Tomorrow we welcome guest artist and Canadian amputee dancer Lawrence Shapiro to the Touch Compass whānau for a two-month residency, directly from a residency in the UK with Amici Dance Theatre, an integrated company of disabled and non-disabled dancers. Exciting!!

Congratulations to John Taylor, disability justice campaigner for more than 35 years, on receiving his Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) in the King’s Birthday and Coronation Honours 2023. Thank you, John! nzherald.co.nz/kapiti-news/ne…

Kia ora TC whānau! This is for you!

Today we welcomed Canadian amputee dancer Lawrence Shapiro to our whare for some afternoon kai. newly arrived from the UK, Lawrence will be with us for two months, working on a project with Rodney Bell and Alisha McLennan Marler, as dramaturg! Stay tuned for photos and more info!

Another fabulous work of art featured in our Matariki: Ko koe ko au, ko au ko koe Matariki education resource! Waitī, by Toi Ora artist Rangimarie McDowell. See the incredible artwork in this resource! Click forms.gle/DqtxV76y7TX8Fi… to register for the resource.

Saturday we joined in Te Tuhi’s Matariki celebration at Uxbridge in Howick. People joined in our workshop, based on our Matariki education resource, led by our Creative Class tutors Lish and Julie! So cool to be in this amazing space, with the Te Tuhi and Uxbridge communities!

Touch Compass across the globe! For our June newsletter, we dive into our international reach through our Artistic Direction Panel and Matariki education resource, Lusi Faiva documents her year so far, and - our classes are busy! Click here to read! ow.ly/2mG250OVnMy

Come to the AFA Auckland meeting on Wed 5 July from 10-12.30pm at Te Tuhi! Join us to learn how to bring projects to life from concept to full-blown production, centring every decision around a disability-led and access-led kaupapa. RSVP for this event at [email protected]

Join Touch Compass at 10:30am Mon, 17 July at TAPAC for a special workshop with Lawrence Shapiro, renowned Canadian amputee dancer: The Role of the Amputee in Integrated Dance', an innovative and informative exploration into disability arts. RSVP at [email protected]

MATARIKI EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE UPDATE - we're extending our submission deadline for videos for Ko koe ko au, ko au ko koe due to the Matariki holiday! If you are still interested in joining the Matariki programme, please email us at [email protected].

Today from 2-3pm, Lawrence Shapiro, Rodney Bell and Fiona Saunders will dance in a limited-seating sharing at Wellesley Studios!! Named Huakina, the work will be followed by a Q&A. RSVP now to [email protected] if you are interested in attending this free event!

Mānawatia a Matariki! This year Touch Compass created a collective work that involved the participation of various artists, dancers and staff to develop our Matariki educational resource, Ko koe ko au, ko au ko koe (I be you, you be me). Here is a clip from the video!

See the original images from our education resource Matariki: Ko koe ko au, ko au ko koe, at Māpura Studio's "Catch a Falling Star" exhibition at Alberton House, Mt Albert, through Sunday, 23 July. Click this link for more info: fb.me/e/10gbjUHjn

#Tentacular is in its 2nd week of rehearsal, incorporating transducers & robots into the work. Lots of experimentation being honed into this work! Where would the world of Auckland dance be without the resource of the Old Folks' Ass'n to host development works on a budget? ❤️

youtu.be/L6zpOozy8Z0

Alisha McLennan Marler and Julia Harvie's new work Pearls (ex-Ruffle) As part of the triple bill Tuarā Wairua, Pearls is a gorgeous and confronting piece; we're looking forward to further development ahead of its 2024 public performances!

Tentacular is part of the Tuarā Wairua triple bill, scheduled for premier in 2024! Tactile beings, dramatic lighting, transducers, voiceovers, movement and dialogue took over the stage, and our imaginations, for an incredibly imaginative 45 minutes.

Perth-based experimental performance artist and choreographer Joshua Pether spent a week's residency with Touch Compass, teaching his ritual practice - a process that combines time, space, spirituality and nature - to create a work entitled 'Mud', as part of Tuarā Wairua.

August has come and gone, with no downtime for Izzy, our Creative Producer, nor for most of the rest of the staff or dancers! We've also received a grant to bring a d/Deaf and disabled screen production programme to life. ANOTHER huge month for TC! mailchi.mp/touchcompass/a…

Touch Compass September Update is here! Includes magic moments, all sorts of journeys, and a doctor in the house. Check it out, NOW. ow.ly/4c2J50PQz1B