AWHEWAHE
KANIKANI
INDUSTRY MASTERCLASSES
Image: Milly Grant-Koria of Tūrongo Collective
These masterclasses are tailored for dancers, movers, and choreographers keen to explore personal and cultural stories in contemporary movement. Participants with 2–3 years of experience in dance, circus, hip-hop, street dance, traditional or contemporary Indigenous dance, martial arts, or other movement-based practices are welcome.
The masterclasses offer opportunities to experiment with layering techniques, character development, and influences from both Indigenous and contemporary practices. Regardless of your movement background, each workshop will deepen your understanding of movement as a storytelling tool.
These masterclasses are generously supported by Wellesley Studios.
ANNE PLAMONDON
FRI 11 OCT, 10:00AM - 1:00PM
Image credit: Michael Slobodian 2016
VENUE:
Wellesley Studios
113 Wellesley Street West, Auckland
COST:
$15 Students
$25 Independent Dancers
CAPACITY:
Limited to 25 - 30 Participants
SCHEDULE:
Safe Space Workshop with Anne Plamondon
Join us for a transformative experience led by the internationally renowned Anne Plamondon. In this workshop, participants will enter a nurturing environment to explore the art of movement through the foundational elements of the RUBBERBAND Method. With an emphasis on presence, breath, and intention, you will delve into choreographic phrases, connect with the floor, and engage in dynamic partnering.
Anne’s approach balances structure and instinct, encouraging participants to embrace improvisation while remaining grounded in precision. This workshop is a celebration of the body’s resilience and its ability to communicate through movement, offering a unique opportunity to push creative boundaries in a supportive space.
Anne Plamondon is an accomplished choreographer, performer, and teacher with over two decades of experience on international stages. Since debuting as a choreographer in 2012, she has founded Anne Plamondon Productions and created works for major institutions such as Fall for Dance North Festival, Alberta Ballet, and Arts Umbrella Dance. Her collaborations extend to notable figures like Emma Portner and Patrick Watson, with her pieces blending technical virtuosity and emotional depth. She has also made a mark in film, choreographing and performing in short films such as Espaces vitaux.
Plamondon’s career is rooted in classical training from institutions like the National Ballet School of Canada and École Supérieure de ballet du Québec. She has danced with prestigious companies such as Nederlands Dans Theater 2 and Gulbenkian Ballet, performing works by over 30 choreographers. A significant portion of her journey was shaped by her collaboration with Victor Quijada’s RUBBERBANDance Group, where she was a key figure in developing the RUBBERBAND Method, which she now teaches worldwide. Passionate about fostering the next generation, she is actively involved in teaching and mentoring emerging dancers across various institutions.
ANNE PLAMONDON:
MARRUGEKU’S
Dalisa Pigram
With dancers/co-choreographers from the company’s Burrbgaja Yalirra 2 triple bill:
Bhenji Ra, Stanley Nalo, Ses Bero and Emmanuel James Brown (EJB).
FRI 18 OCT, 11:00AM - 1:30PM
VENUE:
Wellesley Studios
113 Wellesley Street West, Auckland
COST:
$15 Students
$25 Independent Dancers
Limited to 14 Participants
CAPACITY:
The workshop will introduce Marrugeku’s devising approaches drawing on personal and cultural backgrounds to create contemporary movement. We will experiment with techniques to layer and structure movement, ideas, characters and cultural influences.
Participants should have two to three years of experience in dance, circus, hip-hop, street dance, traditional or contemporary Indigenous dance, martial arts or other movement based practices.
The workshop is also open to actors with some movement experience interested in improvisational movement processes to generate theatre.
SCHEDULE:
Dalisa Pigram, a Yawuru/Bardi woman from Broome, has been a pivotal figure in Marrugeku since its inception, serving as Artistic Co-Director since 2008. As a co-devising performer, she has toured internationally and across Australia with all of Marrugeku’s productions. Her solo work Gudirr Gudirr earned her an Australian Dance Award and a Green Room Award, showcasing her profound impact on independent dance. Dalisa has co-conceived and co-choreographed several of Marrugeku’s key works, including Burning Daylight, Cut the Sky, and Le Dernier Appel, for which she received another Green Room Award.
Dalisa’s contributions extend beyond performance to co-directing significant projects like Jurrungu Ngan-ga and co-curating Marrugeku’s International Indigenous Choreographic Labs. She remains deeply committed to preserving Indigenous language and culture, teaching Yawuru Language at Cable Beach Primary School and co-editing Marrugeku: Telling That Story—25 years of trans-Indigenous and intercultural exchange.
DALISA PIGRAM
MARRUgEKU
Marrugeku is a unique and vital force in Australia’s cultural landscape, committed to fostering collaboration between Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists in the creation of new, transformative dance languages. Their work bridges the gap between urban and remote communities, creating connections that explore local and global contexts. Marrugeku’s productions are driven by a deep belief in the power of storytelling to address the significant changes facing Indigenous Australia, embracing both the simplicity and complexity of telling stories together.
Led by co-artistic directors Dalisa Pigram and Rachael Swain, who have collaborated for over 27 years, Marrugeku introduces audiences to Indigenous knowledge systems through innovative intercultural performances. With performers from diverse backgrounds, each production is co-created to embody the rich exchange of ideas and cultures. Operating from both Broome and Sydney, Marrugeku’s works tour nationally and internationally, offering a dynamic interplay between remote, urban, and trans-Indigenous approaches to contemporary dance.
