NZ DANCE STRATEGY - SPEECHES

Photos by pixeload

The following speeches were presented at the launch of the Dance Industry Strategy at Parliament in Wellington, 11 September 2008.

Speakers shown above, left to right:

Tania Kopytko, Executive Director of DANZ;

Tamahou Temara, delivering the speech by Stephen Bradshaw, Pouwhakahaere of Te Ope o Rehua;

Robyn Cockburn, consultant and strategist;

Shona McCullagh, choreographer, filmmaker and Arts Laureate

Tania Kopytko

Executive Director of DANZ - Dance Aotearoa New Zealand, the national organisation for New Zealand dance and one of the partners in this strategy project.

Tena koutou katoa

First some thank yous. Thank you to Creative NZ for funding the strategy development. Thank you to Hutt Valley High School and their Dance Educator Devlin Tikitiki, for our welcoming performance – an example of a school with dance in its learning programme.

Dance in schools is rapidly growing. It is in the arts curriculum, where it has existed for 5 years, and it is also an option in the PE curriculum. Dance is hugely popular with young people. 80% of our schools have hip hop dance clubs initiated by students.

We are here for a very special reason and so… It is with pleasure that I present the New Zealand Dance Industry Strategy to you at this launch.

The development of this Dance Industry Strategy represents a momentous occasion for Dance in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Dance is something that New Zealanders love and enjoy – a conservative estimate is that 270,000 of us dance, slightly more than play rugby and netball combined. Yet it is an artform that is not well understood. Of all the arts dance has the lowest average income. In the 2001 census it was revealed that dance teachers and/or choreographers had a median income of $14,300.

Dance in New Zealand covers a diverse range of styles, from cultural to social from commercial and popular dance to contemporary and classical traditions. Yet dance could be described as an artform which sits under the radar. It is not well integrated into the wider economic and social fabric of our society. It has enormous potential in creation and performance, education and for recreation, health and wellbeing. It contributes significantly to national identity and pride.

The dance industry has spoken strongly and with unified voice.

The Mission is a vibrant dance industry

The five points of the Dance industry Strategy summarize the work ahead and represent the beginning of our work. Each of the five points will require focus and long term development. We are in the process of developing a detailed action plan to deliver on these strategies. Wider partnerships – national, regional, public and private – need to be forged, in order that some major projects can be developed.

The 5 strategic points are...

1 connections – building unity and fostering a shared purpose across the industry through integrated networks and partnerships nationally and internationally.

2 spaces – establish dance focal points and spaces which meet the requirements of dance, such as dance hubs or houses, for training, rehearsal and performance – these are critical to the development of dance.

3 viability – develop a sound and vibrant dance economy with strong and innovative leaders managers and creators. An industry integrated with our wider NZ economic and social fabric. An industry with viable careers, appropriate recompense for professional work and dance touring nationally and internationally.

4 visibility – increased profile and understanding of dance and its potential across all media and society.

5 skill – educate develop train and support dance across the professional, education and recreation sectors so that dance is strong and career pathways are clear.

On behalf of DANZ I look forward to working with the dance industry and other partners to make this strategy a reality and to have a vibrant and strong dance industry.

Stephen Bradshaw

A dance pioneer, Stephen established the first contemporary Māori dance company in NZ  - Te Kanikani o te Rangitahi and later Taiao Dance Theatre. Stephen is Pouwhakahaere of Te Ope o Rehua, the contemporary performance arm of Toi Māori Aotearoa and Kaiwhakahaere/Manager of Māori Arts for Manukau City Council. (This speech was delivered by Tamahou Temara at the launch).

My role is to give an overview of the workshop consultation process and present some ways that dance is engaging with Tangata Whenua.

I had the pleasure of attending all of the forums in the three centres, representing Te Ope o Rehua, the contemporary performance arm of the national Māori arts organisation Toi Māori Aotearoa. I have attended many national dance gatherings and worked within a number of dance strategies over the years and felt a very real difference on a number of levels with this particular event.

• Firstly the combination of the elements of hosting a national gathering whilst producing a professional dance strategy at the same time was a great idea to concentrate on discussing topics and not doing the usual physical workshops, master class or keynote speaker.
• Secondly rather than a single gathering that all travel to, this was a series of 3 that allowed for greater nationwide participation and ability to therefore collect more information from a wider range of participants.
• Finally, the same questions, format and facilitator was generic to each workshop. The process enabled all attendees to voice their ideas, seamless timetable and focused energy – good stuff! Everyone was heard and listened to and the style was similar to a Hui Māori, except this was a Pakeha version!
• The most significant factor for me is the timeliness of this strategy. The community of practitioners have matured and are capable of work at the highest level. We have gained experience internationally and have local information and research. Dance in Aotearoa New Zealand has an identity now and is recognised globally and valued as an insight to New Zealand society. There is a strong collective body of information that is gaining momentum & purpose.

Who Came?

