Wednesday 1 December
6 – 7:30pm

Toi Pōneke Arts Centre
FREE

Come and hear local dancer Sacha Copland (Java Dance) and  musician/composer Tristan Carter talk about their recent cross-disciplinary collaboration. They will speak about how they use risk and vulnerability in their creative process. 

Biographies:

Sacha Copland is the artistic director of Java Dance Theatre & founded the company after graduating from the New Zealand School of Dance in 2003. In 2019 Sacha was awarded the CNZ Choreographic Fellowship.

Over the past 17 years Sacha has choreographed prolifically, developing Java's distinctly immersive theatrical style in 21 full length dance theatre works, garnering critical acclaim, box office success & international touring. She has been commissioned by Dance4 (Nottingham UK), Wellington Orchestra, NZ School of Dance, Capital E National Arts Festival (2007, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019) and STAB (BATS).

In 2012 Sacha became a Distinguished Graduate award of the NZ School of Dance. In 2016 she became a TEDx speaker/performer & in 2017 Sacha became part of the ASSITEJ International Next Generation. Since 2008 Sacha has produced & performed 21 seasons of ‘Back of the Bus’, in NZ, Australia, the UK & Asia. Sacha also choreographs for theatre, musicals & opera.

Tristan Carter is a composer, violinist & improvisor. He holds a Masters degree in Composition & a degree in violin from Te Koki New Zealand School of Music, Victoria University & has long been active as a session musician in Wellington & as a member of various ensembles such as The Troubles, Shades of Shakti (NZ Festival 2020) & local Javanese & Balinese gamelan orchestras Padhang Moncar & Taniwha Jaya. His interest in cross-cultural collaboration has taken him to Indonesia studying local traditions of Central Java, Amsterdam collaborating with the musicians of the Atlas Ensemble & to India as resident artist at 1Shanthi Rd Studio Gallery in Bangalore learning South Indian violin technique.

Tristan writes & performs music for dance, joining Java Dance Theatre in 2015 to create & perform the Artisan Series (The Wine Project & Dirt, The Creamery & Cheese, Chocolate & Treat). In 2019 Tristan was selected to perform his own work at the international Society of Contemporary Music Estonia

Java Dance Theatre

Java immerses New Zealanders in intimate live dance theatre experiences that resonate with them and enrich their lives. We create live dance theatre with live music. Founded in 2003 by artistic director Sacha Copland, Java has created 21 full length works, performing to over 100,000 people in NZ, Australia, Asia and the UK. In 2019 Java’s 21st season of Back of the Bus again sold out 42 shows at the Edinburgh Fringe, the world’s largest arts festival. From 2011-2019 Java created the award winning Artisan Series. Java regularly tour to Australia, the UK and Asia. Since the pandemic started Java has matched musicians and dancers for 101 duets, facilitated large-scale artistic collaboration (The Metamorphosis Project), created a site-specific participatory work ‘Secrets in Your Streets (Hawkes Bay and Dunedin Arts Festivals) and piloted The Conversation Series. Java is currently creating new immersive work Home of the Gods.

“Sacha Copland has a talent with the use of metaphor to invoke sensation and memory. Her choreography is lighthearted with depth. Simplicity layered with meaning.”  Theatreview, the Creamery 2017