Mum Mary-Jane, director of Tempo 06, shares a passion for performance with daughter Morgana, writes Alice Hudson
When Morgana O'Reilly was a little, tap-dancing girl, she dreamed of taking her passion all the way to the professional stage ? just like her mum, ex-Limbs dancer and choreographer Mary-Jane O'Reilly. ''Mum always
said, 'Be a lawyer, you'll earn more money','' says Morgana, now 21 and still living at the family home in Herne Bay. ''I think she was joking.'' Turns out Mary-Jane's only child is following her mother's footsteps to a performance career after all. Morgana's chosen acting. ''It did get to the stage when I had to choose between dancing and acting ? classes were on the same night,'' she says. For now, Morgana's focused on finishing her Unitec drama course. Her mum is equally busy. Mary- Jane's directing Tempo 06, the New Zealand Festival of Dance, featuring everything from dance film, to ballet, to the racier, R18 burlesque style now enjoying a comeback. Mary-Jane says the 60-performance festival, which kicks off on Friday at venues around Auckland, aims to include as many dance styles as possible, featuring a mix of local performers and international talent. She's happy to be behind the scenes. ''I have always enjoyed the organising,'' says the dance legend who made her mark with Limbs Dance Company in the 1970s and 1980s and is still recognized while on holiday around the country. ''As a choreographer, you always end up producing as well ? usually because you don't have the money to employ someone,'' she says. ''I realised I had all this arts administration experience, so when this came up, I applied.'' Mary-Jane says enthusiasm for Tempo ? now in its third run ? is growing among the dance community. Previously held every two years, the decision has been made to run the festival annually. ''Hopefully, Morgana will get something together for next year,'' she says, ''a dance drama thing.'' Performing is, after all, in the O'Reilly blood.
