Review Archive
val smith is a white genderqueer choreographic artist and dance educator based in Auckland, NZ, creating and presenting performance work which rethinks the socio-political body through experiments that challenge the conventions of spectatorship. Queer, feminist and post structuralist theories underpin choreographic tests in a fluid relation with collaboration, somatic pedagogies and site-oriented practices. Recent choreographic projects include: THIS CLOUD IS QUEERING! Caroline Plummer Fellowship, University of Otago (2016); Meiosis, They Come From Far Away exhibition, Te Uru Gallery (2016); Gutter Matters, Art Islands Tokyo, Japan (2015), Signal Live Art Festival, Brussels (2015), New Performance Festival Turku, Finland (2014); Duotones, various sites, Dunedin (2015), to and fro exhibition, Artspace gallery (2014); Circle in Box, Caravan Series, St Paul’s Gallery, Auckland (2014), Anteroom, Dunedin Fringe Festival (2014). val completed a practice-led Masters degree at the University of Auckland (2014) which researched microperceptual modes of engagement in choreography in relation to the fields of live art, site-oriented performance and postmodern dance traditions. As a dance educator, val has been employed as a Professional Teaching Fellow (Dance Studies) at The University of Auckland (2014), Contract Dance Lecturer at UNITEC Institute of Technology (2014), and as Tutor and Graduate Teaching Assistant (Dance Studies) at The University of Auckland (2006-2013). val’s work also involves writing and social practices, which value criticality, conversation and connection. val has written for Theatreview since March 2012
Welcome to the review archive.
Theatre and dance reviews since 2006.
UNITEC DANCE SHOWCASE MMXXI
Global
15/12/2021 - 19/12/2021
"Is dance dead? Dying?..
EDWA 2020: Rebecca Jensen and val smith
Auckland
03/12/2020 - 03/12/2020
"Some fragmented thoughts and notes on The Effect..
"[collated audience responses]..
CONTRAST
Greytown, Tauranga, Auckland, Dunedin, Wellington, Christchurch, Havelock North
22/10/2017 - 11/11/2017
"Spellbinding the audience..
"Energy, conviction and intriguing contrasts..
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FEMSLICK
Auckland
14/02/2017 - 17/02/2017
"Sensitive and empowered LGBT Pacific stories..
HOT BROWN HONEY
Auckland
14/02/2017 - 18/02/2017
"Politically-charged subversion and rebellion..
JOSIE & KOSTA'S DANCE SHOW
Auckland
13/10/2016 - 14/10/2016
"Stunningly beautiful movement and clever choreography..
THE KISS INSIDE
Auckland, Wanaka, Dunedin, Nelson, Wellington
16/04/2015 - 05/03/2016
"Transcendant, meditative..
"Simmering vignettes of the search for ecstasy..
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THE STATUS OF BEING
Auckland, Hamilton, New Plymouth, Wellington
16/10/2014 - 25/10/2014
"provocation, polemicism, playfulness, physicality..
"Striking, confronting, profound and delightful..
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NOW 2014
Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland
29/05/2014 - 06/06/2014
"Practising the art of asking questions..
"Honouring our highly specialised individual artists..
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Y Chromozone (2012)
Auckland
11/10/2012 - 12/10/2012
"Fresh Cuts vs Y Chromozone: complementary opposites..
"Celebrating men dancing..
Too Solo Show
Auckland
22/06/2012 - 23/06/2012
"Brilliance, parody and perplexity..
HINE 2012
Auckland
09/03/2012 - 09/03/2012
"Hine 2012 - performance as action, activism and critique..
Oct - Dec Series
Auckland
19/10/2011 - 15/12/2011
"Understanding Brent's Bundles..
Weg: A-Way
Auckland, Christchurch
10/03/2011 - 12/10/2011
"Unapologetically provocative, political and anarchic..
"Priceless performance..
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A Life Between Us - Celebrating 21 Years of UNITEC Dance
Auckland
18/11/2010 - 21/11/2010
"Absolute fulfilment of the movement..
"Re-View Re-flect Re-Member..
The Hungry Attic
Christchurch, Auckland
09/03/2010 - 09/10/2010
"Why such emphasis on the female form?..
"Sensitive, mystery-filled evening of dance..
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