Weekly Sacre Update #3



Welcome to your weekly update for

Sacre: The Auckland Dance Project

Proudly part of the REAL New Zealand Festival



Students with Fraser Bruce at Hay Park School



With the end of winter drawing near and activity surrounding the project about to step up, all those involved in Sacre seem to have an extra ‘spring’ in their steps.

For more information about the project, visit the APO website.

What’s Been Happening

• On 24 August, Hay Park School welcomed trumpeter Nick Hall, APO Education Manager Lee Martelli and Fraser Bruce of Living Rhythm for another music workshop. The increased confidence and skill from the first workshop was hard to miss as the students enthusiastically kept up with the difficult rhythms of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring. We asked the year 5 and 6 students what they learnt from the music workshops: “That you can use anything to create music. I learnt that there is all sorts of music for each season of the year,” one student said.

Hay Park also welcomed Joanna Davies from The Aucklander. Joanna interviewed Sacre’s project coordinator, Sally Markham, before joining the kids outside for a lunchtime filled with music. We look forward to her reading her article.

Masked mayhem

• Sally Markham, project coordinator, is coming to the end of her long hunt for material, designers and sewers needed to create the three death masks featured in the project. Sixty-four metres of blue fabric is being sewn as we speak, while design concepts for the masks are currently being developed.

Sacre colours 

• Navy blue, bottle green and fern green have been confirmed as the colour palette for the Sacre t-shirts that will be worn by the dancers. Printing will be underway as soon as the design is confirmed. We look forward to sharing images of Marama Lloydd’s stunning work with you soon.  

Sacre Blog

• Be sure to visit our blog; we have a feeling the week ahead will be filled with visual delights. To add news or images, send content to HelenS@apo.co.nz with ‘Sacre blog’ in the subject line.

Upcoming Events

• Music workshop at Kristin School 5 September

• Royston Maldoom arrives in New Zealand

• 9 September: powhiri at Orakei Marae to welcome Royston Maldoom

Purchase tickets from THE EDGE

Prices: Adults/Senior: $45 $35, $25
Child/Student/Community Service Card holders: $30, $20, $10

                 

For more information please contact Richard Betts, Publicist, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, p: (09) 638 6266 x210; m: 021 520 546, e: richardb@apo.co.nz

Want to join in on the fun at Sacre workshops? Check out this video from Hay Park School for the next best thing.

Hay Park School music workshop

Just got back from a great workshop at Hay Park School with trumpeter Nick Hall, APO Education Manager Lee Martelli and Fraser Bruce of Living Rhythm.

 

Here are a few images, more to come later...

Weekly Sacre Update # 2

                                                                                            

Welcome to your weekly update for

Sacre: The Auckland Dance Project

Proudly part of the REAL New Zealand Festival

With less than two months to go before Sacre: The Auckland Dance Project debuts at the Aotea Centre, activity is gaining momentum. For more information about the project, visit the APO website.

What’s Been Happening

• Contemporary dance workshops have come to an end, leaving students waiting in anticipation for when the schools come together for full Sacre rehearsals in September. The success of the dance workshops has not gone unnoticed by the press and the student themselves, as the dancers become more comfortable with moving and taking direction.

Sacre was featured in the Manukau Courier on 19 August when Adrian Evans reflected on the inspiration Moss Patterson passed on to participants of contemporary workshops held at Tangaroa College: "Dance moves energise arts students" (registration requ’d).

• We asked year 7 and 8 students from Pakuranga Intermediate what new dance styles and techniques they had gained during their workshops with Moss. One dancer replied: “Telling stories through our bodies” – an impressive skill for anyone, let alone a 12-year-old.

The students said that they’d learnt more than just dance techniques and, when asked, came up with a long list of skills they had developed. When asked how they worked collaboratively with their peers, for example, the children gave a great range of answers: “By being positive about everyone’s ideas and respecting them”; “Listening, combining each others’ ideas to make it work. Some ideas were left out because we had a vote on what to use”; “By taking a bit of everyone’s thoughts and then using them to create something we all agreed on”; “We all thought positively and respected each other by listening and engaging in the topic.”

