The New Zealand School of Dance Choreographic Season showcases student choreography performed by the 2^nd and 3^rd year contemporary dance students. This year’s offering, Orbiculus, features one short work by each of the thirteen 3^rd year students, under the direction and guidance of Victoria Columbus and Paula Steeds-Huston.

Orbiculus curates thirteen works into a single, analogous act. The performance starts unexpectedly in the foyer in the centre of the open space, trusting the audience to form a performance periphery – which they do, remarkably and perfectly. Costumed in asexual greys and charcoals, the opening choreography, Huddle by Vourneen Canning, lays a clear and literal foundation of the orb/circular/cyclical theme that also closes the show. Low level ambient foyer sound amplifies and merges into Holding Horses by Colleen, moving the audience into spectator mode with originality and sophistication. The dancers are barely through the theatre doors before the audience are on their heels; the roles reversed as the full cast of dancers are revealed positioned on the auditorium’s seats. From the stage space, we watch 0110100001100001 (which converts from binary to the word ‘ha’) by Alec Katsourakis, set to Stamina by Current Bias and live voice.

Once seated, the audience can relax into a more traditional audience/performer dynamic, although as the works are interconnected through choreographed links there are few spaces for spontaneous applause. The overall effect of Orbiculus is homogenous; the dancers are technically strong, their movement vocabulary refined and controlled, their physical differences reduced by haze and low lighting. Similarities of choreographic intention arise too, with a number of works exploring ideas of freedom from structure, remaining present, maintaining sensory awareness within the pedestrian. Orbiculus relies heavily on electronic music, which inspires familiar movement vocabularies involving the juxtaposition of expansive fluidity with static isolations strongly reminiscent of popping. The majority of the works are performed with neutral expressions, particularly in the first half of the programme, leaving space for points of contrast to create a lasting impact.

The strongest of these is also the only duo of the showcase; Plato’s Atlantis choreographed by Bjorn Aslund. Essential, animalistic, androgynous choreography is informed by an original point of view and draws on Aslund’s floating world (ukiyo) life as drag artist. Nadiyah Akbar and Amit Noy partner with confidence and skill, to one of the few scores offering musical instruments and vocals. Plato’s Atlantis is the only work to subvert the uniformity of costume, the dancers shedding layers on the periphery of the performance space before their interaction begins. Both dancers are flattered by Aslund’s well-considered choreography, and Akbar’s steely gaze is equal parts charming and delightfully challenging here.  

Charged by Cheyanne Teka has a similarly strong choreographic intention, with some highly effective manipulations of space and formation. Set to Lulu’s Theme by Lulu Rouge (DJ T.O.M and Buda) featuring Trentemøller, the choreography moves along at a cracking pace yet stands out less than it might – perhaps due to the commonality of electronic sound in the show. Manuka by Franky Drousioti utilises the iconic Mr. Sandman by The Chordettes, which, while providing a humourous aural point of difference, doesn’t quite reach the kitsch quixotic heights promised by the score. Pāpā and The Kids Are Alright, choreographed by Arohanui Watene and Nadiyah Akbar respectively, offer some emotional range and a change of tone. The former utilising birdsong, voice and waiata to create a sense a joy and reminiscence, and the latter with all the gusto, energy and vitality demanded by a celebratory showcase finale.

Amongst a cast of proficient and talented dancers, Courtney Mae Lim and Nadiyah Akbar have a clarity of presence that sparkles with promise. And then there is Caspar Ilschner -defying gravity, moving across the stage like liquid mercury, lost in the dance. Watch this space.

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A highlight of the Wellington dance year, the NZSD Choreographic season sets to showcase the thoughts and creative talents of an upcoming generation of creative dance voices. Contemporary dance, by definition, is of today and reflects the issues, challenges, and thoughts of now. These dancers, and there is an excitingly large and very energised cast onstage, show secure and often outstanding technical control and work wonderfully together through a series of choreographies that are  disturbingly similar. The opening work Huddle (choreography: Yourneen Canning) set the style, evolving in the foyer space and constantly circling around a central figure(s), the dance draws us smoothly into the evening. The doors open and the gestural, robotic, staccato explosion of 0110100001100001 (chor Alec Katsourakis ) makes use of a great spatial twist as the dancers perform from the tiered chairs in the theatre. The audience watches from the stage in a clever role reversal. Once we are seated, a series of linked works made by choreographers Chase Clegg-Robinson, Neve Pierce, Olivia Castagna, Alessia Augello, Rachel Trent, Bjorn Aslund, Cheyenne Teka, Franky Drousioti, Jasmine Susic, Arohanui Watene and Nadiyah Akbar cross the stage and use an interesting and eclectic range of musical choices. There are two dominating vocabularies – the staccato, robotic, gestural, repetitive and aggressive that seems to be currently dominating our stages and reflects the hard edge of today’s digital and isolated social environment, and a morphing flow of full body movements and sharing of weight, space, floor and emotion – the softer side of humanity?     

Reading the choreographic programmes notes after final bows, I note a number of ambitious objectives were stated but I am more interested in these new choreographic voices and their ability to push out and explore. Orbiculus was  safe and  secure. I am not convinced this is the reality of a world in which we are all currently struggling to survive and to rationalise ourselves. That said, it is probably an underlying snag in myself, and my own real need to respond to a context in creativity. These dancers seem to be happy where they are, but in this year the world has delivered atrocities and uncertainty and I want to see some reflection of this in  the dance they make.

A number of works really  deserve special mention. A duet, Plato’s Atlantis, choreographed by Bjorn Aslund perfectly gives the talents and chemistry partnership of Nadiyah Akbar and Amit Noy a chance to shine. The programme notes, however, seemed unrelated to a duet that was mesmeric, hypnotising and a real privilege to share.                                              

Manuka,  danced to the quirky , toe-tapping tune of Mr Sandman by the Cordettes, was fun, unexpected, nearly trite but not quite, slick and sassy. Leaving, losing, loving and longing. A clever concept and choreography by Franky Drousioti. His cast clearly indulged themselves in their “moment in time” to shine!       

I liked the real world feel of La Luna (chor. Jasmine Susic) and the all-out joy  and exuberance of The Kids Are Alright finale (chor. Nadiyah Akbar).                                                  

Pāpā (chor. Arohanui Watene ) spoke with clarity and purpose and had a sense of place – Aotearoa-  in both the sound and vocabulary choices. 

A great lighting and technicals team led by Natasha James and Mattias Olofsson gave excellent production values to a smart, strong evening of great dance and dancers. Congratulations to the Contemporary dance staff of the NZSD under the leadership of Paula Steeds-Huston and to Season Director Victoria Colombus. Their young dancers are exciting and excellent! The teaching at our national training school gets better and better. I love it but have that niggle that I want to really find individual magic and minds as these new dancers move into their own creative ideas.Influences and derivation are evident – this is not necessarily a negative but gives me pause for hesitation! 

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