• Australian Government / Australia Council for the Arts
  • Brisbane Powerhouse Arts

“Five extreme dancers, three choreographers at the top of their game, a totally in-tune composer, exquisite lighting and audio visual design and a wealth of cultural wisdom, come together in one of the best contemporary performances we have seen in years.” NZ Herald

Brisbane Powerhouse and Okareka Dance Company present MANA WAHINE

Fri 26 Feb 3:00pm - 4:10pm

70 minutes Powerhouse Theatre, Brisbane Powerhouse All Ages

A commanding work that will uplift the spiritual status of ‘the woman’ within us all.

Join New Zealand dance company Okareka for a powerful celebration of women in Mana Wahine. Inspired by the true story of Te Aokapurangi, a legendary Māoritribal elder who single-handedly saved her people from slaughter, this stunning collage of imagery and movement transcends time and space.

Three of New Zealand’s best choreographers have taken the story of Te Aokapurangi’s courage, determination and fearlessness and created a commanding dance work to uplift the spiritual status and empower women everywhere. From the stunning opening to the spine tingling finale, this collaboration of movement, exquisite lighting and audio visual design and a wealth of cultural wisdom is pure magic.

Image: Alex Efimov

Meet the artist

Okareka Dance Company

Formed in 2007, Okareka was established to fuse contemporary dance with indigenous Māori themes and other genres to create authentic, diverse works. Led by senior performers Taane Mete and Taiaroa Royal, it has become one of New Zealand’s most sought after and prolific dance companies.

Through choreography, set design and costume, the company strives to tell bold, spiritual stories that are of and from New Zealand. Through careful collaboration Okareka seeks to extend its creativity and its influence by engaging experienced artists from around the globe to create evocative, beautiful dance works that tell a story.

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