DANZFestivals All Set To Inspire
It’s festival season and there are going to be so many great things happening around the country!
The Body Festival 2015
Christchurch, 25 September – 11 October
Back for its 14th year, Christchurch’s Body Festival presents a wonderful mix of performance and participation opportunities for you to indulge all your movement based desires in across more than 25 venues and 16 days that make up the 2015 Body Festival of Dance and Performance.
Presenting not only the finest home-grown dancers in a vast range of genres; pole dancing to hip hop, contemporary dance to circus and everything in between, 2015 also sees works presented from the USA, Australia, Spain and, for the first time, Poland, making this year’s programme truly global and present works and artists not seen before in New Zealand.
Participation is, once again, as important as presentation and the opportunity to take part weaves its way through the programme. From the opening event, a ‘dancing in the dark’ No Lights No Lycra dance party, to the ever popular have a go workshops, from masterclasses with visiting artists to chances to watch those at the top of their game competing, there’s something for everyone in this year’s programme.
For more information visit: thebody.co.nz
Tempo Dance Festival 2015
Auckland, 30 September – 18 October
Under the direction of newly appointed Artistic Director Carrie Rae Cunningham, the 2015 Tempo Dance Festival will have Auckland on its toes for the 12th year running.
Audiences will be spoilt for choice with a massive range of talent including Atamira Dance Company founder, Jack Gray. Kicking off the Tempo season Gray will present his first full length work, Mitimiti, which draws on four years of exploration into the notion of whakapapa and global indigeneity.
Footnote New Zealand Dance will also be showcasing at the festival. Celebrating their 30 year anniversary with 30Forward, Footnote presents a selection of highlights from full length works over the past decade.
The festival will also be graced by cultural flavours with Yatra Dance taking to the stage with a new work based on the paintings of one of India’s most famous painters Raja Ravi Rarma. And Dance Pasiόn will be dancing up a storm in Fling with Swing, a Tango/Swing infusion show.
Work from Ross McCormack, Dynamotion, Y Chromozone, and collaboration between Nancy Wijohn, Kelly Nash and playwright Rachel House are just a few more showcases up for consumption at the festival.
As well as all of that, a series of short dance films will be included in the Quick Flicks programme.
The Tempo Dance Festival is growing and strengthening. The programme is set to be a vibrant one, it will not disappoint.
For more information visit: tempo.co.nz
Nelson Arts Festival 2015
Nelson, 14 – 26 October
It’s been 21 years of the Nelson Arts Festival! Graduating from a collection of activities to support the World of Wearable Arts, Nelson’s Festival is now a two-week spectacular filled with local, national and international acts.
Nelson City Council is proud to be producing this annual event, celebrating the arts. Based at the Founders Heritage Park and at some new venues around Nelson, audiences will be treated to an exhilarating two weeks. The festival sports acts from circus, comedy, music, dance and theatre.
This year the programme includes works from Aotearoa’s finest. Out of the Box is an energetic fusion of hip hop and contemporary dance featuring internationally recognised dancers and choreographers, the group will be lighting up the stage at the Theatre Royal.
The charming Java Dance Company will also be presenting their dance theatre show, The Wine Project. “The Wine Project invites you into a world of flavours and aromas, of ritual and revelry.” And what would the show be without a pre-show wine tasting for an extra $10 on your ticket?
The community will be blessed with a variety of exciting showcases, workshops and activities.
For more information visit: nelsonartsfestival.co.nz
InterACT Disability Arts Festival
Auckland, 21 -23 October
InterAct is a significant festival in the New Zealand calendar of Disability Arts. This annual event delivers a 3 day festival involving New Zealand and International leaders in the field of Disability Arts, providing an opportunity for diverse people to perform, connect and celebrate. The festival involves live performances, art, drama , drumming, singing, film making workshops, drop in arts activities, wearable arts parades and much, much more. In 2015 the Festival will be held between October 21st-23rd at Corbans Estate Arts Centre, Henderson - Auckland .
For more information visit: interacting.org.nz
Read DANZ Magazine article here Festivals Galore