Dancers' powerful haka sets tone

Kaha

Atamira Dance Company

HB Opera House, Hastings, June 13

Last Friday's presentation of seven short works by the Atamira Dance Company show they fully deserve to be going to the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival in the US in a few weeks' time.

The short but powerful haka involving all seven dancers set the tone, followed quickly by Te Paki, inspired by the "clap of the waves" and featuring intense yet also graceful work by Bianca Hyslop, Andrew Miller and Nancy Wijohn, set to the beautiful music of Whirimako Black.

Both were choreographed by Atamira's artistic director, Moss Patterson, whose thoughtful words between each piece helped cement in place what each was about. His third work, Moko, was a physical expression of the art of moko, set to some pulsing sounds by Paddy Free and, as he explained it, moving between the urban jungle, the spiritual world and, at times, seeming to delve between pain and ecstasy.

Dancer and choreographer Kelly Nash's mash-up of indigenous imagery walked a fine line between being funny and thought-provoking, while in Wijohn's Paarua (Double Contact), the dancers' physicality was almost enough to make me wince.

This fast piece provided more than a few laughs, particularly Andrew Miller and Jack Gray's refs, and the "horses".

Choreographer Gaby Thomas' Pou Rakau put a new twist on the traditional Maori song and stick game, a skilful blend of movement and music.