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NZ News January

By Rain Francis.

The New Zealand School of Dance class of 2012 has been successful in securing the following contracts for 2013: Brydie Colquhoun – Black Grace; Chloe Einicke – West Australian Ballet; Samantha Hines – Australian Dance Theatre; Laura Jones – Royal New Zealand Ballet; Simone Lapka – Douglas Wright; Jia Xi Lee – Singapore Dance Theatre; Gareth Okan – New Zealand Dance Company; James Pham – Chunky Move; Luis Piva Junior – Singapore Dance Theatre; Matte Roffe – Australian Dance Theatre; Andrew Searle – Dancenorth.

Congratulations to all graduates and all the very best as you embark on your performance careers!

The New Zealand Dance Company is hosting an international exchange with Chicago based dance theatre company Lucky Plush Productions. This Professional Devising Workshop comprises of a morning technique class followed by two devising sessions, where participants will work with the Lucky Plush company members in their devising process. The workshop is suitable for actors, dancers and physical theatre artists at tertiary and professional level.

New Zealand School of Dance

Luis Piva Junior in Loughlan Prior’s ‘Verse’ for New Zealand School of Dance Graduation Season 2012. Photo by Stephen A’Court.

Lucky Plush Productions will bring its distinctive devising process to Auckland’s dance and theatre communities as they begin creative research for the company’s second collaboration between Artistic Director Julia Rhoads and theatre director Leslie Danzig. This research populates classic physical comedy routines with different bodies and invites workshop participants to experience a contemporary reworking of this material. Through exploration of various research questions, the work considers how bodies generate and defy comedy, and how this classic physical comedy form can be opened up to a complex and lush choreographic language that speaks both viscerally and intellectually to audiences.

To find out more, email classes@nzdc.org.nz or visit www.nzdc.org.nz

Atamira Dance Workshop is a new contemporary dance and choreography workshop offered at Corban Estate Arts Centre’s Summer School 2013.  The workshop will be taught by the professional Maori Dance Company Atamira, who will share dance exercises inspired in their Kaha show and introduce some techniques for creative dancing. Whether you are interested in finding inspiration to innovate in your dance repertoire or just learning new steps, this workshop is for you!

Atamira will ignite new ideas by leading dance exercises and setting choreographic tasks that use dance to stimulate creativity. Dancers will practise some of Atamira’s repertoire and choreographic skills based on the arts of moko (body tattoo), kowhaiwhai (painting) and raranga (weaving) designs, and explore how contemporary art can be used to create new  choreography.

Location: Corban Estate Arts Centre. 2 Mt Lebanon Lane, Henderson
Dates: Mon 14 – Wed 16 January, 10am – 12.30pm
Fee: $65

Find more information at www.ceac.org.nz. Dance teachers, tutors and lecturers will receive a 10% discount on the course fee!

Top photo: Julia Rhodes from Lucky Plush Productions in Punk Yankees.

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