A Contemporary Voice Finds Dancing Feet

By Deirdre Tarrant

These are companies that have met Creative New Zealand (CNZ) funding requirements and provided impetus for careers in the industry.

In 1992 Footnote Dance had just developed a board structure and became a charitable trust. While still operating from project funding, this saw the beginning of an ongoing commitment to sustainable career paths, fundamental to Footnote policy. 
Samoan-born Lemi Ponifasio and his MAU Company, founded in 1995, has established a strong international identity as the world looks to new philosophical, intellectual and performance propositions. 

Taiao (1987–1994) was a collective initiative started by Stephen Bradshaw with a creative philosophy to develop contemporary Maori dance. 

Motivated to provide a different perspective and a fresh voice in the dance scene, Neil Ieremia founded Black Grace in 1995, with 10 male dancers. Ieremia draws from his Samoan and New Zealand roots to create innovative dance works. 

Moss Patterson was a Footnoter, then a member of Black Grace, and now heads Atamira Dance Company and regularly choreographs for the company. Atamira was started as a collective in 2000 by Louise Potiki-Bryant, Justine Hohaia, Dolina Wehipeihana and Jack Gray. 
Taane Mete and Taiaroa Royal were early dancers with both Black Grace and Atamira and have stepped away to develop their own Okareka Dance Company - a Maori contemporary dance company. 

Newest company on the block is Shona McCullagh's New Zealand Dance Company who recently presented their first full-length work Rotunda, in Auckland.

Read the full article (Iss. 34) A Contemporary Voice Finds Dancing Feet