DANZ QUARTERLY - Issue No 9: October, November, December 2007

Touch Compass Turns Ten

By Francesca Horsley

The title of ‘iconic Kiwi contemporary dance company’ sits easily on Touch Compass Dance Trust. One of a select few, the company belongs at the top of the current NZ contemporary dance world, sitting alongside Footnote, Black Grace, MAU, Atamira and others.

It is therefore wonderful to celebrate the company’s 10th anniversary. Established by artistic director Catherine Chappell, Touch Compass Dance Trust’s (TCDT) hard work and dedication has produced a highly regarded integrated dance company.

From TCDT’s beginnings in the mid 1990s, when experienced and novice dancers took to hanging ropes, weaving extraordinary patterns in aerial dance, sent their wheelchairs flying in arcing circles, or nestled into each other in folding rows, their daring, bravado and tenacity has grown into a powerful assertion of bodies without boundaries and a cutting edge dance company. The aerial dance and centrifugal patterns of wheelchairs are still there, but these are now embedded into the unique artistry of the company.

Catherine, who has steered the company through the changes, says “I didn’t set out to form a dance company, that wasn’t my aim. When I started I was passionate about integrated dance and took it one step to the next really. Had I known what was involved, I would never have done it. I think being naïve and blind is a good thing; otherwise it would be a bit daunting.”

The company has a legacy of at least 40 dancers and an impressive list of choreographers who have contributed to its development, pushing physical and artistic boundaries. “We are always evolving and that has been my aim to keep moving and not become stagnant.  When I think back to how we first started, where some dancers had very little experience and only their own natural talent, we have come a long way – and that is really exciting. Now in the studio, when I am dancing with everybody, the skill and level of expertise of everyone is amazing.”

Catherine did a lot of work in Europe with dance theatre in the 1980s, and this, together with her abiding interest and expertise in contact improvisation has been built into the philosophy of the company. A hallmark of the company has been the range of individual choreographic voices that Catherine has encouraged from works made for the company. She sees her role as artistic director as striving for a balanced programme. “The choreographers have usually completed a lab project beforehand, so there has been feedback given on the work and on the process”. When needed, she will make a work that links the pieces into a cohesive shape.

The challenges of the company have been substantial. Catherine says “The difficulties our dancers face between our sessions and our seasons, and the logistics of getting people from different places in Auckland into one venue just to rehearse is challenging in itself”. 

Catherine recognises the need for a strong infrastructure as well as ensuring the company grows artistically. “I am always pushing to make sure we continue as an organisation on the business side and to mesh this with the creative side. Her wish list includes having a dedicated space for Touch Compass where it can set up ropes and have aerial programmes and a regular education outreach programme.

This year the celebration will include the iconic Lusi’s Eden and a new aerial work choreographed by Catherine as a tribute to TCDT’s beginnings. It will tour four cities - Auckland, Whangarei, Hastings and Wellington over October and November.

TCDT is also publishing its book Touch Compass: Celebrating Integrated Dance. A beautifully illustrated history of the company and its major milestones and personalities, it will be on sale from the beginning of October in bookstores and can also be ordered through the TCDT website.

Return to Contents page of DANZ QUARTERLY N0 9 October 2007