AUDIO

Interview with Deidre Tarrant

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Date

31 January, 1 February, 12 and 14 May 2014

By

Tarrant, Deirdre Elizabeth Anne, 1946-

Reference

OHInt-1230-3

Description

Interview with Deidre Tarrant conducted by Lyne Pringle. Talks about family background and growing up in Wellington, early dance classes, and dancing with the Royal New Zealand Ballet Company adjunct troupe 1958-1960. Recounts her early dance dancers and her own early dance teaching. Talks about attending Victoria University and being involved in the Drama Club and Shakespeare Society, classes with ballet company, and being drawn to contemporary dance.

Outlines how she won a bursary to attend Royal Ballet School in London and her experiences there, including influences of Martha Graham and Merce Cunningham techniques, and Maria Fay. Describes travelling to Russa on dance study trip. Talks about flatting in London and her time overseas, including teaching dance in Europe, dancing with Maria Fay, and her time in Banff, Canada, and United States . Explains her dance studio was run by her mother and sisters while she was overseas. Reflects on development of dance techniques in New Zealand. Mentions Impulse Dance Theatre. Reflects on differences between classical and contemporary dance.

Talks about her engagements, marriage, and having babies, help from her mother, and travelling between New Zealand, London, and Canada to work in dance. Talks about the dance studio and school in Cuba Street, buying Valerie Bailey out of the studio, and early days of Footnote dance company. Mentions PEP scheme, Footnote dance company, and developing a schools programme.

Talks about her husband Peter McKenzie and the family farms, and her own family history. Describs travelling between Banff and Wellington with children and her mother, the tight 'timetabling' of family and work life, her family home in Kelburn, city versus country living and raising children. Talks about getting more male dancers, development of Footnote with Summer City programmes. Describes working with ballet company and NZ School of Dance, and Harry Hawthorne. Mentions Alexander Grant. Describes culture of Cuba Street around the dance studio.Talks about the show 'Planets and her work as a choreographer, taking dance to schools, getting more secure funding from Creative New Zealand, the Footnote company between 1983 and 1987, works by Susan Jordan for Footnote, and using New Zealand music for dance works. Reflects on choreographic process.

Outlines restructuring of Footnote dance company, sponsorship deals, Creative NZ funding, and various dance shows by other choreographers. Describes development of Choreolab as hub for emerging choreographers. Talks about strategic shift for Footnote from 2001 and shifts in dance industry generally, including new arts and dance curricculum in schools. Explains outcome of Creative NZ hui circa 2001. Talks about developing a stable of choreographers, overseas touring and exchanges, logistics of a small company. her development as a director, the "perforums" events during Forte seasons, and her global network. Describes working with Lisa Densem amd Maia Johnston, and passing Footnote on to Johnston. Mentions Watch This Space in art galleries. Expalins why Footnote needed a new managment model. Talks about Choreoco initiative, and her latest work for her dance school.

Title supplied by Library.

Quantity: 1 Interview(s). 11 digital sound recording(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 2 Electronic document(s) abstract and images.

Search dates: 2014

Use/Reproduction

The recording of the interview and accompanying material may be quoted or shown in full or in part in published work, broadcast, or used in public performances. Copyright: Please check copyright.

Access restrictions

Partly restricted - Digital content available only in Katherine Mansfield Reading Room

Part of

Creating a dance industry in New Zealand oral history project

Format

1 Interview(s), 11 digital sound recording(s), 1 printed abstract(s), 2 Electronic document(s) abstract and images, Oral histories, Digital audio formats, Sound recordings, Files (Digital files)

There are 1 items in total.

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