DANZDANCE OVERVIEW: Fringe Festival 2023
Fringe/NZ Fringe/Wellington Fringe has been presenting eclectic arts to audiences in the Capital for 32 years. As an open-access festival Fringe does not select or curate content, instead allowing anyone to register an event and perform or present whatever they choose. Arts offerings tend to be multidisciplinary, and cover everything from beginners presenting their first ideas to experienced artists exploring works in development. Run by the not-for-profit Creative Capital Arts Trust, Fringe 2023 features hundreds of events from 17 February - 11 March, making it the largest multidisciplinary arts festival in Aotearoa
A number of works in the Fringe 2023 programme include dance as an element of the performance, although just three are billed specifically as dance. Amygdala by Jenire has a 5-night run at Te Auaha; “Amygdala is responsible for processing strong emotions such as fear by sending signals to the cerebral cortex. Amygdala exhibits the complexity of the brain, communicating to viewers that the brain is a powerful weapon. Your biggest battle in life will be against something you live with constantly, your own mind”. EKC Choreography presents Daughters of Willow, performed by Sasha Matsumoto, Georgia Menhennet and Lulu Qiu, with sound design by Sibel Atalay. Intriguingly described as “ …three well known-figures in society come together to navigate an underground world in which they can unveil their true selves before having to cover their tracks and return home; their escapades unbeknownst to those they sleep next to…Inspired by underground societies that existed for women in the early 1900’s, which enabled women to meet and carry out jobs that were only to be done by men at the time…They invite the audience to a weekly meeting at their underground society, where they confide in the audience, revealing truths...” Daughters of Willow has a 3-night run at Bats Theatre. Measured Frenzy Co presents Search Party, a triple-bill of contemporary dance works “…that braids together miniature worlds from the scattered threads of a wandering mind…” by Auckland-based freelance movement practitioner Jacob Reynolds. Search Party has a 5-night run at Bats Theatre.
Mixed-genre performances on the Fringe 2023 programme that stand out as offering a point of difference include Tierra Y Mar Flamenco Project with internationally-awarded Flamenco artists guitarist Paul Bosauder and dancer Roshanne de Silva Wijeyeratne, Arawhata Wellington Ballroom “a one-of-a-kind show capturing the essence and lived experiences of queer, indigenous people of colour through a showcase of Dance, Music, Spoken-Word, Theatre, and Cultural performance”, and An Honest Conversation by Java Dance Theatre’s Sacha Copland, in which Copland and a mystery guest artist improvise dance, talk and “try to be honest”.
BRIGITTE KNIGHT
BRIGITTE KNIGHTBrigitte Knight, M.Prof.Studs (Edu. First Class Honours), BA, Dip. Teach (Sec) is an experienced and innovative choreographer, dance educator, dance and theatre critic, and dance adjudicator. She has created work for Okareka Dance Company, Coca Cola Christmas in the Park, New Zealand Fashion Week, Māori Television, TV3, The Auckland Shakespeare Company, Tempo Festival, The Basement Theatre, Aotea Diwali Festival, University of Auckland Diwali Festival, Desi Showbiz International, The Radio Network, Short + Sweet Dance, NZ One Act Play Festival and many more.
Review - Fringe Festival 2023- Dance - LIMITS
LIMITS by Bonnie Curtis Projects is billed as dance and comedy, although the performance presents as physical theatre/performance art. An introspective and confident work, Curtis appears as the character “Grotesque Creature” in her self-described “stereotypically hot body”. LIMITS explores Grotesque Creature’s attempts to strive... Keep Reading