November 19, 2008

But is it The NZ School of Dance?

Theatreview Theatreview             posted 16 Nov 2007, 04:44 PM

These are the questions worth addressing in the light of Lyne Pringle’s review of the NZ School of dance graduation performance:

    Does dance have a national identity or is it generically global?

    Should the New Zealand School of Dance be obligated to have a quota for New Zealand Students and should their funding be contingent on meeting that quota?

    Should the New Zealand School of Dance commission more New Zealand choreography?

    Does the school have an obligation for a cultural mandate, as stated in the Schools Charter, to reflect the Schools contribution to New Zealand’s identity and economic, social and cultural development?

Raewyn Whyte posted 16 Nov 2007, 05:39 PM / edited 16 Nov 2007, 05:44 PM

Interesting questions.

I can think of others which may also be worth asking, to do with funding for this full-time tertiary dance programme relative to other full-time tertiary dance programmes ….

NB Unfortunately, the document on the web site of  the NZ School of Dance which is supposed to be the  Charter document for the NZ School of Dance  is  actually the Charter for Toi Whakaari, the NZ Drama School.

Can anyone provide a copy of the NZ School of Dance Charter, please?

It might result in a more constructive discussion if the Charter is read before engaging with the Forum questions..

Moya Bannerman            posted 16 Nov 2007, 09:49 PM / edited 16 Nov 2007, 10:51 PM

Agreed, Raewyn.  I’d also like to know the nationality stats of each intake over the past few years.  Is it true that the NZSoD actually travels to Australia to recruit students?

There is a resonance here with the film industry. Australian producers cast Australians as leads in Australian films and quite a few actors win international careers as a consequence (including playing leads in NZ films). But we narrow the field of opportunity for our own talent right from the start, offering only bit parts and extra roles.

To start such disenfranchisement at the training level, though – that is is bizarre! And totally counter-productive.  If New Zealand doesn’t develop New Zealand talent capable of exploring and expressing our way of being, to us and the rest of the world, who else will?

Raewyn Whyte posted 16 Nov 2007, 10:58 PM / edited 17 Nov 2007, 10:23 AM

You know, I think the title for this forum is not quite right.

I think that the forum heading should ask:  What is “New Zealand” about the The New Zealand School of Dance?

— this is because  the debate is in one part to do with a claim to being “The” New Zealand School of Dance — which is a claim to be bigger bolder brighter better than the rest;

a second part, reflecting the School’s provenance as The National Ballet School, which is a claim to be “the national”   [ “New Zealand”]  school of dance  with associated rights and obligations that carries — which raises expectations of  entitlement  to bigger bolder brighter better funding on the justification of national responsibility [ [a claim which could be settled by reference to actual  student demographics – NZ vs Australia vs Singapore/Taiwan/Korea and elsewhere, how nationally representative the student body actually is] ];

thirdly there’s a question  about nationality (what is it to be  “A New Zealand school”)  and what are the rights and obligations which go along with that [local vs global etc] ;

and fourthly there’s questions to  do with the breadth/depth and range of curriculum of this school and  the privileging of classical ballet and modern dance in the School’s  curriculum — both of them international forms.

No doubt there’s many more – to do with recruitment and retention of staff as well as students……

I need to read that charter, please.

Kilda Northcott posted 20 Nov 2007, 09:53 AM / edited 20 Nov 2007, 12:54 PM

IN ANSWER TO MOYA’S QUESTION  – DOES N.Z.S.o.D  GO TO OZ TO AUDITION? –  I’M NOT SURE THAT THEY PHYSICALLY GO TO OZ TO AUDITION BUT THEY HAVE  AND I THINK STILL DO ADVERTISE IN AT LEAST ONE AUSTRALIAN DANCE MAGAZINE CALLED ” DANCE train “.

