Down is based on an exploration of the idea that despite women getting the vote there is still. Many who feel that men are the providers and women are better suited to domestic duty.