DANZ QUARTERLY Issue No. 7

April, May, June 2007

Editorial

As this edition of DANZ Quarterly goes to print, the Auckland Festival AK07 is in full swing, with four NZ works being offered along with the French Ballet Preljocaj. AK07’s increased championing of local dance, along with similar support for Kiwi theatre, is truly heartening. These local works have not been chosen because they are sure-fire crowd pleasers ensuring good financial returns – although full houses are anticipated. Rather it is an endorsement of their artistic and intellectual merit, designed to extend and provoke our cultural awareness in the widest sense. The fact that two of the choreographers – Lemi Ponifasio and Neil Ieremia – have respected international reputations only adds to the prestige of the occasion.

This issue has a number of articles on women who have taken the initiative in developing dance, signalling their flare, determination and originality in contributing to the art form; Amanda Skoog, new CEO of the Royal New Zealand Ballet, contemporary choreographer Raewyn Hill, Elizabeth Robinson’s wonderful exercise-dance programme for middle aged women, Georgina White studying the relationship between romance and dance and Lyne Pringle and Kilda Northcott’s ‘sock it to them’ Bipeds Productions are all pushing the boundaries of the NZ dance scene.

Francesca Horsley

Editor

Royal New Zealand Ballet artist Lucy Balfour in rehearsal
Photo: Maarten Holl 2007

CONTENTS

• Amanda Skoog and the RNZB
  Tania Koptytko talks to Amanda Skoog about her new role as General Manger of the Royal New Zealand Ballet and the changes she has seen in New Zealand dance.
• Cubanos on Queen Street
  Jennifer Little investigates how a little bit of Havana has come to Auckland.
• Top NZ Choreographers at AK 07
  Tempest by Mau
  Amata by Black Grace
  Dark Tourists by Malia Johnson
• Love Amongst the Light Footed by Catherine Wellington
  Georgina White, the second recipient of the Caroline Plummer Fellowship in community dance talks about her research into how dance leads to romance.
• Salsa Set to Rock Wellington’s Easter
  New Zealand’s First Salsa Congress.
• ‘E’ Exerdance Getting Women off the Couch by Francesca Horsley.
  Retired Christchurch dance teacher Elizabeth Robinson has developed a dance exercise programme.
• DANZ Lesson Plan for Secondary Teaching, Years 7-13 (147KB PDF file)
• SOUL in a New Space by Wilhemeena Gordon
  A boutique retreat for the arts, dance and holistic health.
• Raewyn Hill - Hanging up her dancing shoes
  Francesca Horsley interviews contemporary dance choreographer Raewyn Hill about her decision to give up dancing and her hopes for the future.
• Making it up as We Go Along
  Lyne Pringle talks about her dance production company Bipeds and their show Fishnet.
• DANZ Resource Code of Professional Practice for New Zealand Choreographers (211KB PDF file)
• Reviews:

  Sleeping Beauty - The Australian Ballet reviewed by Francesca Horsley
  Ink - Maria Dabrowska reviewed by Jack Gray
  Memoirs of Active Service - Maaka Pepene and Atamira Dance Collective reviewed by Sue Cheesman
  The Jewel in the Ocean of Life: Pride, Power and Pathos - Kanan Deobhakta Dance Co. reviewed by Linda Ashley
  Buckethead – The Lost Child - Tania Crow reviewed by Alexa Wilson
  Giselle - Royal New Zealand Ballet reviewed by Briar Wilson
  DVD Review: Move It (Anita Hutchins) reviewed by Sue Cheesman
  Book Reviews: Social Choreography - Ideology as Performance in Dance and Everyday Movement by Andrew Hewitt and Dance Writings by Edwin Denby (edited by William Cornfield and Robert Mackay) both reviewed by Jennifer Shennan

   

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