Shona McCullagh, past Artistic Director of Te Rerenga o Tere (Tempo Dance Festival), is reputed to have said ‘dance is the most beautifully truthful language of living.’

Agreed?

Plenty of others have also given word to this often-wordless art. Samuel Beckett said ‘dance first, think later, it’s the natural order’, Isadora Duncan, herself no slouch on the dance floor, reminds us that ‘we were all once wild, don’t let them tame you’, while Charles Baudelaire, revered Gallic poet and cryptic critic, growls, in a rough French accent all the way from the nineteenth century, that ‘dancing is poetry with arms and legs.’ Albert Einstein, fumbling for a formula, determines that ‘dancers are the athletes of God’, while a philosophical Japanese proverb reverberates through the dance halls of the world with ‘we’re fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance.’

Indeed.

Moss Te Ururangi Patterson, (Ngati Tuwharetoa, Ngati Pukenga, Ngati Rahiri), who, in his own words, ‘helps’ curate this year’s Tempo festival, says ‘I look forward to working alongside our artists, audiences and dance patrons to deliver a beautiful festival this year.’

When it comes to Moss’s contribution, ‘helps’ is a massive understatement.

If the full house at the festival opening night at Q Theatre Rangatira last evening is any guide, Te Rerenga o Tere (Tempo Dance Festival) has arrived with bang and a glorious hiss and a roar.

The Auckland Dance Festival began in 2000 and, in 2003, morphed into the Tempo Dance Festival.

In 2011 ‘Tuakana: Maori Contemporary Showcase’ was added.

Described by Theatreview reviewer Tamati Patuwai on that auspicious night as ‘a mix of Contemporary Dance and Kapa haka, ‘Tuakana’ is the emergence of something really exciting, a bit chaotic, completely energizing and necessary.’ Patuwai ends his review with ‘E Tuakana ma, ka nui aku mihi ki o koutou. Pono ana oku mihi inapo ra “Ko Hinetitama koe (koutou), matewai ana te whatu I te tirohanga atu” ki o koutou maia, ki o koutou ataahua. E aku teina, me tu pakari koutou i te mohio hei apopo ka tu koutou hei reo mo o Iwi katoa. Tena ra tatou’, an impassioned ‘thank you for your courage and your beauty’ and an exhortation to ‘stand strong knowing that tomorrow you will be the voice of all your people’. He concludes with a passionate invitation to ‘let’s go’.

Clearly the New Zealand Dance Festival Trust, trading under the title Tempo Dance Festival, listened, including in its mission ‘to champion diversity and inclusion and enrich and connect diverse communities through the language of dance’, and has since walked that talk to the extent that, in 2024, seven of the twelve Tempo offerings are by Māori artists and groups including TūRongo Collective’s incredible ‘Wai Taketake’ which is gifted the honour of being first up on the first night.

Well, not quite first up because it follows on from a very moving pōwhiri led by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, mana whenua of Te Kahu Tōpuni o Tuperiri (Tāmaki Makaurau), with fabulous speeches by Aaron Huata (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Raukawa, Te Arawa, Ngāti Maniapoto), Kaihautū Kaiwhakahaere (Executive Lead) for the Trust, and from Moss Te Ururangi Patterson (Ngāti Tūwharetoa), artistic director and guest curator of the festival. Patterson’s emphasis on knowing where you’ve been as critical to getting to where you’re going was especially poignant and his reference to the late Stephen Bradshaw (Ngati Maru) who passed earlier this year was well received. Bradshaw founded ‘Te Kanikani O Te Rangatahi’ in the early 1980’s and ‘Taiao’ in 1988 and our paths crossed often, usually in the most unexpected of places. Oddly disturbing how the world does that to us and without any explanation. Many of us feel Stephen’s loss greatly so I’m glad we got to sing ‘Tūtira mai ngā iwi’ as our waiata straight away even if we were quite awful at it. At least, the sound of our terrible singing obscured my tears, and not for the first time.

Tamati Patuwai again, this time on Bradshaw’s Facebook page: ‘Maranga ake rā e te Tuakana! Hei Tipua ki te ara whānui o Tāne!’

Moe mai rā e te rangatira, ki hea āpōpō?

Astride both worlds, vale, dear Stephen.

Also present on that very first night of ‘Tuakana: Maori Contemporary Showcase’ back in 2011 was Matua Pita Turei, longtime Rangatira of the festival with whom I had the pleasure of a foyer catch up. As fellow artists we track back to 1975 when we worked closely together for a number of years at Theatre Corporate. I especially like our catch ups due to the profound nature of the kōrero that evolves between we two old friends. Last night we spoke with great reverence of the best places locally to buy quality pizza.

Nō reira, nau mai, haere mai, e ngā iwi e, haere mai ki te whakanui o te toi kanikani i runga i te atamira o Te Rerenga o Tere.

