NZ Dance Royalty Leap back into the Spotlight

MEDIA RELEASE: for immediate release
New Zealand Dance Royalty Leap back into the Spotlight!

Okareka Dance Company presents
Tama Ma

Two of New Zealand's most acclaimed contemporary dancers are taking their celebrated dance work Tama Ma on the road, starting in Hamilton on June 17 and moving through Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

Taane Mete and Taiaroa Royal premiered Tama Ma at Tempo Dance Festival (Auckland) in 2008, they performed to sell out crowds and rave reviews. Metro Magazine announced that Tama Ma was the ‘Best Dance’ in Auckland in 2008, and the duo won four awards at the official Tempo Dance Award ceremony. Now due to popular demand they are taking their award winning show to audiences all around New Zealand.

A sustained standing ovation greeted dancers Taiaroa Royal and Taane Mete...The applause honoured the breadth and depth of their richly satisfying performance, their extraordinary artistry, and the excellence of all aspects… Raewyn Whyte NZ Herald

Tama Ma tells the story of two men who travel from boyhood, to manhood, and the real life tale of love, life, joy and sorrow. The five part act moves from a short dance film projected on stage to a drag queen's journey to femininity and the return back to masculinity. A young boy's connection to his Whanau (family) and Iwi (tribe) and a mature man's ideas of identity are also deeply explored.

Presented as a five act autobiographical dance journey; Tama Ma is powerfully performed by Taane Mete and Taiaroa Royal; the distinguished Douglas Wright choreographs Act 2 while the extraordinary talents of Michael Parmenter shape Act 4. This is the first time that the celebrated choreography skills of Douglas Wright and Michael Parmenter have ever been presented in the same show.

Mark Summervile and Heather Lee from 'Zoomslide' also collaborated on Tama Ma; they directed and produced a short film that plays in Act 1 of the performance while also creating a documentary about the process of making the dance. Eden Mulholland is also on board as musical director, using his vast talents to create a magical soundscape.

Okareka Dance Company is a vibrant contemporary New Zealand dance company formed in 2007 and led by Taane Mete and Taiaroa Royal with the aim to fuse contemporary dance with other creative art mediums. The essence of Okareka Dance Company is guided by Maori beliefs, these beliefs – Mana (Honour and Integrity), Whanau (Family) and Matataki (Challenge) are brought to its work and to its audiences.

Through choreography, set design, and costume, Okareka Dance Company strives to tell bold, spiritual stories that are of and from New Zealand. Through careful collaboration the company seeks to extend its creativity and its influence by engaging experienced choreographers, musicians, film producers and performers to create evocative, beautiful dance works that tell a story.

Act One: Pito
8min 16mm short dance film projected on stage without live performance.
Dancers: Taane Mete and Taiaroa Royal
Choreographers : Taiaroa Royal and Taane Mete in collaboration with Mark Summerville
Film Director: Mark Summerville
Film Producer: Heather Lee
Music Composition: Eden Mullholland/ Lindah Lepou

Act Two: Tama Ma
Dancers: Taiaroa Royal and Taane Mete
Choreographer: Douglas Wright
Music Composition: David Guerin realises piano recording from composer Provokiev
The dramatic and almost tragic metamorphosis of femininity returning to masculinity. Drag queen's who lose their fabulousness to again become ordinary men. This act explores the emotional, physical and physiological characteristics of the drag queen and her regression back to a man.

Act Three: Rangatahi
Dancer: Taane Mete or Taiaroa Royal
Choreograher: Taiaroa Royal and Taane Mete
Music Composition: Eden Mulholland
A solo that remembers the connection to the whanau (family) and the iwi (tribe). It is a progression of the dance from childhood, danced by Taiaroa Royal, to adolescence, danced by Taane Mete.

Act Four: Hand to Hand
Dancers: Taane Mete and Taiaroa Royal
Choreographer: Michael Parmenter
This act centres on the issue of identity. Central to this issue is the polarity of being same or being different and the exploration of the tension contained in this polarity. The choreography will investigate the difficult territory between improvisation and set composition.

Act Five: Whanaungatanga
Dancers: Taiaroa Royal and Taane Mete
A return to spirituality and the importance of whanau ( family). This act pays homage to the fathers of Taane and Tai, both whom have passed away. A moving piece that see both men reflect on the important life lessons learnt from their fathers' tautoko (support) and korero (talking, speaking).

Tama Ma performs:

Hamilton
Hamilton Playhouse, 17 - 20 June, 7.30pm
$30/$25
Book tickets through Ticket Direct - www.ticketdirect.co.nz or phone 0800 4 Ticket (0800 4 842538)
*Booking fees may apply

Auckland
Maidment Theatre 24 - 28 June, 7.30pm
$32/$28
Bookings through: www.maidment.auckland.ac.nz or 09 3082383
*Booking fees may apply

Wellington
Te Papa Tongarewa Soundings Theatre, 7 - 10 July, 7.30pm
$32/$28
Bookings through: www.ticketek.co.nz or 0800 TICKETEK (0800 842 5385)
*Booking fees may apply

Christchurch
James Hay, 6 October, 7.30pm
$20/$16 (as part of Body Festival)
Bookings through: www.ticketek.co.nz or 0800 TICKETEK (0800 842 5385)
*Booking fees may apply

ENDS

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