A New Beginning for a Real New Zealand Treasure

A New Beginning for a Real New Zealand Treasure

Footnote Dance ends its pioneering 28 years as a contemporary creative force in New Zealand dance in October.

But, new beginnings are afoot!

Footnote Dance is thrilled to announce that it will evolve into an exciting new company, FootnoteNZ.

FootnoteNZ is the result of considering the future – using the closing of the door on Footnote Dance to create an innovative opportunity to respond to the industry in a different way. The name honours the legacy that has been built but positions the company as a national flag-bearer for our country.

FootnoteNZ builds on the work of its predecessor and will continue to serve the industry and the creative artists who have the vision. This new model and the proposal for a new look structure and a new company has been successful in securing funding to proceed from Creative New Zealand as a Toi Uru Kahikatea Client for 2014-15 - a real vote of confidence in this new initiative. Creative New Zealand have been key supporters throughout the journey of Footnote in the developing of new ideas and touring of many programmes.

FootnoteNZ will have four key pillars of activity - Professional Development, Partnerships, New Zealand Repertoire and International.

FootnoteNZ will be risk taking, evolve new work, create choreographic development and maintain its complete policy of support for homegrown music and dance on both the national and international stage. Practitioners will be able to propose projects and programmes that will then have the support of an experienced infrastructure, a home base in Cuba St. and a company of professional and excellent dancers to work with.

The first FootnoteNZ season will follow Choreolab in January 2014 and be performed by a new ChoreoCo planned for February 2014. We are thrilled to announce that the Guest Choreographer for this project will be Craig Bary – one of our most renowned exports coming home. ChoreoCo is a new initiative, a short term contracted company of emerging dancers who will be selected during Choreolab and aims to give graduates and free-lance dancers a work opportunity as they grapple with the very challenging environment that exists as they emerge into the contemporary dance industry.

As Footnote Dance founding director, Deirdre Tarrant leaves her role at the helm and moves to the board of FootnoteNZ she says this is “emotional stuff but wonderful that Footnote has found a way to stay and grow and change and will be continuing to deliver the challenges, risk, the KIWI and the outstanding standards of Contemporary Dance that the name Footnote stands for.”

Finishing the Footnote Dance era is the renowned Made In New Zealand Series. COLT directed by Sarah Foster-Sproull received critical acclaim at its opening weekend in Wellington and will tour through Hamilton, Auckland and New Plymouth offering the last chance to see Footnote Dance before its evolution.

FootnoteNZ will maintain the integrity and strengths of the legacy of Footnote Dance but will be an exciting new development with a business driven model led by a General Manager, an Artistic Advisory to respond to and guide the vision and stronger international flavour. A new direction for the future. Watch this space!

www.footnote.org.nz

ENDS

© Scoop Media