I WORK IN A SHOP THAT SELLS THE ABOVE MENTIONED MAG,  ” DANCE train ” AND IN THE 2005 JAN/FEB EDITION THE INTAKE FOR 2005 N.Z.S.o.D,  OR SHOULD I SAY OFFERRED PLACEMENTS FOR THE N.Z.S.o.D FOR 2005, WERE DISPLAYED – THEY WERE :

11 CLASSICAL STUDENTS FROM AUSTRALIA 

  3 CLASSICAL STUDENTS FROM NZ 

  3 CLASSICAL STUDENTS FROM SINGAPORE 

  4 CONTEMPORARY STUDENTS FROM NZ 

  4 CONTEMPORARY FROM OZ

  1 CONTEMPORARY FROM SINGAPORE

I’M NOT SURE WHAT THE OVERSEAS STUDENT  INTAKE HAS BEEN OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.

Garry Trinder     posted 20 Nov 2007, 04:15 PM / edited 20 Nov 2007, 04:16 PM

I would like to address some of the issues raised in this forum.

The NZ School of Dance has been accepting Australian students since 1978.   This has been necessary to maintain numbers and standards within the programmes offered at the School.  Whilst we have a number of good NZ students entering the programme, we need 25 – 30 incoming students every year to make the programme financially viable.    We can either make up the numbers by absorbing students who will not realistically succeed in the professional sector, or draw from elsewhere to supplement the student body.   We choose the latter in order to maintain our position as a pre-eminent provider in the field.  

The NZ School of Dance is funded by the Ministry of Education through the TEC which recognises Australian students as domestic students in regards to its funding of the School.  International students (ie not Australian or New Zealand students) command no support from the Government and for this reason must pay substantially higher fees to study here.

The New Zealand School of Dance has worked consistently to offer employment to NZ’s foremost teachers, choreographers and dancers.   In the past ten years we have commissioned  works from Douglas Wright, Neil Ieremia, Shona McCullagh (x 3 ), Raewyn Hill (x 2) Ann Dewey (x 2), Sarah Sproull, Deirdre Tarrant,  Ross McCormack and Malia Johnston to name but a few.   These names sit alongside a lengthy list of NZ practitioners who teach at the School regularly. 

We take our place in New Zealand seriously. We are major contributors to New Zealand’s national dance identity. We also maintain a global outlook.   This is necessary to maintain the School’s high employment rate and to open the minds of the students to the possibilities inherent in the international dance scene.   This ethos equips the graduates with the tools to sustain a long and successful career. 

Kilda Northcott posted 20 Nov 2007, 08:28 PM

In answer to question 1.  I think dance whether it be classical or contemporary should most definately have a point of reference that is ” national ” to NZ

Classical ballet does have beginnings & references in it’s origin and form,to another land and culture, outside of NZ – the classcial technique does suit a particular type of body – interesting though to consider that classical ballet, here in NZ could develop in a way that suited, the NZ dancer, whatever that may be ??? 

I believe that the NZ School of Dance should have to fill a yearly quota both in the classical and contemporary streams.Funding should be available to meet that quota.

In answer to question 3. Yes, there should be more NZ choreographers

In answer to question 4. Yes

peasant bystander           posted 6 Dec 2007, 10:12 PM / edited 8 Dec 2007, 09:57 AM

i am disapointed to see this trail go cold so soon, there is room for some big discussions here which would benefit from some perspectives outside dance practise. both raewyn and moya have asked for clear details, the charter and also nationality status of the recent student body.

I don t accept that garry trinder’s reply is an acceptable response to this clear request. also there are some other points i would like to take issue with – although it is very generous for our educational funding bodies to treat australian students as domestic, that is not the point being raised.

In relation to the statement ‘in order to maintain our position as pre-eminent provider in the field’ i have two rebuttals:

1) i can think of four dance graduates of unitec (just off the top of my head and also from only two recent years, i am sure there i more i am unaware of) denied acceptance to “the new zealand school of dance” who have gone on to be possibly the most successful and most employed contemporary dance practioners in the country at present. one named ‘best male dancer’ by francesca horsley in the listener.

