The New Zealand Dance Company (NZDC) forges its stellar national and international reputation for powerful contemporary dance with its first national tour of Kiss The Sky, “a diverse magical experience” that “grabs your attention from start to finish” (DANZ).
Artistic Director Shona McCullagh showcases an Asian-Pacific constellation of original dance, music, and design, reflecting on the themes of nature and time.
In Kiss The Sky, McCullagh combines the high-octane physicality of Korean choreographer and composer KIM Jae Duk in his work Sigan; the vibrant aesthetic of New Zealand’s Victoria Colombus in her world premiere work The Fibonacci; and expands into a triple bill for the May leg of the tour with the powerhouse choreography of renowned Stephanie Lake in the eccentric and imaginative If Never Was Now for “an evening of sensory indulgence” (Theatreview).
KIM Jae Duk’s quartet Sigan, commissioned for NZDC, draws from the dual themes of meditation and attack. A dynamic score created by Jae Duk himself features traditional Korean instruments: jang-gu (drum), kkwaenggwari (small gong) and jing (large gong) within a contemporary composition. The stunning dancers of NZDC shine Sigan, which is "...not only visually, but technically flawless" (DANZ).
Victoria Columbus’ new work The Fibonacci, co-commissioned by the Festival of Colour and NZDC, is a reflection on the hidden pattern that weaves us together and reflects the harmony of our world. In a tribute to the memory of Susan Paterson, this commission is also generously supported by Jane Vesty, Greg Fahey and Brian Sweeney of SweeneyVesty.
Columbus alongside sound and spatial designer Rowan Pierce use the mathematical Fibonacci sequence and its mysterious golden spirals as a point of departure, examining and creating a physical language that at its heart explores energy pathways through movement, as the connecting force between us all.
Stephanie Lake’s If Never was Now is a surreal hive of buzzing activity reflecting the beauty and brutality of the natural world through "… moments of darkness, violent aggression, frustration with chaos amongst playfulness” (Theatreview). Somewhere in the future, but also with a feeling that it’s right at the beginning, Lake, who is one of the world’s most innovative choreographers, allows room for ambiguity with the contrast of the digital and robotic world paired against the biological and natural.
With design also by Jo Kilgour (lighting), Ben (Bosco) Shaw (lighting), Elizabeth Whiting (costume), Andrew Treloar (costume), Rachael Walker (set) and Robin Fox (composer) the exceptional ”versatility, virtuosity and artistry” from the high-calibre NZDC dancers and “excellence of the design and production teams” (NZ Herald) Kiss The Sky will leave you dreaming for more.
Note: Tickets will go on sale in February 2019.
New Zealand Dance Company
