2001

The second Auckland Dance Festival in 2001, managed by a committee made up of members of the Northern Dance Network, spread out across the region and included performances from the recently formed Atamira Dance Collective with Freshly Minted performed at the Auckland Anglican Māori Mission, Folkloric Dance workshops at the Dalmatian Cultural Society, and the Boys Dance Jamboree in dance studios in West Auckland. 3D, a programme that saw three of Auckland’s contemporary dance companies - Touch Compass, Curve Dance Collective and the Auckland Dance Company - appear together on stage at the Maidment Theatre, highlighted the professional element of dance in this festival. Critical Mass, a dance writer’s forum convened by the late dance scholar Dr. Linda Ashley, brought together writers, critics and thinkers. Panelists included Raewyn Whyte, Marianne Schultz, and Karen Barbour. In 2001 Dancing Coast to Coast, dubbed the ‘13 km Dance Relay’, again saw dance traverse Tamaki Makaurau.

Other performances included Jenny De Leon’s Poyema Dance Company in Rising at the Crypt at St Paul’s Anglican Church and Footnote’s 2001: a Dance Odyssey at Sky City Theatre and Life Form, directed by Hugh Major, presented their Butoh-inspired work Search Engine at the Maidment Studio Theatre.

2001 saw the establishment of the Auckland Dance Festival Trust (ADFT), chaired by Sonja Bright. The mission statement read: ‘to govern the Auckland Dance Festival as it facilitates the promotion and development of established and emerging choreographers’ and dancers’ work by building appreciative audiences and increasing active participation in dance, and related activities that have similar purposes.’