There was a broad range and good representation of the professional sector when all three workshops were taken into account:

• Contemporary dance & Ballet practitioners being a very vocal majority of attendees.
• Strong representation from the tertiary and wider education sector was also present with lecturers and students participating.
• Tutors and studio owners from the social dance arena who have gained a strong profile after recent TV series celebrating partner dancing.
• Fitness instructors and wellbeing practitioners also participated, illustrating the diversity of how dance informs practices in so many areas of our lives from recreation to spirituality.

Where to From Here?

I would hope the final strategy is broad enough to encompass all choosing to be a part of the plan, far reaching that political recognition wakes up to supporting the sector and presents professional dance as a richly diverse art form that embodies life in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The role of Tangata Whenua dance in this subject has many dimensions and this forum was not the appropriate space to discuss in detail. A Māori contemporary dance Hui in 2009 will be the opportunity to raise specific art form issues and connect to the initiatives that this strategy initiates.

The strategy will require input from diverse individuals and challenge agencies to work together to uplift the aspirations within the document. Partnerships and clusters need formation to concentrate on the long term aims. Toi Māori Aotearoa & DANZ are focusing on some objectives to define some mutual goals, in order that we can be more efficient, not duplicate services but be more dynamic and confident with our dance activities.

Te Ope o Rehua

Since 2000 Contemporary Māori dance has been in a developmental phase. Through Toi Māori's choreographic programmes we have implemented, we have now reached the stage where works have been created and presented. We are proactively developing national and international links to tour these works thus not only lengthening the life of a choreographic artwork but also increasing dancer employment. Companies like Atamira dance collective are leading lights in this field, having commenced tours off-shore to Hawaii and more recently New Caledonia at the Tjibaou cultural centre. Our most recent company Okareka formed by our most senior performers Taiaroa Royal and Taane Mete debuts in Tempo dance festival in October. Over the last 3 years many people nationally experienced Maaui and the creative force that was unleashed by this production. The picture I have been trying to illustrate is the quantity of Māori participation in the field of art-making but also the quality that is being produced. The works have a flexibility to them that allows performing in a range of venues, excellent production values, the works are export ready with many companies actively promoting to festival directors, touring circuit agencies and producers.

With strong relationships across the dance sector and into government, Iwi and other organisations, dance now has an opportunity like never before to flourish and embody the values and mana of life in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Shona McCullagh

Distinguished choreographer and Laureate, Shona has recently retuned from the Polish New Era Horizons Film festival in Vraklav , where her dance film work was showcased and she was commissioned to create a live work. Following this she discussed a commissioned work with Sadlers Wells in London.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today at a powerful and potent time in New Zealand’s dance history.

The series of forums have allowed important voices to be heard, those of the people generating the NZ repertoire of tomorrow.

The strategic plan we launch today has arisen directly from the voices at the coalface and seeks to find vital solutions to the many issues and barriers facing professional practitioners in the 21st century.

This is a time to celebrate our unity in the desire for change and a better future for dance. However, the obstacles are not small.

A dance-maker’s needs are relatively simple in terms of the crafting of a work:

• A space that is warm, safe and light.
• Dancers who are positive, passionate, inspired and ready for work.
• Stability, security and time.

These three require sustainable producing, management and funding - criteria that elude all but the few recurrently funded dance organisations.

Space, time and energy are often cited as the primary elements of choreography. The parallel is drawn that in fact, very few practitioners have enough space, enough time or enough energy.

Too often freelance choreographers also act as a producer, manager and sometimes publicist, on top of the already demanding role of producing fresh new work with limited resources. And so their dance making power is drained by the burden of administrative demands, grant sourcing, and constantly plugging the leaky boats that the unstable infrastructure provides.

Inconsistent, project-based funding that has been the model for as long as I can remember, results in loss of dancers, venues, sponsors and the confidence to succeed. Dance projects are seldom fully funded. This results in further slashes. The first to go always rehearsal time and marketing, both of which are needed to create good work and sell it well. We hope this will change next year with the launch of Creative New Zealand’s revised funding model and we look forward to a future where artists can successfully plan and achieve their artistic and business goals. 

Under-developed touring circuits mean works produced often die after an initial short season in one city. Our Festival Directors often prefer international works that are well worn in and have had the opportunity for several re-edits and improvements, something our works rarely receive. For NZ work to reach this standard we need different funding models, vital nurturing from established companies and developed touring frameworks. Our work must be supported, seen and developed fully here to reach and develop a local audience, to reinforce dance in schools and to let New Zealanders engage in issues and their sense of self through our dances.

We have lost significant ground in our dance work in the last 10 years.

The production of new work by senior and mid-career artists has slowed down, or sadly stopped altogether, because of the difficulties of the working environment. This has had a direct impact on employment for our best dancers, many of which have no choice but to leave these shores.

Designated dance houses or spaces were strongly called for by groups that desperately need professional studios for class and rehearsal. Equally, smarter infrastructures creating strong frameworks are vital for stable planning and rollouts of timelines. The gaps between development projects need to be bridged by professional management who will assist with planning, on-selling and future development of companies and artists.

