Direct from their inaugural performance at the internationally acclaimed Biennial Festival 15, in Sharjah (UAE), Black Grace’s bold new work, Paradise Rumour is a must-see.
Paradise Rumour is choreographed by Black Grace founding Artistic Director, Neil Ieremia – he says; “Paradise Rumour is an extension of my 2009 work Gathering Clouds, a response to an economist’s discussion paper, “Growing Pains: The valuation and cost of human capital and the impact of Pacific migration on the New Zealand economy”. His controversial claims caused significant hurt within the Pacific Island community in Aotearoa, while emboldening those with more xenophobic views. The Human Rights Commission released a review of Dr. Clydesdale’s paper titled “Pacific Peoples in New Zealand; review of the public controversy about a discussion paper on immigration policy and the economic contribution of Pacific migrants to New Zealand”. It found that the paper was poorly researched and prejudiced, I couldn’t help but feel that the damage had already been done”
The provocation for Paradise Rumour, was based on the central question of “how far have we really come since then?”
Paradise Rumour bounces back and forth through time and space, starting with the arrival of the missionaries to the Pacific, and collecting memories, visions, experiences both personal and collective.
Weaving together four separate parts of the same experience within the one person, the first dancer represents hope + resistance, the second sorrow + acceptance, the third control + release, and the fourth faith + crisis.
PARADISE RUMOUR – BLACK GRACE
7th June 2023
Sky City Theatre