Whānau Day Workshop
Saturday 13 September | 10:30am
Kōanga Festival
Saturday 13 September | 10:30am
Kōanga Festival
Kia Korikori - Let’s move!
Nau mai, tamariki mā.
Nau mai, tamariki mā.
Join Atamira Dance Company for a fun and playful 30-minute workshop on Whānau Day, where we’ll explore the magic of our Atua Māori through dance and storytelling. Held in Tokomanawa, Te Pou Theatre, this engaging workshop will lift your wairua, get your body moving, and your imagination buzzing! Come jump, spin, stomp, and laugh as we connect with the power and presence of our Atua Māori through movement and creativity.
Kia Pohewatia
Work-In-Progress Showings
Kōanga Festival
Work-In-Progress Showings
Kōanga Festival
Rachel Ruckstuh-Mann
Rātapu, 14 o Hepetema | 2pm
NGĀ TĪKITI: $10
Ōpānuku Studio, Corban Estate Arts Centre
Rātapu, 14 o Hepetema | 2pm
NGĀ TĪKITI: $10
Ōpānuku Studio, Corban Estate Arts Centre
Samara Reweti
Hātarei, 20 o Hepetema | 3pm
NGĀ TĪKITI: $10
Ōpānuku Studio, Corban Estate Arts Centre
Hātarei, 20 o Hepetema | 3pm
NGĀ TĪKITI: $10
Ōpānuku Studio, Corban Estate Arts Centre
We are thrilled to announce Rachel Ruckstuhl-Mann (Kāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe, Rangitāne) and Samara Reweti (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi, Te Arawa) as the selected artists for Kia Pohewatia — Atamira Dance Company’s choreographic residency programme dedicated to nurturing and empowering Māori choreographers.
Over the course of two weeks each, Rachel and Samara will have the opportunity to deepen their choreographic practice through dedicated studio time, expert mentorship, and close collaboration with a team of four Māori dance artists.
Rachel and Samara will also each present a Work-In-Progress showing as a part of Te Pou Theatre’s Kōanga Festival, which cultivates new ideas and shares the bounty of new narratives through Māori performing arts.
Over the course of two weeks each, Rachel and Samara will have the opportunity to deepen their choreographic practice through dedicated studio time, expert mentorship, and close collaboration with a team of four Māori dance artists.
Rachel and Samara will also each present a Work-In-Progress showing as a part of Te Pou Theatre’s Kōanga Festival, which cultivates new ideas and shares the bounty of new narratives through Māori performing arts.
Ka Tiri o te Moana
Adaptation Futures 2025
Sunday 12, Thursday 16 October
7:30pm
Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū
Adaptation Futures 2025
Sunday 12, Thursday 16 October
7:30pm
Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū
Atamira is proud to announce that Louise Pōtiki Bryant's new work Ka Tiri o te Moana will journey to Te Waipounamu this October to present as part of the Adaptation Futures 2025 climate conference.
Atamira Dance Company presents a groundbreaking collaboration between Atamira founding member and Arts Foundation Laureate Louise Pōtiki Bryant, acclaimed composer Paddy Free, scenographic artist Rowan Pierce, and lighting designer Robert Larsen.
Ka Tiri o te Moana addresses the urgent issue of sea level rise due to Antarctic ice melt, and the profound impact of climate change on communities, both locally and globally. The work explores Kāi Tahu relationships with Te Moana Tāpokopoko a Tāwhaki (the Southern Ocean) and Ka Tiri o te Moana (Antarctica). Guided by Mātauraka Māori, this powerful new creation illuminates the impacts on coastal hapū and adaptive responses in the face of rising seas.
Ka Tiri o te Moana addresses the urgent issue of sea level rise due to Antarctic ice melt, and the profound impact of climate change on communities, both locally and globally. The work explores Kāi Tahu relationships with Te Moana Tāpokopoko a Tāwhaki (the Southern Ocean) and Ka Tiri o te Moana (Antarctica). Guided by Mātauraka Māori, this powerful new creation illuminates the impacts on coastal hapū and adaptive responses in the face of rising seas.
