Tempo Dance Festival sashays back to Auckland’s Q Theatre for 2 weeks of spectacular dance from 9 to 21 October 2012!
Tempo, now in its 9th year, will be taking over Auckland’s hottest venue Q Theatre with a dazzling programme featuring hip hop to contemporary, Pacific dance to ballet and Bollywood to Burlesque. Tempo 2012 packs a punch with stunning shows and increased performances from many of New Zealand’s most acclaimed choreographers and dancers.
Tempo opens with a bang! Tuakana, Tempo’s signature Maori Dance Showcase, is followed by Footnote’s Forte Series performing one show only, setting the stage for the Honouring a Dancer tribute, which this year celebrates the life and artistic career of Deirdre Tarrant.
Exciting new shows include four Auckland premieres: Okareka Dance Company’s critically acclaimed Nga Hau E Wha, Daniel Belton’s fusion of film technologies and live dance Time Dance & Soma Songs, Sesilia Pusiaki’s Pukepuke ‘o Tonga, an exploration of Tongan culture through dance in modern day Auckland and Colours of India, a journey of Indian dance from classical to Bollywood.
Encouraging those who like to get involved, iconic dance personality Sir Jon Trimmer KNZM MBE offers a hands-on mime workshop, followed by An Audience With Sir Jon Trimmer during which Sir Jon relates stories and answers questions about his spectacular career. Tempo will also be heating up the Q foyer with a sexy, vivacious Salsa Ball, including dance demonstrations and a live Latin band.
2012 also sees the return of festival favourites, including Y Choromozone, the all-male showcase, Duets, a celebration of the art of dancing two-by-two, featuring a star-studded cast including the Royal New Zealand Ballet and Dancing With the Stars favourites Brian Jones and Beatrice Faumuina and Out of the Bo, featuring the best hip hop choreographers and artists New Zealand has to offer.
Evening length works Seamless, by integrated dance companies Touch Compass and Second Echo (Tasmania) and On the Other Hand, the latest choreographic season from New Zealand School of Dance, bring a fresh perspective and distinctive contemporary dance voice to the festival while the award-winning Lily from Bipeds Productions brings a touch of history and humour to Tempo 2012.
Due to popular demand, this year’s youth programmes have increased in number and size. The Kids Show, dance for kids by kids, is now in Rangatira (mainstage), and Tempo is proud to introduce Secondary Colours, featuring the best dance performances from secondary schools. Tertiary Colours showcases some of the best from New Zealand’s tertiary dance programmes and Fresh Cuts and Prime Cuts offer some of the country’s top emerging and established choreographers offer new short works.
In the mood for something naughty but nice' MaryJane O’Reilly’s hit neo-burlesque show In Flagrante returns for one show only, and The Va-Va-Voom Burlesque Show from Lilly Loca’s Vaudeville Cabaret will tickle your fancy and funnybone.
Douglas Wright: Body of Work is a striking new exhibition surveying the career of New Zealand’s very own Douglas Wright at the Gus Fisher Gallery from 31 August until 20 October, including two free public events during the festival.
2012 marks the beginning of Celia Walmsley’s appointment as Tempo’s new Festival Director. I'm delighted to be joining Tempo at this exciting time in its growth and development. This year we’ve focused on giving artists increased performance opportunities and developing the breadth of dance forms represented in Tempo, including participative dance.
