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.
Biography
Born in 1962 in Hamilton, McCullagh moved to Wellington when she was four and attended Northland School, and
Wellington Girls' College from 1975 to 1979. McCullagh trained as a dancer at the
New Zealand School of Dance, graduating in 1983 with a Special Award in Choreography. In 1984 McCullagh joined the Sydney company Darc Swan.
McCullagh then became was a rehearsal director, choreographer and dancer in
Limbs Dance Company from 1985 to 1988. She was a founding member of the
Douglas Wright Dance Company.
Prior to that she toured New York performing with Douglas Wright & Dancers (1987).
Companies that McCullagh has choreographed for include Footnote Dance, Douglas Wright Dance Company, The Royal New Zealand Ballet and her own company The Human Garden.
McCullagh has choreographed for theatre including collaborations with Nightsong Productions, The Watershed Theatre, the NZ Actors Company and
Auckland Theatre Company.
In addition McCullagh has both choreographed for screen and directed dance films. As a choreographer she has worked on television series ''
Xena – Warrior Princess,
Hercules
Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures.
The Romans adapted the Gr ...
,
Spartacus
Spartacus (; ) was a Thracians, Thracian gladiator (Thraex) who was one of the Slavery in ancient Rome, escaped slave leaders in the Third Servile War, a major Slave rebellion, slave uprising against the Roman Republic.
Historical accounts o ...
'' and ''
Legend of the Seeker'' and feature films ''
Lord of the Rings'' and ''
King Kong
King Kong, also referred to simply as Kong, is a fictional giant monster resembling a gorilla, who has appeared in various media since 1933. The character has since become an international pop culture icon,Erb, Cynthia, 1998, ''Tracking Kin ...
''.
McCullagh will be the artistic director for the Auckland Festival, leading from 2021 until 2024, replacing the outgoing director Jonathan Bielski.
Honours and awards
* Best Dancer (1988)
''Metro'' magazine
*1999
North & South Magazine New Zealander of the Year
*
Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit () is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system. It was established by royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have ...
, for services to dance, in the
2000 Queen's Birthday Honours
*
NZ Arts Foundation Laureate (2002)
* Winner, Arts category, Westpac/Fairfax
New Zealand Woman of Influence Award (2014)
* Hynds Creative Entrepreneur of the Year (2015)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:McCullagh, Shona
Living people
Year of birth missing (living people)
New Zealand female dancers
New Zealand choreographers
Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit
New Zealand Women of Influence Award recipients
New Zealand School of Dance alumni
People educated at Wellington Girls' College