Lords of the dance

Kickstart is from the University of Brighton.

Mary Jane O'Reilly, New Zealand's doyen of dance, is throwing a giant party. It starts tomorrow and lasts three weeks. Everyone is invited and there will be special events to cater for all ages and all tastes, at all hours of the day and the night.

O'Reilly has been busy with preparations since July last year when she was appointed festival director of tempo* New Zealand Festival of Dance.

A week from opening night she is cool, calm, and collected about the scope of her latest project, which aims to open eyes "to all the manifestations that dance can be" and bring the far-flung reaches of the dance community together.

The tempo* festival's primary purpose is to help dance groups put on a show that might not otherwise be possible, by providing a venue, marketing and help with front of house, all for a modest percentage of door sales. This service enables choreographers to focus on producing a performance without financial risk and the soul-destroying angst that is the usual lot of emerging artists.

Other more established acts can pay a small fee to be included in the publicity and general hype.

"It is all coming together really well," O'Reilly says.

"People have been great at coming forward with work. We have a fabulous programme. Now all we need is bums on seats."

Special guests at the party include several from overseas. Classically trained dancer Robert Hylton's Urban Classicism, a blend of contemporary and street dance, opens the festival on Thursday night at the Concert Chamber.

Kickstart is an all-male dance company from the University of Brighton, and will join with AUT students on October 1 at the festival headquarters, Tapac, in Western Springs.

International ballet star Inaki Urlezaga was principal dancer of the Royal Ballet for 10 years, before forming his own Argentinian company, Ballet Concierto. The company of 17 dancers are set to dazzle with their "balletised tango" on October 4 at SkyCity Theatre.

New Zealand's own high-profile dancer and choreographer Raewyn Hill performs her new solo work, we are gathered here today, on September 30 to October 2, at Tapac. The work is an exploration of departure in both the physical and psychological sense - a fitting subject as Hill will soon retire from dance.

Ms Fortuna, aka Wendy McPhee, a contemporary dancer of considerable pedigree who has taken up burlesque, is another visitor.

O'Reilly hopes McPhee might tempt dance-shy blokes for her two Galatos performances, Private Dancer and The Naked Truth.

O'Reilly has divided the programme into six categories: popular culture, youth, world, fringe, contemporary and behind the scenes.

Look out for George FM free events, Here Comes the Summer in the Takahi Reserve, Mt Eden; Dance Off in Western Park; two salsa competitions and a programme of classic dance-music videos.

Good options for the school holidays include Company Z's Peter and the Wolf and a charming set of dance films that include Kids Reels from the Reeldance.

Pick of the world section is the showcase which samples Maori, Middle Eastern, Turkish, Pacific Island, African, South American and traditional Indian and Bollywood dance.

Choreographic Showcases #1 and #2 sample the talents of emerging contemporary dancers.


Lowdown

What: *tempo Festival of Dance
Where and when: Starts tomorrow and runs until October 15 at several venues around Auckland