Touch Compass
Formation1997
FounderCatherine Chappell
PurposeProfessional performance company that is disability led.
HeadquartersAuckland, New Zealand
LeaderRodney Bell, Suzanne Cowan and Lusi Faiva (appointed 2021)
Websitehttps://www.touchcompass.org.nz/

Touch Compass is a professional inclusive dance company in Aotearoa New Zealand established in 1997 that has disabled and non-disabled dancers.[1][2][3][4] They have been at the forefront of inclusive dance in New Zealand and have 'paved the way for many dancers and companies across the country.'[1] They create contemporary dance, dance-theatre performance and film. They also have an education programme and have run workshops, community classes and education for schools.[5]

Organisation

Touch Compass was established in 1997 and has been a registered charity under the name The Touch Compass Dance Trust Board since 2008.[5] They are based in Auckland.[5]

Their mission statement includes:

Our mission is to explore the intersection of disability, Māori and Pasifika culture as our unique contribution to the arts. Our performances reflect disability aesthetics and practices that are culturally informed. They are interdisciplinary but rooted in movement practice and choreographic forms. We explore cultural diversity through authentic and multi-dimensional performance.[6]

Touch Compass recognise principles of Te Tiriti O Waitangi and in 2019 the organisation after a review made an agreement to 'move to a disability-led business model, in which artists with disabilities hold leadership positions'.[7]

People

Founder of Touch Compass and director for over 20 years is Catherine Chappell.[8] Chappell brought with her a background in contact improvisation and from the first performance the company created work that involved aerial techniques, with performers suspended above the stage. During her directorship many new works were brought to New Zealand and international stages.[9]

Rodney Bell & Sonsherée Giles performing with AXIS Dance Company

Chappell left at the end of 2019 and Pelenakeke Brown was appointed as interim director. Brown had been in the company when she was young from 1997 to 2000.[10][11][7] Brown is an interdisciplinary artist with a disability who had been based in New York for six years. Brown is of Samoan and Pākehā heritage.[7] In 2021 Rodney Bell, Suzanne Cowan and Lusi Faiva were appointed to the Artistic Direction Panel.[12] Rodney Bell was introduced to dance by Chappell. He was another dancer that left and came back as he was also a founding dancer. After several years with Touch Compass in 2007 he went to California and joined AXIS Dance Company where he created acclaimed work.[13] Lusi Faiva was also a founding dancer of Touch Compass, and has featured in and developed lots of work with the company included her solo Lusi's Eden.[8]

The first work programmed by Bell, Cowan and Faiva on the new Artistic Development Panel was the 25th Anniversary performing arts festival hybrid-event that took place on 15 February 2022 called /rītaha/.[14] People the company has collaborated with include BodyCartography Project's Olive Bieringa and Otto Ramstad, composer Claire Cowen,[15] choreographers Carol Brown and Sarah Foster Sproull.[16][17]

Touch Compass dancers over time have included Alex Smithson, Duncan Armstrong, Tess Connell, Rodney Bell, Suzanne Cowan, Lusi Faiva, Daniel King and Julia Milsom.[15][16][18] The dancer Jesse Johnstone-Steele won the Arts Access PAK’nSAVE Artistic Achievement Award at the Te Putanga Toi Arts Access Awards in 2018. He has been 17 Touch Compass seasons.[19]

Works include

Lusi’s Eden[20] first performed 2001, remount 2002 and for Touch Compass’ tenth birthday celebrations 2007[21]

Lighthouse[20]

DanceBox - short film series[20]

Triple Bill [22]

Acquisitions (2015) - multi-media contemporary dance[15]

Somatechnics (2017) - with dancers Lusi Faiva, Rodney Bell, Alisha McLennan Marler, Julie Van Renen and Duncan Armstrong.[23]

I’mPaired (2019) - with a programme of work including Clasp!, (co-creators Alisha McLennan Marler & Georgie Goater, performers, Alisha McLennan Marler, Julie Van Rennen), Drift (film), (choreographer Sarah Foster Sproull, performers Julie Van Rennen, Rodney Bell), The Language of Colour, (by dancer Julie Van Rennen and artist Yung Chen), Rhythms of Sameness, (performers Duncan Armstrong and Mabingo Alfdaniels), and duets by Touch Compass's hip hop crew Integr8.[17]

References

  1. 1 2 "Touch Compass farewells Catherine Chappell". DANZ. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  2. ↑ Moger, Laine (4 August 2016). "Touch Compass, Auckland's inclusive dance company, reaches new heights with free show for kids". Stuff. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  3. ↑ "Touch Compass". Touch Compass. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  4. ↑ "Touch Compass Dance Trust". Disability Arts Online. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 "The Touch Compass Dance Trust Board". Charities Services. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  6. ↑ "Touch Compass". The Big Idea. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  7. 1 2 3 "Touch Compass appoints performance artist as interim Artistic Director". Arts Access Aotearoa. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  8. 1 2 "Flying High with Touch Compass". RNZ. 25 August 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  9. ↑ "Catherine Chappell awarded Creative New Zealand Choreographic Fellowship". Creative New Zealand. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  10. ↑ "Get To Know Interdisciplinary Artist Pelenakeke Brown". Viva Magazine. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  11. ↑ Watlington, Emily (9 March 2021). "Cripping Choreography". ARTnews.com. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  12. ↑ "25 years of the ground-breaking dance company Touch Compass". RNZ. 13 February 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  13. ↑ Howard, Rachel (9 November 2008). "Axis Dance Company takes a daring new turn". SFGATE. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  14. ↑ "/rītaha/ - Touch Compass's 25th Anniversary Celebration, Hosted online, 15th of February | Humanitix". events.humanitix.com. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  15. 1 2 3 Redmond, Adele (23 August 2015). "Touch Compass - doing things differently in dance". Stuff. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  16. 1 2 Schultz, Marianne. "Contemporary dance - New companies and international work, 1990s to 2000s". Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  17. 1 2 "Duets celebrate diversity and dance". Arts Access Aotearoa. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  18. ↑ "Returning to dance with Touch Compass". Arts Access Aotearoa. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  19. ↑ "Changing perceptions about who can dance". Arts Access Aotearoa. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  20. 1 2 3 "Touch Compass farewells Catherine Chappell". Touch Compass. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  21. ↑ "Dancer smashes perceptions around disability". Arts Access Aotearoa. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
  22. ↑ "TBI Q&A: Catherine Chappell". The Big Idea. 12 August 2010. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  23. ↑ "Touch Compass responds to a changing world". Arts Access Aotearoa. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
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