Atamira Sets Sail for the USA

MEDIA RELEASE – 15 July, 2013

Atamira Sets Sail for the USA

Hot on the heels of a successful North Island tour, Atamira Dance Company begin their highly anticipated three week tour of North America and Hawaii.

The tour kicks off in Hawaii with a performance at the MAUI Arts and Cultural Centre on July 18th, then two performances in Honolulu July 20th and 21st. These performances are followed by a weeklong teaching residency at the University of Hawaii.

Running alongside The America’s Cup, the San Francisco International Arts Festival welcomes the company for their second week of touring. The company’s performance on July 27 is followed by a series of supplementary performances and workshops supporting Team New Zealand around the cup village.

The US tour culminates in a debut performance at the Jacob’s Pillow Festival in New York, Massachusetts for a festival performance, August 1st. Atamira are the first ever Maori contemporary dance company to be invited to participate in this hallowed event – and only the second New Zealand dance company to perform in the festival’s history.

Artistic director Moss Patterson’s MOKO will feature as the main work in Atamira’s line up at Jacobs Pillow. Running at approximately 25 minutes, MOKO is shaping up to be an eagerly anticipated work due for its full length debut in 2014. MOKO will be preceded by two shorter works - HAKA, commanding audiences as the powerful opener and Kelly Nash’s quirky and incisive new work INDIGENARCHY.

The rest of the US tour will feature the full programme of KAHA – a collection of short contemporary dance works choreographed by members of Atamira. KAHA celebrates the strength and pride of Maori contemporary culture.

Selections include:
• Te Paki – refers to the tradition of watching and listening to waves to find internal rhythms;
• Haka – a contemporary work fusing traditional movement and modern dance;
• Moko –explores the art of body tattoo in Maori culture;
• Mitimiti – an edgy piece depicting isolation and evolution in a small community;
• Paarua – an energized look at sporting culture;
• Indigenarchy – highlights the public perception of the indigenous person;
• Pou Rakau – an exciting new twist on the art;
• Poi E – the full ensemble version of the popular dance as seen in the hit movie Boy.

Atamira have gone from strength to strength; having secured a host of national and international touring dates to launch their captivating, powerful and original style of indigenous art further onto the world stage.

ENDS

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