Dance performance Tomo to bring story of light and darkness to Hamilton

Sean MacDonald and Bianca Hyslop perform Tomo by tuakana choreographer Gabrielle Thomas. Photo / Charles Howells

Hot on the heels of a successful tour through the US, Auckland-based Māori contemporary dance group Atamira Dance Company is back in New Zealand and brings Tomo, a dance piece about light and darkness, to Hamilton.

Created by Mangawhai choreographer Gabrielle Thomas (Kāi Tahu, Te Atiawa ki te Tau Ihu), Tomo weaves together themes of birth, life and death.

“It’s also a story about my mother. My mother was very spiritual, if she had been raised Māori, she would have been considered a seer. Instead, she was put through the mental health system,” Thomas says.

“[In Tomo,] one of the dancers takes on the [role of the] spirit of my mother, embodying power but also elements of darkness.”

The 60-minute dance is Thomas’ first full-length work, created and first presented in 2019.

Atamira brings Tomo back to three stages across New Zealand (Auckland Tāmaki Makaurau, Whangārei and Hamilton Kirikiriroa) with a cast of Māori contemporary dance artists.

Set within a world of shifting architecture, Tomo explores the boundary between two realms of endless time. Tomo weaves together the tūpuna (ancestors) before them as two wairua (spirits) journey between domains.

Thomas says: “In Tomo, we explored the boundary between light and dark, which is where colour resides ... I had the chance to create a space where the work could arrive, rather than trying to force its creation. I found a Māori way of working.

“Dance is spiritual work, not solely movement.”

Tomo will be performed by Sean MacDonald, Nancy Wijohn, Abbie Rogers, Cory-Toalei Roycroft, Madi Tumataroa and Caleb Heke. Music composition is by Peter Hobbs.

Gabrielle Thomas grew up in Wellington, trained at the Wellington Performing Arts Centre and studied at the New Zealand School of Dance as well as a gaining a Bachelor’s degree in Contemporary Dance at Unitec. Thomas now lives in Northland with her partner and four children.

The Details

What: Tomo, dance performance

When: August 18 at 7.30pm and August 19 at 4pm

Where: The Meteor Theatre, Hamilton

Tickets: $35, online via The Meteor website.