Old Hall Gigs rounds off the year with a bit of a party.
Held at the Wellington Swords Club in Tanera Crescent (nestled up in the hill between Aro and Brooklyn), our last gig for the year includes a byo picnic, a very special contemporary dance work, a charleston dance class for the audience (only for those who are keen, promise), and Wellington’s only guerilla-style big band, made up of 17 of the city’s most killer musicians.
Turn up anytime from 6:30pm for a byo picnic out on the expansive ex-bowling club lawn in front of the venue (weather dependant).
We start the gig at 8pm with a dance piece that we have been extremely lucky to be able to programme, IDEALE (An Ideal) choreographed by Loughlan Prior. Performed by two of NZ's leading dancers - Laura Jones and William Fitzgerald, did we mention that we’re extremely lucky'
Having inspired all you wannabe dancers, Saran from Full Swing Wellington will take the audience on a short taster session of solo charleston. Don’t worry – if you don’t want to take part you totes don’t have to.
We finish the night with a set by the Neo Hot Jive Orchestra, a 17-piece jazz orchestra led by eclectic saxophonist/multi-instrumentalist Oscar Laven. They're raging, engaging and focused on performances of hard-grooving retrospective NZ-original works played with the spontaneity and delectably gratuitous improvisations of a small group. And yes, you can try out your new charleston moves if you so wish.
