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| Okareka Dance Company | |
|---|---|
| Name | Okareka Dance Company |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Founded by | Moss Paterson; Taiaroa Royal |
| Location | Rotorua, New Zealand |
| Genre | Contemporary Māori dance; kapa haka; contemporary dance |
Okareka Dance Company is a contemporary Māori dance company based in Rotorua, New Zealand, founded in 2007 by Moss Paterson and Taiaroa Royal. The company draws on Māori whakapapa and tribal affiliations while engaging with international contemporary dance contexts, touring to festivals, theatres, and cultural institutions across Aotearoa and globally.
Okareka emerged in 2007 after choreographers Moss Paterson and Taiaroa Royal collaborated with performers from Rotorua, Auckland, and Wellington, connecting to traditions such as kapa haka, Māori performing arts, and contemporary trajectories associated with companies like Atamira Dance Company and choreographers like Pania Papa. Early residencies and commissions linked the company with venues and festivals including Auckland Arts Festival, Tempo Dance Festival, and international platforms such as Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival. The company's development intersected with funding and arts institutions like Creative New Zealand, regional galleries such as Te Puia, and tertiary programmes at institutions including Toi Whakaari, Massey University, and UNITEC. Touring partnerships involved producers and presenters like New Zealand Festival, Sydney Festival, and arts organisations including Arts Council England and Asia-Europe Foundation as the company built a repertoire engaging iwi and urban Pasifika networks across Rotorua, Auckland, Wellington, and international circuits in London, Berlin, and New York City.
Under co-artistic directors Moss Paterson and Taiaroa Royal, the company's aesthetic synthesises whakapapa-informed narratives with vocabularies from contemporary choreographers such as Pina Bausch, Merce Cunningham, and peers in the Pacific like Lemi Ponifasio and Siva Oa. The ensemble integrates elements from kapa haka, haka, and traditional waiata with contemporary techniques found in the repertoires of companies like Black Grace and choreographers such as Douglas Wright. Okareka's works often reference iwi histories including Ngāti Whakaue and Te Arawa, while engaging scenography practices associated with designers who have worked at institutions like Royal New Zealand Ballet and festivals such as Biennale of Sydney. Collaboration with composers, visual artists, and researchers from organisations like Te Papa Tongarewa and universities such as University of Auckland and Victoria University of Wellington shapes interdisciplinary productions.
Notable productions include shows premiered and toured alongside festivals and venues like Auckland Arts Festival, Wellington International Arts Festival, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and international theatres such as Sadler's Wells Theatre. Works have been presented at events including New Zealand Festival of the Arts, Tempo Dance Festival, and community platforms like Polyfest. Collaborations and commissions have linked the company to artists and institutions including composers who have worked with NZSO and visual artists represented by City Gallery Wellington. Okareka's repertoire has appeared in programmes curated by presenters such as Creative New Zealand and international curators from Festival d'Avignon and Performa.
Key figures have included founding directors Moss Paterson and Taiaroa Royal, performers and choreographers from iwi including Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Raukawa, and Ngāti Kahungunu, and collaborators drawn from institutions such as Toi Māori Aotearoa, Atamira Dance Company, and tertiary schools like Massey University and AUT. The company has worked with composers and musicians associated with ensembles including Aotearoa New Zealand Youth Choir and producers linked to presenters such as Auckland Theatre Company and=Circa Contemporary Theatre. Designers, filmmakers, and cultural advisors have included practitioners from galleries like Te Papa Tongarewa and festivals such as Biennale of Sydney, while international collaborators have included artists connected to Royal Court Theatre, Biennale de Lyon, and choreographers affiliated with Sydney Dance Company.
Okareka has maintained programmes for rangatahi through workshops and school residencies in partnership with organisations like Toi Māori Aotearoa, regional councils including Rotorua Lakes Council, and education providers such as Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi. Outreach initiatives have been presented at festivals including Polyfest and community settings across Rotorua and Auckland, and have involved collaborations with kura and tertiary programmes at Toi Whakaari and University of Otago. The company participates in mentorship, apprenticeships, and research projects funded by bodies such as Creative New Zealand and working with researchers from universities including Victoria University of Wellington and University of Auckland.
Okareka's productions and artists have received critical acclaim, nominations, and awards from bodies such as Creative New Zealand, festival awards at Tempo Dance Festival, and recognition in national arts coverage by media outlets like RNZ, The New Zealand Herald, and The Dominion Post. The company has been acknowledged by iwi, cultural institutions including Te Papa Tongarewa, and international presenters such as Edinburgh Festival Fringe for contributions to contemporary Māori performance.
Category:New Zealand dance companies Category:Māori performing arts