Black Grace
Encyclopedia
Black Grace is an internationally-touring modern dance
company
, formed in Auckland
, New Zealand
in 1995. Neil Ieremia
, the group's founder and choreographer, draws on Māori and Pacific Islander
indigenous dance, as well as modern dance and hip hop
. Ieremia graduated from the Auckland Performing Arts School and joined the Douglas Wright Dance Company, the leading New Zealand contemporary-dance company at the time. However, the founding members, such as Sam Fuataga and Sean MacDonald, initially had more experience with sports such as rugby, basketball and running than with dance. Performances remain infused with athleticism and may occasionally include a bit of whimsy that is less common in those of other troupes. In Human Language, as the female dancers dance before them, the male dancers inflate toy balloons and look upward in mimicry of courting behavior of certain bird species.
Coming from a story-telling tradition called slap dancing that includes speaking, singing and slapping their bodies, Ieremia incorporates these elements in his choreography. Musical accompaniment includes Samoan indigenous music, Bach and hip hop.
As the foremost contemporary dance company in New Zealand, the company has toured extensively in that country, as well as the Netherlands
, and North America
. Their first appearance in the United States in August 2004 at the Jacob's Pillow
Dance Festival in New York
was well-received. By the end of a week of performances, they were performing before "vociferously enthusiastic, soldout houses." In 2005, Black Grace performed at the World Expo, Aichi and Tokyo
. A documentary on the group, Black Grace: From Cannon's Creek to Jacob's Pillow, premiered 21 June 2007 on PBS
.
In March 2008, Black Grace gave two forty minute performances before more than 10,000 people at WOMADelaide
in southern Australia. An all-male company, four guest female dancers performed with six males in its eleven city 2008 tour of North America. As of 2008, the members are variously of Māori, Pacific Island, New Zealand and Australian descent. MacDonald and Ieremia are the only founding members that remain in the troupe.
According to Ieremia, a New Zealander of Samoa
n ancestry, the term black in the company name refers to courage in the New Zealand Māori/Pacific Islander argot of the 1980s. Grace is a quality that he admires and to which he aspires.
Modern dance
Modern dance is a dance form developed in the early 20th century. Although the term Modern dance has also been applied to a category of 20th Century ballroom dances, Modern dance as a term usually refers to 20th century concert dance.-Intro:...
company
Dance company
A dance troupe or dance company is a group of dancers and associated personnel who work together to perform dances as a spectacle or entertainment.-Members:*Artistic Director*Choreographers*Dancers*Board of Directors*Education administrator...
, formed in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
in 1995. Neil Ieremia
Neil Ieremia
Neil Ieremia is a choreographer and dancer in New Zealand. He is the founder and artistic director of Black Grace, a modern dance company formed in 1995. Black Grace has toured extensively in New Zealand and internationally including Australia, USA and The Netherlands...
, the group's founder and choreographer, draws on Māori and Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander , is a geographic term to describe the indigenous inhabitants of any of the three major sub-regions of Oceania: Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia.According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, these three regions, together with their islands consist of:Polynesia:...
indigenous dance, as well as modern dance and hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
. Ieremia graduated from the Auckland Performing Arts School and joined the Douglas Wright Dance Company, the leading New Zealand contemporary-dance company at the time. However, the founding members, such as Sam Fuataga and Sean MacDonald, initially had more experience with sports such as rugby, basketball and running than with dance. Performances remain infused with athleticism and may occasionally include a bit of whimsy that is less common in those of other troupes. In Human Language, as the female dancers dance before them, the male dancers inflate toy balloons and look upward in mimicry of courting behavior of certain bird species.
Coming from a story-telling tradition called slap dancing that includes speaking, singing and slapping their bodies, Ieremia incorporates these elements in his choreography. Musical accompaniment includes Samoan indigenous music, Bach and hip hop.
As the foremost contemporary dance company in New Zealand, the company has toured extensively in that country, as well as the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, and North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. Their first appearance in the United States in August 2004 at the Jacob's Pillow
Jacob's Pillow
Jacob’s Pillow Dance is a dance center, school and performance space located in Becket, Massachusetts, in the Berkshires. The organization is known for the oldest internationally acclaimed summer dance festival in the United States. The facility also includes a professional school and extensive...
Dance Festival in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
was well-received. By the end of a week of performances, they were performing before "vociferously enthusiastic, soldout houses." In 2005, Black Grace performed at the World Expo, Aichi and Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. A documentary on the group, Black Grace: From Cannon's Creek to Jacob's Pillow, premiered 21 June 2007 on PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
.
In March 2008, Black Grace gave two forty minute performances before more than 10,000 people at WOMADelaide
WOMADelaide
WOMADelaide is an annual world music and dance festival, which was first held in 1992 in Botanic Park, Adelaide, South Australia as part of the WOMAD series of music festivals. WOMAD events are a showcase of different sorts of music, arts and dance. They encourage people to experience the music of...
in southern Australia. An all-male company, four guest female dancers performed with six males in its eleven city 2008 tour of North America. As of 2008, the members are variously of Māori, Pacific Island, New Zealand and Australian descent. MacDonald and Ieremia are the only founding members that remain in the troupe.
According to Ieremia, a New Zealander of Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
n ancestry, the term black in the company name refers to courage in the New Zealand Māori/Pacific Islander argot of the 1980s. Grace is a quality that he admires and to which he aspires.