APO Music Director Eckehard Stier chats with Kiss My Arts

• Eckehard Stier recently discussed Sacre and his role in the project on the Kiss My Arts blog. “Musically, The Rite of Spring is one of the great orchestral masterpieces, and as a musician it means a lot to play the very finest works,” he says at one point. Read on here: Kiss My Arts

Become part of the worldwide phenomenon

• We are looking for volunteers to help supervise and assist with logistics during Sacre’s production week. If you or anyone you know would like more information, have a look at Volunteer Net or The Big Idea. Alternatively, contact volunteer supervisor Natasha Pearce directly: tash.pearce@gmail.com. We’d love to hear from you.

Sacre Blog

• With the increase of activity surrounding Sacre, regular visits to our blog are essential; we have a feeling the week ahead will be filled with visual delights. To add news or images, send content to HelenS@apo.co.nz with ‘Sacre blog’ in the subject line.

Photo: Rimoni

Upcoming Events

• Music workshop at Hay Park School 24 August

• Music workshop at Kristin School 7 September

• Details surrounding the masks required for Sacre are set to be released next week…

Purchase tickets from THE EDGE

Prices: Adults/Senior: $45 $35, $25
Child/Student/Community Service Card holders: $30, $20, $10

For more information please contact Richard Betts, Publicist, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, p: (09) 638 6266 x210; m: 021 520 546, e: richardb@apo.co.nz

Eckehard Stier, Music Director of the APO, chats with Kiss My Art's...

The APO takes on dance in October with SACRE: The Auckland Dance Project, an ambitious collaboration between the education, community and professional arts sectors, featuring more than 150 young dancers from across Auckland. While the performance is still six weeks away, preparations are well underway. We asked Eckehard Stier to tell us more:

 What do you do with the APO?
I’m the Music Director of Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra. That means I am the chief conductor, and I am also responsible for the artistic direction of the orchestra.

How are you involved with Sacre?
I will conduct the orchestra at the Aotea Centre on 14 October when we perform Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring with the young dancers. In preparation for that I will be leading orchestral rehearsals, and also working with the choreographer and artistic director Royston Maldoom and his team to make sure that the musical and dance sides of the project come together.

What’s exciting about this project?
There are many exciting things about this. To work with top international artists like Royston is always enjoyable. Musically, The Rite of Spring is one of the great orchestral masterpieces, and as a musician it means a lot to play the very finest works. Then there’s the excitement of bringing professionals from the arts community together with the young dancers – it’s a great opportunity for everyone and it keeps you on your toes!

Who do you hope will come to the performance?
This is something that will appeal to a broad audience: people who like great dance, people who like great music, members of the public who just enjoy a good spectacle. I hope that the Aotea Centre is full, because this performance is going to be wonderful.

Have you been to any of the workshops? How are things coming together?
I haven’t been to any of the workshops, but with Ann Dewey, Moss Patterson and Tai Royal leading the dancers, and the APO’s education team in schools taking music workshops, I know that everything is well in hand.

Kiss My Arts's Posterous
Kiss My Arts is a blog facilitated by THE EDGE, the home of the Aotea Centre, The Civic, Auckland Town Hall and Aotea Square in Auckland, New Zealand.

Year 8 and 9 students from Pakuranga Intermediate share their thoughts as the string of contemporary workshops with Moss Patterson came to an end.

Students invovled in Sacre: The Auckland Dance Project  have been taking part in both music and dance workshops in preperation for rehearsals starting in September.  

The aim of the dance workshops is to introduce students to contemporary dance to give students confidence with moving their bodies and taking direction. In contrast the music workshops are designed to get the young dancers used to the complex sounds and rhythms of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring. 

Have a look at some of our favourite quotes from the year 8 and 9 students at Pakuranga Intermediate when asked......

What new dance styles have you learnt? 

“I have learnt how to use my body to tell a fantastic story.”

“Dancing to tell a story with Maori myths and legends like the gods of water and man"

Thinking about your experience with dance, tell me what is different about the dance style you learnt with Moss? 

“He taught me something I wasn’t expecting to learn in my life.”


"It is more creative and emotional.  Moss also told us how to respect dance because DANCE is important and we can move by using body language to tell different stories.  Moss taught us dance moves that I never knew were dance moves.  He likes sharing his knowledge and telling how his career started.”