Presented in partnership with Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū and Beca
Photography: Jinki Cambronero
Photography: Jinki Cambronero
Rongo Whakapā
Choreographed by Brydie Colquhoun
11 – 13 July 2025
Te Pou Theatre
Choreographed by Brydie Colquhoun
11 – 13 July 2025
Te Pou Theatre
“There are many moments I feel my dancing spine enjoying the current of the dancers’ vibes…”
Claire O’Neil, Theatreview
Claire O’Neil, Theatreview
“Sometimes, performance outcomes are a shimmer of the deeper connections being made during the making.”
Claire O’Neil, Theatreview
Claire O’Neil, Theatreview
A sold out season, debut choreography by Brydie Colquhoun and Atamira’s first show presented at Te Pou Theatre.
“An absolute honour for Atamira to launch this waka into the current, sending it forth to be seen, felt, and experienced by many.Brydie, Eden, Rowan, and you incredible dance artists - you should all be so proud of this work you created together!
Ka tuku te mihi aroha ki te katoa.”
Bianca Hyslop
Kaihautū
Ka tuku te mihi aroha ki te katoa.”
Bianca Hyslop
Kaihautū
Show Image Photography: Andi Crown
KA MUA KA MURI
Kua tutuki pai te kaupapa!
Kua tutuki pai te kaupapa!
Presented in Pōneke by KIA MAU Festival and supported by Aronui Indigenous Arts Festival in Rotorua. Funded by Creative New Zealand, Foundation North and the Rotorua Civic Arts trust.
A huge thank you to Kia Mau Festival for their unwavering support in bringing Atamira to Te Whanganui a Tara and The Opera House — an Indigenous-led and programmed festival that places Indigenous voices, stories, and creativity at its very heart. We are grateful to the national and international arts communities who showed up in support.
From there, we travelled to the Sir Howard Morrison Centre in Rotorua. What an absolute honour to perform in a whare filled with a primarily Māori audience — a warm, generous crowd whose energy and response reminded us why we do what we do. It’s that connection with our audiences that fuels and sustains us.
So proud of the entire team, who give their all! Ko te amorangi ki mua, ko te hāpai ō ki muri — it truly does take a village!
Bianca Hyslop
Kaihautū
From there, we travelled to the Sir Howard Morrison Centre in Rotorua. What an absolute honour to perform in a whare filled with a primarily Māori audience — a warm, generous crowd whose energy and response reminded us why we do what we do. It’s that connection with our audiences that fuels and sustains us.
So proud of the entire team, who give their all! Ko te amorangi ki mua, ko te hāpai ō ki muri — it truly does take a village!
Bianca Hyslop
Kaihautū
Images captured by Roc Torio, supplied by Kia Mau Festival
Atamira returned to the Due Drop Event Centre for Kori Pūrākau, our biannual workshop programme held on 26–28 May 2025. Over three inspiring days, students explored the choreography and storytelling through dance and movement. Ngā mihi to all the incredible tauira who brought their energy, creativity, and wairua to the space – we loved moving with you!
A special mihi to our wonderful facilitators Gabrielle Thomas, Rachel Ruckstuhl-Mann, Dana Moore-Mudgway and Andre Busby!
A special mihi to our wonderful facilitators Gabrielle Thomas, Rachel Ruckstuhl-Mann, Dana Moore-Mudgway and Andre Busby!
"It was really nice to see tauira who don't usually participate in movement activities in school, thrive in the workshop provided by Atamira Dance Company." - Ayoshe Rogers, Teacher, Mayfield Primary School
"It was such a great workshop. All of our 56 students were buzzing and would do it again." - Kelly Barnett, Teacher, Rosehill Intermediate School
"It was such a great workshop. All of our 56 students were buzzing and would do it again." - Kelly Barnett, Teacher, Rosehill Intermediate School
