Creative ID: 102
I live in West Auckland but am open to the wider Auckland area if it fits within traffic times and works with scheduling etc.
My arts or creative practice (including details about my specific focus within that art form/practice and my strengths)
I am a professional dancer and have been in the industry for over 10 years now. Alongside still dancing professionally I run a movement. The movement explores and showcases the creative potential that is in all of us. It does this by collaborating with artists and students of every level, to capture powerful movement in the form of a single still image. It spans the art forms of dance, photography and design, and showcases the human body along with physical spaces. The workshops I run are aimed at people of all abilities. I aim to collaborate with and empower people to create simple, powerful images using their bodies and the spaces they find themselves in. They can be tailored to students from years 9–13.
My track record of experience and success - or the track record of experience and success of the creative or artist that I will partner with
I have a Bachelor of Performing and Screen Arts majoring in Contemporary Dance. I have danced for many renowned creatives and companies in New Zealand. I received the Eileen May Norris Scholarship. I have been a freelance dancer and teacher for the past 10 years throughout private dance schools and high schools (guest teacher) and have also judged multiple dance competitions throughout New Zealand. Through my movement I developed a workshop for dance/movement and photography and successfully delivered it at high schools and other youth programmes. It was amazing to see the students interact with dance in a whole new way and come out of their comfort zone and create beautiful images by collaborating with me and their other peers.
Describe the experience you have had working with children or young people, teaching or facilitating creative processes
I have taught dance to young people for many years and I have specifically worked with high school aged students in the last couple of years with either being a guest choreographer and teacher or by running my workshops in high schools. I really enjoy working with teenagers as I love seeing them experience a new way of creating and then seeing them empowered to create high-level art. By combining dance and photography, this grabs their attention and opens them up to the wider world of art and dance and shows how they can connect and contribute to the wider community.
Why I want to be part of the Creatives in Schools programme and how my involvement will link to my creative practice
I would love to have the privilege to have more time than just a quick workshop with the students so that I can get to know them and then help develop their strengths and what they are good at. I want to empower them to realise they can create anywhere and at any stage of their life however old they are. It would be amazing to have this opportunity to pass on some of my experiences and for me to be inspired by them and what they create.