Review Archive
Deirdre Tarrant CNZM founded Footnote Dance in 1985, and led it to become the national treasure of choreography and dance exploration it now is. Her own ballet background began in Wellington with Jeane Horne and the Royal New Zealand Ballet. A QE2 study grant took her overseas to dance and on her return she choreographed a number of works for the RNZB. She has developed many works for Footnote and led creative change as the company has evolved over 29 years, including Pick up Sticks (New Zealand Festival), Outside the Square and War in Paradise. Deirdre has recently retired from her role as Artistic Director of Footnote and also from her role as an international examiner for the Royal Academy of Dance. She is Director of Tarrant Dance Studios and the Deirdre Tarrant Dance Theatre, a youth company with a commitment to integrating dance as a vital part of the Wellington community. Deirdre was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to the community in 2000, a Distinguished Alumni of Victoria University in 2006 and received an Absolutely Positively Wellingtonian award and was Arts Wellingtonian of the year 2012. In 2013 she was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to contemporary dance. She has reviewed dance works for Capital Times, Radio New Zealand and Theatreview for a number of years.
Welcome to the review archive.
Theatre and dance reviews since 2006.
The Ryman Healthcare season of The Sleeping Beauty
Palmerston North, Wellington, Dunedin, Christchurch, Auckland, Invercargill, Napier
29/10/2020 - 06/12/2020
"An evening at the ballet..
"A ballet with lockdown at its centre..
More reviews
Ecology in Fifths
Wellington, Hawkes Bay, Hastings
11/11/2010 - 25/10/2020
"Thought provoking and devastatingly stunning..
"Considered, live, wonderful, urgent and disturbing..
More reviews
Strasbourg 1518
Wellington, Auckland
12/03/2020 - 28/03/2021
"Mystery and Frenzy..
"Powerful ruminations on the original event and our current situation..
More reviews
TROIS GRANDES FUGUES
Wellington
11/03/2020 - 12/03/2020
"Captivating and refreshing..
"Precision and clarity, patterns and pathways..
MAM
Wellington
05/03/2020 - 08/03/2020
"A work of layers..
"All in this together..
NZ School of Dance 2019 Graduation Season
Wellington
20/11/2019 - 30/11/2019
"Aspiring to sprezzatura..
"A great variety of choreographic offerings..
More reviews
HANSEL AND GRETEL (RNZB)
Wellington, Palmerston North, Napier, Christchurch, Auckland, Dunedin
06/11/2019 - 29/10/2023
"Serious themes at the heart...
"Vale Jon T. Thank you...
More reviews
BOLD MOVES
Palmerston North, Dunedin, Wellington, Christchurch, Auckland, Napier
16/08/2019 - 14/09/2019
"Delish-ish..
"Outrageously good..
More reviews
WINDIGO
Wellington
12/06/2019 - 15/06/2019
"Difficult to forget..
PŌHUTU
Wellington, Auckland, Rotorua
06/06/2019 - 15/09/2023
"We are transported to life at Whakarewarewa. Puarenga stream, bubbles and water...
"Tangible and intangible landscapes reimagined..
More reviews
ORBICULUS New Zealand School of Dance Choreographic Season
Wellington
22/05/2019 - 28/05/2019
"Watch this space..
"Smart, strong dancers, safe and secure choreography..
SYSTEM
Wellington
20/03/2019 - 23/03/2019
"Life changing..
BLACK DOG
Wellington
10/07/2018 - 17/03/2019
"Relevant, real, responsible..
"An exquisitely crafted live entertainment experience..
TREAT
Wellington
17/03/2019 - 17/03/2019
"Brightly coloured, relentlessly smiling, musically interesting, fun to watch..
Saudade
Wellington, Dunedin
16/03/2018 - 03/03/2019
"The challenge of sharing..
"stream of consciousness expressed through movement...
THURSDAY
Wellington
28/02/2019 - 21/02/2021
"They swing and soar with ever increasing complexity and energy..
"The loveliest thing..
More reviews
SHEL WE?
Wellington, Gisborne, Palmerston North, Hastings
12/12/2018 - 19/10/2020
"Gently woven story, precise and fluid dancing..
"Playful, poignant, ambiguous …..
More reviews
REAL[ISE]
Wellington
03/11/2018 - 04/11/2018
"Naïve, charming, jaw-dropping, snazzy..
The Nutcracker (2018)
Dunedin, Palmerston North, Wellington, Christchurch, Napier, Auckland
31/10/2018 - 09/12/2018
"Conscious magic..
"A coming of age story..
More reviews
Born out of Curiosity
Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington
23/11/2017 - 06/10/2018
"Cohesive and committed..
"Beautiful work, engaging performance..
More reviews
STRENGTH AND GRACE
Wellington
17/08/2018 - 18/08/2018
"Suffrage Embodied..
"RNZB impresses with Strength & Grace..
More reviews
STOA
Wellington
28/06/2018 - 07/07/2018
"Pillars and porticos..
Once Upon A Dance
Palmerston North, Dunedin, Paekākāriki, Wellington
04/03/2018 - 11/10/2018
"A strong, joyous, survivor message..
"Dancing lives brought together..
More reviews