The preservation of our national repertoire and dance history is also a concern, raised through the forums. Various options need to be investigated from a national repertory company to strategies that ensure important historical work is seen again and appropriately recorded and archived.

It is our fervent desire that the voices of our very special practitioners will be heard and will be answered. We look forward to developing new partnerships beyond the traditional to enact this strategy. 

It is time for the environment to change and the industry to grow strong - Together.

Robyn Cockburn

Consultant and strategist with an organisational, recreation and community focus, who played an important part in the writing of the strategy and within DANZ over the past 3 years.

Tena koutou, Tena koutou, Tena koutou  katoa

It is with great pleasure that I share with you the potential of this Dance Industry Strategy. A strategy to develop dance in Aotearoa New Zealand. A strategy that outlines the contribution that dance makes to the economy, arts and culture, education, health, social development and recreation.

I have been fortunate to participate in the dance development journey – from a fragmented, single issue focus at Flock House in the early 1990s where the concept of industry was anathema -  to a very different house at the heart of which is national development! We are here at Parliament launching a strategy that reflects the industry’s commitment to working in an integrated way, and its wish to be normalised.

So why does dance deserve this? I’ll give you some context as to its popularity, power and potential.

Dance is popular - the statistics prove it!

• There are currently 90,000 young people learning dance in dance studios across the country.
• Festivals attract high quality performers and huge audiences. Te Matatini National Kapa Haka Competition attracts 1,200 performers and an audience of 35,000. Polyfest Secondary Schools Festival 2007 had 8,500 performers and 90,000 in the audience, making it the largest dance event in Australasia.
• In Christchurch alone there are over 500 dance groups.
• Dance is uniquely placed in schools – it’s a recognised part of both the Arts,  and Health and Physical Education curricular, and is now an NCEA University Entrance subject. Dance is one of the fastest growing subjects in senior secondary schools.
• Dance is cool and appeals to youth  - Hip hop dance clubs have been set up by students in 80% of New Zealand schools

Dance is powerful

• New Zealand and overseas research has shown that dance is a very useful tool to engage students in learning. It is effective for Māori, Pacific Island and diverse cultures for whom dance and kinaesthetic learning is a central part of cultural expression, identity and cultural process.
• Dance develops creativity, teamwork, communication and problem-solving skills.
• Dance is fun and engaging and can be done at home to any type of music. 
• Dance has great physical and psychological benefits. It develops self-confidence and improves physical awareness, coordination, balance, core stability, cardiovascular strength and stamina. It makes people aware of posture, breathing and alignment.
• Dance is social - a great way to meet new people or spend time with your partner.
• Dance is a way for New Zealanders to express their ethnic identity. Dance crosses language barriers as well as expressing cultural diversity, values, creativity, innovation and beauty.
• Dance is relevant for all ages backgrounds and abilities, from parents and tots dancing for fun and childhood development, to chair dancing for elderly – with a huge range of styles in between!
• Dance is inclusive - in disabled dance New Zealand has a proven track record. We have two mixed ability dance companies - Touch Compass and Jolt - who not only perform but also provide training workshops. With strong support these opportunities could be extended across the country.

Dance has potential

Dance in schools exists with low levels of resourcing and a weak support structure. We need to close the gap between demand for dance and the supply of teachers by working closely with teacher training organisations.

Shona has already talked about the our hopes for the new Creative New Zealand funding models and their longer term impact on the creation and performance of dance works.

Local authorities are starting to unlock the potential of dance, and recognising the contribution it makes to community development and civic celebration.

The Dance Industry Strategy describes our aspirations for dance – how we plan to build on its popularity, unleash its power and maximise its potential. We want dance that is understood and seen.

• Dance that is supported for its potential to excite and challenge.
• Dance used as a powerful tool for learning in education.
• Dance contributing to our community's health and wellbeing.
• Dance as a positive and highly chosen recreation activity.
• Dance that is acknowledged for its power to reflect who we are.
• Dance as a flagship for our identity and nationhood, whether it be as part of art, sport, recreation or tourist events.
• Dance for people of all backgrounds, ages and abilities… dance for youth and the elderly, for Māori and migrants, for prima ballerinas and those with disabilities, dance in public and private, dance on stages, school halls and sitting rooms.

Dance will be viable when it is recognised that dance people work across all these sectors in their careers. But there is a need to strengthen and develop these connections.

To achieve this big picture of dance development, requires an integrated, whole of industry approach that engages agencies from national to regional, and builds on existing infrastructure.

So, what opportunities are afforded by this strategy?

It requires agencies to work together and support the development of dance in all its diversity. It seeks partnerships and investment beyond current arts funding, and includes education, recreation, health and social development.

The dance Industry is taking a wide view as represented in the strategy. We are willing and wanting to work with the wider world. We invite you to work with us.

The Strategy was responded to by:

Hon Judith Tizard, Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage

MP Chris Finlayson, The National Party's Spokesperson for Arts, Culture and Heritage

Karen Sewell, Secretary of the Ministry of Education