Wilhemeena Gordon has been working in the areas of theatre, dance and multi-media installation for over ten years. As a dancer, she has performed with MAU Dance Theatre, Coriolis Dance Co. and The BodyCartography Project (in NZ), and Dappin Butoh Co. (USA) but has primarily pursued her own artistic vision.

She has produced, directed, choreographed, performed and installed more than 31 of her own shows, from solos to group extravaganzas with casts of over 20.  Her work is described as liminal multi-media dance art, combining her talents as a choreographer, a theatre practitioner and a multi-media artist to create work that defies the boundaries of traditional dance and theatre practice.

Her corporate portfolio includes assistant director/choreographer for the 2004- 2006 Trash To Fashion Awards, and music video for NZ band Minut; David Gunson’s short film Auld Lang Syne; singly choreographing events for Sculpture on the Gulf, Auckland Theatre Company, AMEX, SUBARU, SOLITON, Harveys, Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, DAWSONS, Nelson Festival and the opening for Miranda Brown’s 2005 Winter collection at Air New Zealand Fashion Week 2004 and has made many privately commissioned pieces. Most recently she was co-coordinator and co-designer of the infamous Living Lounge/Butterfly Zoo at SPLORE 2008 and has created, choreographs and manages a dance troupe called the VAVAVOOMS – a sexy cabaret/burlesque trio.

In 2004, Wilhemeena’s short film Too Close was featured in the Body Festival in Christchurch. In 2002, her short film Asylum was chosen for the 34th International Film Festival in New Zealand and for Pulse Field Festival in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, in 2007 it featured at Nelson Arts Festival.  She was also chosen as a choreographer for the 2002 Platform and continued as Co-director of Platform from 2003 – 2006.

She has taught improvisation, choreography, contemporary technique and SRT™ as artist in residence at Milton Academy in Boston and in the Gold Coast hinterland and has taught workshops in Portland and Seattle, USA, including visiting artist workshops for Dappin Butoh, Liminal Dance Theatre and The BodyCartography Project. In 2007 she was chosen for the Ex-it 07 residency in Germany to dance and teach alongside 50 global participants representing the diversity of Butoh and Contemporary dance worldwide. In 2008 she has been asked to teach at SEEDS (Somatic experiments in earth, dance and Science) festival at Earthdance, USA.

She has taught drama, movement and experimental performance at The Performing Arts School of New Zealand, and SRT™ Intensives at the Nelson Lakes Mountain Jam, Tempo Festival, Dance Your Socks Off, the Tertiary Dance Festival and within the wider New Zealand dance community. She is a part-time tutor teaching SRT and choreography at the Bachelor of Screen and Performing Arts at UNITEC, at Auckland University and at AUT. She was a guest speaker and facilitator at the Intersections: Dance, Health and Wellbeing conference in 2007 hosted at TAPAC, Auckland.  She facilitates workshops in association with the Auckland District Health Board for Community Mental Health Facilities and is also a dedicated member of the Board for TEMPO, Auckland’s Dance Festival.

Wilhemeena has been involved in producing over 60 events and films in New Zealand and the USA.  From full production facilitation to costume and program design and established her company Wilhemeena Gordon and Co in 2006 with an opening show at the Maidment, which played to full houses.

In her spare time, Wilhemeena continues to practice as a Somatic movement therapist and holistic health practitioner and has recently opened a new center for body and mind practices in Titirangi, this is the first center of its kind in NZ and focuses on gaining health and vitality through dance and body/mind practices.  She was named a “woman spearheading Auckland’s business success” by Business to Business Magazine in 2006. And in 2008 was one of 6 NZers chosen as a participant of ART VENTURE, an acceleration program for creative entrepreneurs.

"It was one of the best shows - if not the best - I have been to 
since writing this column"
[ Butterfly Zoo 2008 ]
- Bridgett Saunders,
Sunday Star Times

"Aesthetically beautiful and articulately crafted; Wilhemeena creates 
majestic imagery and breathtaking visages with a gift for the 
strange, bizarre and extravagantly spectacular."
- Human Garden Agency

"Wilhemeena is a gifted artist moving with beauty and elegance. her 
performances are strong and compelling with satiric wit. She has 
something to say with a sense of urgency. I believe she has a bright 
future and will make an artistic  contribution to the culture in 
which she lives"
Joan Skinner, Founder and Director of SRTTM

SOUL
centre of the body and mind
Classes and workshops in Skinner Releasing Technique ^TM , Contact Improvisation, Butoh, Movement Therapy, and other modalities.
For a full brochure, contact soul@soulcentre.co.nz

Contact wilhemeena@clear.net.nz