2) Three outstanding expat choreographers (now london, brussels and berlin) aside from dancers hired through friendship or previous affiliation, hired almost exclusively graduates of the unitec programme for their work. by audition . which also leads me to question ‘new zealand’s national dance identity’ and ‘global outlook’ ……. according to whom?

Kilda Northcott posted 12 Feb 2008, 12:15 AM

What happened to the request for a copy or evidence of a ” NZ School of Dance ,Charter” ???

Heard today that the latest intake for the NZ School of Dance, for next years,1st year, is quite a big one – 36 students ? is that correct ……………only of which , 2 are from  NZ ???

John Wilkinson posted 12 Feb 2008, 11:06 AM / edited 22 Mar 2008, 08:27 AM

I think Gary’s response hit the nail on the head.  The School needs the best talent NZ has to offer  and if in auditions only find a handful, well so be it.

Why have a quoter of NZ student who will not make it in the industry racking up tens of thousands in student loans, only to get no where-Ok well there MAY be some exceptions. By in large from my knowledge of the school, the number of NZ students to overseas(Incl Australia) is fairly even.

Personally I have no problem with Australian students being at the school-they are eligible to be there.  Reading these threads, I can’t help but think someone has a big chip on their shoulder, or grudge.

e. v         posted 12 Feb 2008, 12:41 PM

the contemporary dance course seems to have more kiwis than the classical ballet course.the temptation of international fee paying students might be subconciously swaying them maybe?

from what ive heard, there are people unhappy with the fact that it is the ‘new zealand’ school of dance with  comparatively few nz’ers.

John Wilkinson posted 12 Feb 2008, 02:15 PM

In terms of overseas students, its only the ones outside of Aust. & NZ that pay the real ‘fees’ and that number isn’t huge.  Again, I feel the tall poppy syndrome NZ is renound for knocking here. I’m sure the Australian Ballet school would welcome many NZ students or others from overseas, if in OZ there was a lack of talent in its own country.  I suppose being the NZ school of Dance means we need all tutors to be of NZ origin?? I mean come on, this whole debate isnt worth the screen it written on!

Joshua Rutter     posted 22 Mar 2008, 01:12 AM / edited 22 Mar 2008, 08:26 AM

Yes it is Mr Wilkinson – questioning is of inherent worth.  Where do you think all that Modern Dance came from?

The word ‘talent’ is being thrown around a lot, an apparent lack of which being an obstacle to increased kiwi attendance at the NZSD. Perhaps we could examine the parameters one must fit to be considered ‘talented’? Maybe you have them written down somewhere?

In the same file as your charter?

Kilda Northcott posted 17 May 2008, 10:26 PM / edited 17 May 2008, 10:35 PM

Had a thought the other day,just some thoughts, only thoughts  – that if potentially less and less NZ’ers are accepted into the NZ School of Dance then potentially  could there be  a ” knock on effect  

Less and less NZ’ders feeding into or being accepted into The Royal NZ Ballet Company  – unless of course the NZ’ders who are training and working overseas come back to  NZ to be employed by the  NZ Ballet Company.

Another thought – if the NZ School of Dance is training dancers in contemporary dance, then  should  there not be a ”  fulltime NZ Contemporary Dance Company ” supported and funded by the powers that be – that  the  contemporary dancers who train here in NZ  could feed into …………… contemporary dance  ( possibly more than classical  ballet ) has at least the possibility and potential  to develop a unique NZ  style /performance quality/technique that suited the NZ body/dancer/performer/artist ( whatever that maybe )  that embraced the diversity of the human body and  its potential…………

I feel where you are born and raised affects the way you:  relate /think/ move/ are  / dance / say  / share – which in turn influences the way you perform…………….

Young Dancer    posted 8 Nov 2008, 09:33 PM / edited 19 Nov 2008, 10:18 PM

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