Welcome to your weekly update for Sacre: The Auckland Dance Project

 

Moss Patterson with students at Tangaroa College

Photo: Rimon

Sacre is a collaboration between the education, community and professional arts sectors, featuring more than 150 young dancers from across Auckland. For the last few months the dancers have been involved in workshops with three of New Zealand’s leading choreographers: Ann Dewey, Moss Patterson and Tai Royal.

In September this impressive trio will be joined by international choreographer and artistic director of Sacre, Royston Maldoom.

All this hard work comes to a head at Auckland’s Aotea Centre on 14 October, with a performance of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, performed live with Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra under its music director, Eckehard Stier.
For more information, visit the APO.

What’s Been Happening

• On 5 August, the kids of New Lynn primary school welcomed trumpeter Nick Hall, APO Education Manager Lee Martelli and Fraser Bruce of Living Rhythm for a music workshop. The idea of these workshops is to get the young dancers used to the complex sounds and rhythms of The Rite of Spring. The workshop was captured on camera by the APO’s photographer of choice, Adrian Malloch, who was there on special assignment for a top secret project.

• Adrian also visited Tangaroa College, where students have been in full swing recently with two dance workshops led by choreographer Moss Patterson. Whereas the workshops at New Lynn were focused on getting the children used to the music, the aim of Tangaroa ones was to introduce the participants to contemporary dance.

In the second workshop on 15 August, Moss shared valuable insights into his choreography, which is inspired by kowhaiwhai designs.

Moss was joined at both sessions by yet another Adrian – Adrian Evans from the Manukau Courier, who brought his own photographer along. Adrian interviewed Moss and some of the young people, and we look forward to reading his resulting story.

• We asked year 5 and 6 students at Hay Park School and New Lynn School how they were enjoying themselves and what they were looking forward to most. The general consensus was the excitement about performing with a live orchestra. “The feeling of dancing to the APO and the tension that will be felt as we dance,” said one dancer.

Sacre’s Kick-Off

• Sacre is staged in association with the REAL Festival for Rugby World Cup 2011, so it’s entirely appropriate that the project’s first bit of formal business is held on 9 September (the same day RWC launches). In the morning, a powhiri takes place at Orakei Marae to welcome Royston Maldoom. The British Council, one of the project funders, and Carwyn Jones, the First Minister of Wales, will also be attending, along with invited guests.

Sacre Blog

• Keep up to date with news surrounding Sacre by visiting our new blog. Feel free to add news or images by sending content to HelenS@apo.co.nz, with ‘Sacre blog’ in the subject line. You can also view rehearsal images on the APO’s website.

T-Shirt Designs

• Marama Lloydd, known to many of you as Tracey Lloyd, designer extraordinaire for MOA and other dance projects, has finished designing t-shirts for Sacre. They look fantastic and have been sent to Royston Maldoom for comment. 

Upcoming Events

• Music workshop at Pakuranga Intermediate

• Music workshop at Tangaroa College

Both workshops are led by the APO’s Lee Martelli and trumpet player Nick Hall, with longtime APO collaborator Fraser Bruce from Living Rhythm.

 

Purchase tickets from THE EDGE

Prices: Adults/Senior: $45 $35, $25
Child/Student/Community Service Card holders: $30, $20, $10

Sally Markham, project coordinator for Sacre, has ordered 64 meters of silky blue material...

Any ideas on what it will be used for?

Year 5 & 6 pupils at New Lynn School gave us some feedback on the rehearsals so far...

Q: What have you learnt during the workshops with Ann?
•    “Keep going when we make a mistake.”
•    “To stay with the beat.”
•    “Bond with people while dancing. Stay focussed. Working with different people. Learn better by listening to other people’s feedback.”
•    “I learnt that everyone has to be brave and strong.”
•    “To count to the beat of the music.  Count the steps of the music. Dance synchronised with each other. Listen, and dance with my mouth shut.”

Q: What did you find surprising in the workshops with Ann?
•    “The music was catchy.”
•    “Dancing can tell a huge story and every dance has a different message and meaning.”
•    “Ann said every step a makes a story that tells the audience what the dance is about.”
•    “Dancing to classic, olden day music.”
•    “That Royston Maldoom is famous.”