The theme for the 2024 Tempo programme is ‘Whenua Wāhi: Stories of Land & Place’, an exploration of ‘the profound connection between tangata and their whenua through the universal language of movement. By weaving pūrākau mē ngā whakapapa (stories and genealogies) with movement, a programme of dance will invite audiences to embark on a personal journey into identity and heritage.’

Tempo is, of course, as Proc Thompson used to bemoan, not ‘just performances in rooms.’ There’s a fabulous ‘Beyond the Stage’ programme which includes three ‘Community Hui’, one with Pacific Dance New Zealand at The Factory Theatre, a second with Atamira Dance Company at Te Pou, and finally with the Faculty of Creative Arts and Industries at the University of Auckland. Each hui will feature movement workshops, moderated discussions, and showcases, providing an opportunity to share, learn, and celebrate the power of place through dance.  

There’s also a ‘Public Programme’ that can be accessed through the festival website, and an exciting programme called ‘Tempo Digital Streamed Online’. The website link is Tempo Dance Festival.

As someone who seems to always be criticising boards and committees, it gives me immense pleasure to acknowledge the outstanding work of the New Zealand Dance Festival Trust. Not only does the trust govern the festival and ‘all who sail in her’ to the letter of the law, they do so in a groundbreaking, innovative, forward-looking manner viewed, as it should be, through a lens of rich personal experience and collective genius. Chair Elizabeth Vaneveld, in tune with fellow trustees Richard Green, Nancy Wijohn, and Sarah Tahere, says in her personal bio, she is ‘committed to co-creating arts and cultural projects that provide the means for creative professionals in every industry to join forces to innovate to benefit the future of humanity and the biosphere.’

That’s pretty flash, eh?

Moss Te Ururangi Patterson (Ngāti Tūwharetoa) is the Artistic Director/Guest Curator for Tempo Dance Festival – Te Rerenga o Tere 2024 and is a well-known figure in the Aotearoa dance scene. Moss is a New Zealand Arts Laureate, recipient of Creative New Zealand’s Tup Lang Dance scholarship and the Te Whakahaungia Choreographic Award from Toi Māori Aotearoa. Moss is a noted advocate for the empowerment of Maori culture, Te Reo Māori, and contemporary dance in Aotearoa, New Zealand, and it says a lot about the trust that they have had the vision to engage pure quality in Moss and Aaron Huata to turn its vision into reality. Moss talks of ‘celebrating the beauty of dance in the here and now, creating a resonant dialogue between history and innovation’ and that’s as good as it ever gets.

Top leadership, that!

After the powhiri, the theatre is cleared to allow for the artists to set up, and much chat is engaged in the foyer, and the odd beverage consumed. I am assured that the merlot is uncommonly good. The break is useful in that it allows the mind to skip from the dire waiata to the performances to come.

Collectively called ‘Pīata’ ~ to be shiny, bright, polished, glossy ~ we are invited ‘to experience a powerful evening of contemporary dance that bridges ancient wisdom with modern exploration.’ The first of two performances is ‘Wai Taketake’ by TūRongo Collective, the second ‘Myokine’ by renowned Canadian choreographer Anne Plamondon.

Then it’s time.

We return to the Rangatira room to await ‘Wai Taketake’ by TūRongo Collective. We are seated in the second row with the edge of the stage at eye level. Within touching distance are dozens of framed photographs of long – and some recently – departed whānau, some are sepia toned, some in colour. They rest on squares of well-worn coloured cloth. Upstage in the semi-darkness are figures reminiscent of the carved pou in a wharenui, they are still, frozen, motionless, and somewhat threatening. The paua shell eyes glint, and I note the unique three fingers representing the trinity of birth, life, and death.

My heart beats faster. This feels like the real deal.

A sombre line of black-clad mourners is led up from the audience ~ adults and tamariki ~ and more photographs are laid out. There is a sense of tangihanga, silent tears, and toki, patu, mere pounamu, and other taonga are added before the line leaves, all but one, a young hine who sneaks up and joins the silent figures and becomes one of them. Noted as missing she is quickly collected by her whanau, and she departs as well.

The figures slowly leave the formal upstage structure, explore the photographs, and engage with the taonga. There are evocative symbols of life, lineage, and power in the movement patterns as a visceral story is played out through kapa haka, confrontation, evasion, and the effective use of ngā rākau a Tū. ‘Wai Taketake’ is esoteric, powerful, and unique, physical storytelling at its very best. The visuals are spectacular and the marriage between traditional martial weaponry (kobudō) and ngā rākau a Tū is seamless.

The pou is reassembled, the line of black-clad mourners returns, the taonga are wrapped and stored, and quietly carried away. Stillness returns, ‘Wai Taketake’ is complete, and we can breathe again.

