Footnote New Zealand Dance (founded in 1985) is New Zealand's oldest contemporary dance company. Based in Wellington, it has been described as "New Zealand’s most enduring and influential contemporary dance company."

History

Footnote was founded in 1985 by Wellington ballet teacher

Deirdre Tarrant Deirdre Elizabeth Anne Tarrant (born 1946) is a New Zealand dancer, dance teacher and choreographer. She was the founding director of Footnote Dance and is principal of the Tarrant Dance Studios. Tarrant was born in 1946, the daughter of Alfr ...

with a “dual commitment to fostering original works by local choreographers and composers, and establishing dance workshops in schools”. Tarrant had recently returned from dancing overseas; her vision was to 'establish a real community of creative dance people as well as to develop contemporary dance in New Zealand'. The company has played an important role in establishing and supporting contemporary dance in New Zealand. Footnote received government funding: in the early 1990s it shifted from project-based funding to receiving recurrent funding through Creative New Zealand. In 2005 Footnote established its 'Forte' season, where a New Zealand dance artists working internationally was brought back to New Zealand to create a new work for the company. Dancers and choreographers who have worked with Footnote include

Michael Parmenter Michael Earl Parmenter (born 1954) is a New Zealand choreographer, teacher and dancer of contemporary dance. Career Parmenter studied dance in the 1980s in New York and was influenced by both New York-based choreographer Erick Hawkins and Jap ...

Shona McCullagh Shona Margaret McCullagh is a New Zealand choreographer, dancer, filmmaker and artistic director. McCullagh was the founding director of the New Zealand Dance Company and was appointed artistic director of the Auckland Festival in 2019. Biog ...

Malia Johnston Malia Johnston is a New Zealand choreographer and dance director who has created works for many of New Zealand's dance companies including Footnote Dance, the New Zealand Dance Company, and events such as the World of Wearable Arts and the Armis ...

Raewyn Hill Raewyn Hill (born 1972) is a New Zealand choreographer and dancer now active in Australia. Career Hill was born in Oamaru and entered the New Zealand School of Dance when she was fifteen, graduating in 1992. She has worked with Sue Healey and Ga ...

Lisa Densem Lisa Densem (born 1965) is a New Zealand choreographer. Biography Densem grew up in Christchurch, New Zealand. Her father, John Densem, was a composer and musician. She trained at New Zealand School of Dance in 1985 and 1986. In 1998 she recei ...

and

Ross McCormack Ross McCormack (born 18 August 1986) is a Scottish professional footballer who most recently played as a striker for Aldershot Town. McCormack started his career with Scottish Premier League club Rangers in 2002, where he made few appearance ...

. The company regularly tours in New Zealand, and has performed in Shanghai, Berlin, Brussels, Antwerp and London. In 2015 the company marked its 30th anniversary with ''30 Forward'', a programme of works commissioned over the past ten years from the Forte seasons and a new work by Malia Johnston, ''Flip Pivot Boom''.

Present–day company

In 2012 Tarrant stepped down as director and joined the company's arts advisory panel. Tarrant was succeeded by Malia Johnston. The Richard Aindow was general manager from 2014 - 2020 and Brian Wood joined in this role in January 2021. The company is headquartered on Wellington's Cuba Street. The company is funded through Creative New Zealand, Wellington City Council, Wellington Community Trust, The Lion Foundation, and individual and family donors.

References

External links

Deirdre Tarrant: Footnote NZ Dance
Radio NZ, 24 August 2015
Footnote website
{{authority control Arts in New Zealand Modern dance companies Culture in Wellington 1985 establishments in New Zealand Dance companies in New Zealand