photo: John Mc Dermott

OKAREKA Dance Company
Daniel Cooper Rehearsal Director

Hand to Hand
Dancers: Taane Mete & Taiaroa Royal
Choreographer Michael Parmenter centres on the issue of identity. Central to the issue of identity is the polarity of same/difference and the tension contained in this duality that is the key to our explorations.The intension is to explore the difficult territory between improvisation and set choreography. There is much improvisational dance that is extremely difficult to capture in formalised choreography; the process of formalisation and repetition tends to flatten out and erase the uniquely idiosyncratic gestures, balances and weight shifts that give improvised dancing life. In order to recapture some of the life, we have spent much time developing partnering forms. Out of this basic material we are creating an extraordinarily vibrant and complex vocabulary of movement, and a unique choreographic style is emerging. Hand to Hand is a gift from Michael to Taiaroa and Taane. A long term relationship exists between the choreographer and the dancers; Michael is both a mentor and friend to both. Michael has been a man/dancer living with cancer for years. The strength and sheer determination to continue in dance has been his source of life. Hand to Hand is a beautiful duet , and it reflects the admiration shared by Taiaroa, Taane and Michael.