‘Wai Taketake’ is outstanding theatre and willfully defies description. It is what it is. It’s disturbing, confronting, deep, and rich. I am haunted by the paua shell eyes and the relentless commitment to the narrative. It’s unlike anything I’ve seen before, and it digs deep into my psyche as I imagine it is meant to. I read from the website ‘this work challenges you to reflect on your connections and how they are perceived whether as sources of strength or as threats by those who fear deep, unapologetic ties to ancestry and identity.’

True that!

The TuRongo Collective website explains what I experienced: ‘TūRongo Collective is known for an unparalleled commitment to indigenous practices and teachings. With a specialty in triggering the unknown, encouraging feeling uncomfortable, growing inner stamina and unlocking an honest stillness, the collective is well known for nurturing bravery within difference. From youth justice mentoring services to holistic spiritual healing, we are committed to the wellness of supporting others.’

This invocation welcomes us: ‘may peace be widespread, may the sea be like greenstone, a pathway for us all this day. Let us show respect for each other, for one another, bind us all together!’

Tautoko that, Karena Koria and Milly Grant-Koria!

Did I mention that Moss Te Ururangi Patterson is a genius? Yes? It’s never more evident than in his decision to pair ‘Wai Taketake’ with ‘Myokine’ on the same evening. As programming goes, it’s a quite simply stunning decision. Both are exceptional works of quality ~ intense and mystical ~ but as culturally different as can be possibly imagined, and it works a treat.

‘Myokine’ is described on the Q website as ‘a compelling work.’ It’s certainly that. Compelling, intense, lyrical, and gentle pleasure personified.

Renowned Canadian choreographer Anne Plamondon has an extraordinary method of working. When asked, she admitted to seeing herself, first and foremost, as a dancer and we have the privilege of seeing both her choreographic gifts and her proven dance talent. In ‘Myokine’ she has worked her magic on a cast of three (the work was originally made for seven) ~ and Anne herself is now one of them! The challenges this poses are immense, but you wouldn’t think so from a single viewing of the work. It’s unified, beautifully danced, elegantly choreographed, attractively (and cleverly) costumed, and its existential story is beautifully told.

‘In this piece, the artists become beacons of resilience, beauty, and hope through the molecules secreted by muscles when the body is in motion. These ‘myokines’ are often called ‘hope molecules’ for the sense of well-being and optimism they deliver. They are considered mental stressbusters which influence both brain structure and function. 

Plamondon, through her dancers, explores the ‘transformative power of movement to heal, unite, and elevate.’ Athletes could certainly benefit from this too, in fact most of us could. There’s a wee theme here, healing and wellness are embedded in every facet of the festival.

So, what’s a ‘myokine’ I hear your cry?

‘A myokine is one of several hundred cytokines or other small proteins and proteoglycan peptides that are produced and released by skeletal muscle cells (muscle fibres) in response to muscular contractions. Receptors for myokines are found on muscle, fat, liver, pancreas, bone, heart, immune, and brain cells. The location of these receptors reflects the fact that myokines have multiple functions. Foremost, they are involved in exercise-associated metabolic changes, as well as in the metabolic changes following training adaptation. They also participate in tissue regeneration and repair, maintenance of healthy bodily functioning, immunomodulation, and cell signaling, expression and differentiation.’

Glad you asked? Yeah, me too.

Plamondon has certainly done it all. She trained at the National Ballet School of Canada and the Banff Centre for the Arts before graduating from the École Supérieure de ballet du Québec in 1994. On screen, she stars in ‘Small Explosions That Are Yours to Keep’, ‘Secret Service’, and in ‘Red’ Shoes’, winner of a Golden Sheaf Award at the Yorkton Film Festival in 2010. Anne worked with RUBBERBANDance Group and quickly became the company’s signature figure and has been deeply involved in the development of the RUBBERBAND Method which she now teaches internationally.  

On this journey, Plamondon’s fellow dancers are Justin Rapaport and Raphaëlle Ann Sealhunter. Rapaport is a graduate of the New World School of the Arts, and the Juilliard School while Sealhunter is an indigenous dancer trained in contemporary dance, commercial dance and popping.

Each is superb, creating a sense of unity through tension and release as they move through imperceptible costume changes to a delicate point of connection. The tension and release motif using arrow and bow works beautifully throughout.

‘Pīata’ is a wonderful evening of dance, both pieces conceived with purity, performed with power and elegance, two pieces wildly different yet with unexpected similarities, an evening individually and collectively satisfying.

Since I began by bleating on about language, I’ll leave my young guest to have the last words: ‘I really enjoyed both shows’ he says, ‘‘Wai Taketake’ for its great story telling and ‘Myokine’ for its physicality and athleticism.’

One more show with these two winners, Sunday 13th October.

Book now.

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