Open Studio Series
The Tempo Te Rerenga o Tere - Open Studio series provides a platform for artists to share new works and works in progress in a supportive environment, fostering a spirit of well-being. It offers them the opportunity to present their creative efforts to friends and whānau.
WHERE
Wellesley Studios
113 Wellesley Street
Auckland CBD
COST
FREE
ANTICIPATE YOUR VISIT
To ensure a smooth experience at the Tempo Open Studios, we encourage you to plan your trip ahead of time. We suggest arriving between 1:30pm and 1:45pm, as the artists will begin promptly at 2pm. Please check your parking options before travelling – there are ample spaces available along Wellesley Street.
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS
Wellesley Studios is fully accessible for wheelchair users, featuring flat entry at the rear of the building and a roll-through to a lift between the ground and studio levels. All floors are completely flat, and doors open with ease. Separate men’s and women’s changing rooms on the ground floor each include wheelchair-accessible showers and toilets.
If you require further assistance during a performance, workshop, or class at Wellesley Studios, please contact 09 373 4336 in advance of your visit, and we will be happy to assist. There is also a dedicated disabled parking space at the rear of the building, as well as drop-off facilities.
JENNY DE LEON | TITANIUM | 2:00pm
Youth and beauty, age and bones -
My joints made of Titanium.
One shoulder, two hips, one knee and one foot –
Need I more explanium?
And anyway, what argument is this
twixt it and me, for we are
Simultaneum.
Thanks be to God,
Thanks be to God,
Thanks be to God.
CREDITS
Choreographed, danced and poem by Jenny De Leon.
This odd little poem is the true story of my body.
My dance begins with a long warm-up - so needed when 5 of your joints are made from titanium. The warm-up segues into the dance (perhaps they are one and the same).
All of it is an exploration of the gift that is now ~ Enjoy!
LUSI FAIVA | A NEW ENCOUNTER WITHIN | 3:00pm
The choreography explores encounters with the experimental, highlighting my unique approach to breath as it moves fluidly through the body, much like water. I am fascinated by the connection between water and the body and how to capture its essence. It has been some time since I last choreographed, so I am eager to see how this initial experiment unfolds. I believe it will reveal some compelling elements. I’ll be sharing these ideas with dancers who are keen to collaborate, offering them an opportunity to gain deeper insight into the significance of working with a disabled artist.
CREDITS
Lusi, of Samoan and European descent, is an award-winning dancer and founding member of Touch Compass who has been performing for over 30 years. She performed and toured New Zealand and Australia in the company’s major shows from 1997 to 2008 and starred in the highly acclaimed autobiographical performance Lusi’s Eden in 2001; in 2014, her DanceBox short film 'Mr and Mrs Jones' paid tribute to two key people in her life, her foster parents. Lusi has been a support dancer in Touch Compass’s community classes and represented Touch Compass at the Pacific CNZ Strategic conference at Te Papa, Wellington in 2018.
