The NZ School of Dance annual Choreographic Season gives an opportunity to choreograph to the third year students, soon to emerge into the dance industry. As importantly, it gives the audience a chance to develop a relationship with these talented young creative energies. As in previous years an overall thread is forged to link the works – this year eleven choreographers are named – and the performance result is unified into what is a two part/ full length work.

Wonderful dancing and seamless section transitions make it very challenging to identify the works in the first ‘white’ section. Effective ensemble work and placing of bodies in the space make a continuous and fluid layering of duets, solos and phrases as layered waves of movement cross the space. Four pillars – structurally part of the space, give cause for reflection of the whare and pou as dancers gravitate to the solid supports. The building in which they are forging relationships and building blocks for their own futures seems to exert a power in the space and at times the silent standing dancers at the sides are strong palisades protecting the pa. The concept of a meeting place or portico gives the title STOA and is well realised.

There are physical references to rejection, inclusion, caring, supporting, dismissing, including, but overall, there is an amorphous feel and surreal amoebic flow that overrides and seems to flatten communication. This is not helped by the music which reminds me of Louise Hay meditation compilation. The dancers all attempt to climb one pillar and there is a real sense of togetherness but they walk away and we are ushered to follow to a ‘black’ room now inhabited by dark dancers.

In the second half of the evening it is easier to discern difference and this is helped by clear lighting changes. A suberbly strong performance by Nadiyah Akbar as she dominates a narrow pathway of watching people forms  a memorable image that is then shattered by a duet of gender / domestic/ violence when the force of Riley Fitzgerald enters the mix. We are uncomfortably close.

The choreographic standout for me was REV, choreographed by Olivia Foley, a sassy, smart, clever sextet – shades of commedia del’arte, of cabaret, of showtime, but using rhythm and contemporary techniques and making a real connection out to us – the viewers.

In the programme there seemed a lot of anger and angst. I did not engage with the ‘why’ or rationale for all this. Such beautiful, young, promising, dancers training in one of the toughest worlds – they must have passion to be there.  I wonder how they feel as individuals? what they each really have to say?  to give?  There are glimpses of personality but they are somehow always overtaken, overpowered and subjugated by the mass energy and a will for conformity.  This was an intense sharing – life can’t be all bad??

I was engrossed by two wonderful men ( Chris Clegg and LaifaTa’ala) who created really strong tensions – racial? political? social? and dance penned in? or shut out? by a taped white box on the black floor. One of them simply pulled it up and moved on – a small triumph in a dark world!

Thank you to tutors, mentors and the dancers who continue to develop such a strength of talent and training at the New Zealand School of Dance. You are a formidable backbone for the contemporary dance world and I look forward to watching your performance and creative abilities developing in the world after school!

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