The New Zealand Dance Company

The New Zealand Dance Company (incorporated as The New Zealand Dance Advancement Trust) is an Auckland based, nationally focused contemporary dance company.

Established in 2012, by co-founders Chief Executive/Artistic Director (and Arts Laureate) Shona McCullagh and the founding General Manager Frances Turner, the company sought to break the paradigm of dance companies operating on a project by project basis, presenting work by one choreographer, and moved instead to a sustainable model of presenting a variety of choreographic works.

About
The New Zealand Dance Company (NZDC) was founded in 2012 by former Limbs Dance Company member Shona McCullagh. Like Limbs, the NZDC company commissions work from New Zealand and international choreographers. Part of the mission was to support new talent and utilise dancers and choreographers who had left New Zealand. The founding production was the Language of Living, featuring choreographers Michael Parmenter, Justin Haiu, Sarah Foster-Sproull and Shona McCullagh.

NZDC has developed more than 27 new works by choreographers from New Zealand, Australia, Holland and South Korea and has toured internationally including to the Holland Dance Festival, Australia, Germany, Liverpool, France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Canada.

In addition to a professional Company, NZDC has a Youth and Community Engagement Programme of weekly classes, masterclasses and workshops for all ages and levels – including an over 60s Feisty Feet class.

In 2011 Creative New Zealand funded the new venture of The New Zealand Dance Company and Westpac bank sponsored.

Dancers

 * Katie Rudd
 * Brydie Colquhoun
 * 'Isope 'Akau'ola

Management

 * Chief Executive/Artistic Director - Moss Te Ururangi Patterson
 * Artistic Manager - Caroline Bindon
 * Creative Producer & Marketing Lead - JP Bolton
 * Finance Manager - Christine Rice
 * Office & Community Coordinator - Tamara Nicholson

Works
Stage of Being (2023) Location - ASB Waterfront Theatre, Auckland Choreographers - Tupua Tigifua (LittleBits and AddOns), Xin Ji & Xiao Chao Wen (Made in Them)

ArteFact (2022 & 2023) Location - New Zealand Tour 2022 & 2023 Director/ Choreographer - Ross McCormack

Night Light (2022 & 2023) Location - ASB Waterfront Theatre, Auckland Choreographers - Tor Colombus and Eddie Elliott This Fragile Planet (2020) Location - Auckland Fringe Festival and Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival Choreographers - Nina Nawalowalo and Tom McCrory (The Conch), Ross McCormack

International Tours (2019, 2018, 2016, 2015, 2014) Location - Canada, Belgium, Luxemburg, Paris, Liverpool, Germany, Holland, Australia, Netherlands

Matariki for Tamariki (2019, 2020, 2022) Location - Auckland, Northland Choreographer - Sean McDonald

Kiss the Sky (2019, 2017) Location - Bay of Islands, Wanaka, Invercargill, Wellington, New Plymouth, Nelson, Hamilton, Auckland Choreographers - KIM Jae Duk, Victoria Columbus, Stephanie Lake, Sue Healey

Tamaki Tour Location - Auckland Choreographers - Sean McDonald, Mia Mason, Lucy Marinkovich, Chrissy Kokiri, Taniora Motutere, Ashleigh Perriot, Tupua Tigafua, Bianca Hyslop, Scott Ewen, Omea Geary, Malia Johnston, Joshua Cesan

Lumina (2018, 2016 ,2015) Location - Paris, Liverpool, Hamilton, Christchurch, Nelson, Auckland, Germany, Holland, Whangarei, Napier, Wellington, New Plymouth Choreographers - Stephen Shropshire, Louise Potiki Bryant, Malia Johnston

OrphEus - A Dance Opera (2018) Location - Auckland Festival, New Zealand Festival Wellington Choreographer - Michael Parmenter

The Absurdity of Humanity (2017, 2016) Location - New Plymouth, Marlborough, Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland

Rotunda (2015, 2014, 2013) Location - Tauranga, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, Auckland, Adelaide, Melbourne, Parramatta, Geelong, Den Haag, Amsterdam, Auckland Choreographer - Shona McCullagh in collaboration with dancers

Language of Living (2014, 2013, 2012) Location - Invercargill, Christchurch, Nelson, New Plymouth, Tauranga, Auckland, Whangarei, Hawke's Bay, Wellington Choreographers - Shona McCullagh, Michael Parmenter, Sarah Foster-Sproull, Justin Haiu, Tupua Tigafua, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker

Shaun Parker's Trolleys Winner of the Argus Angel Award (Brighton Festival, UK) Location - UK, Spain, Belgium, France, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Australia, Auckland Choreographer - Shaun Parker