Q: What do you expect will happen when the rehearsals with Royston and Ann start?
•    “Royston is going to teach us to dance.”
•    “A lot of amazing stuff.”
•    “We will have to be very quiet and focus a lot.”

Q: What are you looking forward to about the performance at the Aotea Centre?
•    “I don’t know what to say about it, because I’m so excited.”
•    “The dance and to make Royston proud.”
•    “For my parents and sisters to come.  Even though it’s quite difficult to pay the money.”
•    “I’m lucky. I’ve got butterflies.”
•    “The feeling of dancing to the APO and the tension that will be felt as we dance.”
•    “Representing the school.”
•    “Dancing on that stage and dancing for hours.”
•    “Dancing to a full-on, long piece of music.”
•    “It will be a good life experience for me.”

Rhythm Is It!

"You can change your life in a dance class" Royston Maldoom

Check out the trailer for  Rhythm Is It!, an inspirational film following the journey of 250 youngsters as they work alongside renowned English choreographer, Royston Maldoom and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra on the Sacre dance project. Rhythm is it! received the German Lola Movie Award for best documentary film in 2005 and reached large audiences world-wide.

Sacre: The Auckland Dance Project is the Asia-Pacific debut of this international phenomenon. 

Year 5 & 6 pupils from Hay Park School gave us and insight into how the workshops are going...

Q: What have you learnt during the workshops with Ann?
•    “I’ve learnt how to adjust my legs in the air”
•    “I learned how to walk like a robot and melt like a jelly.”
•    “I’ve learnt how to do big movements and how to melt slowly using my body.”
•    “I have learnt how to dance with the rhythm.  I am starting to do nice big movements.”
•    “I have learnt how to leap then balance.”
•    “I have learnt to count the beats and dance at the beat too.”

Q: What did you find surprising in the workshops with Ann?
•    “I never knew that ballet can relax my muscles”
•    “We could do big leaps and land softly.”
•    “That I held my balance longer than I’ve ever held it before.”
•    “Follow the beat together.”
•    “That I like dancing.”

Q: What do you expect will happen when the rehearsals with Royston and Ann start?
•    “I expect challenging movements.”
•    “We all have to get along and be kind to each other.”
•    “I will expect quietness.”
•    “To get along with other schools and dance with them.”
•    “Respect each other when they’re talking. Have a try.”
•    “The rehearsals with Royston and Ann will get more tiring and long but we made a commitment.  It is going to be a little bit boring, but when we get used to it it’s going to be fun.”

Q: What are you looking forward to about the performance at the Aotea Centre?
•    “I’m looking forward to seeing an orchestra.  I’m also looking forward to a big crowd and a lot of dancing.”
•    “A big, massive audience. An orchestra to play the music. Other people, schools, managers, backstage people.”
•    “I’m looking forward to the massive audience and especially the inspiring orchestra.”

Q: What did you learn during the music workshop with Lee, Nick and Fraser?
•    “I learnt how to play new instruments like an African drum, a culumbar, and a shaker.  As I looked around I saw different instruments, I even saw homemade instruments.  The music I heard was not modern music it was like classical music with a touch of old-school music.”
•    “We learnt to create our own beat with the drums.  Went in time with the trumpet.  Drums had different sounds and different animal fur on it.  We got to play instruments we have never played with before.”
•    “That you can use anything to create music.  I learnt that there were all sorts of music for each season of the year.”

Welcome to the blog of Sacre: The Auckland Dance Project

Sacre is a collaboration between the education, community and professional arts sectors, and featuring more than 150 young dancers from north, south, east and west Auckland, drawn from schools ranging from deciles one to 10.

Many of these young people have never danced before.

For the last few months the dancers have been involved in workshops with three of New Zealand’s leading choreographers: Ann Dewey, Moss Patterson and Tai Royal.

In September this impressive trio will be joined by international choreographer and artistic director of Sacre, Royston Maldoom

All this hard work comes to a head at Auckland’s Aotea Centre on 14 October, with a performance of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, performed live with Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra under its music director, Eckehard Stier. 

For more information, visit the APO website. 

Sacre: The Auckland Dance Project is a collaboration between Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and the REAL New Zealand Festival with additional support from the British Council, NZ Lottery Grants Board and the ASB Community Trust.