Kiwi dancers stranded by Covid-19 reunite in capital
A group of stranded Kiwi dancers, choreographers and vocalists have banded together in Wellington to forma new dance company while waiting out Covid-19 restrictions.
Eddie Brunton, who returned to New Zealand from London the week before lockdown started last year, decided to help coordinate the group after realising her employment situation was ‘‘in dire straits’’.
Other stranded dancers were hanging around in the capital without work, and Brunton said the group decided they would create work for themselves.
The group – about 14 dancers and a choreographer – named itself Unity Dance Company, and will put on three shows at the end of this month at Te Auaha on Dixon St. The showcase is called Unity in Adversity.
Before Covid-19, the dancers spent many months overseas dancing on cruise ships or living abroad pursuing their arts careers.
‘‘Everyone was sitting around getting depressed,’’ Brunton said. ‘‘The reception [to our forming] has been so great, it’s been really lovely.’’
To work in the field of commercial or jazz dance, trained Kiwi performers normally need to move overseas, Brunton said, as there were not many opportunities here.
The dancers returned to New Zealand from cruise ships and places as far-flung as the Philippines, the US, India and Greece.
All members of the group are Wellingtonians, and they had stayed connected through the years, Brunton said.
But when Covid-19 hit, those dancers who had worked internationally were stuck with nothing to do.
‘‘It’s quite cool in a sense. Everyone gets to see these Kiwi dancers who have worked internationally, we’re bringing our international flavour here.’’
The first show had already sold out, and the others were not far off full houses either, Brunton said.
‘‘ Unity in Adversity has been a really important show for us to make together, because it’s been a way we could lift each other up, come together as a community and feel connected to each other and to the audiences we’re sharing our work with,’’ she said. ‘‘The world needs performance and storytellers, especially in uncertain times.’’
Unity in Adversity, January 29 and 30 at 7pm at Te Auaha, 65 Dixon St. Matinee January 30, 1pm. Tickets teauahaevents.com.