Oliva McGregor says her training in the discipline of contemporary dance makes her a “vessel for other people’s creativity”.
One of the lucky few to go straight from the New Zealand School of Dance into full time work at a professional dance company, Olivia said farewell to Footnote NZ last month and is off to explore the cutting-edge European dance scene.
New Zealand dancers and choreographers have made thrived on the world stage for many years, with the likes of Lisa Densem forging a successful career at Berlin’s Sasha Waltz dance company and Ross McCormack making his presence felt at and Les Ballet C de la B in Belgium.
They've created a strong network for skilled Kiwi artists to tap into and Olivia has danced with some of our best as they periodically return home for some fresh air.
“I’d love to go back and work with choreographers I worked with before Lisa. Taking on her approach to movement, you need to tap into how you as a person fit into that space, how you sculpt it and how you change the energy in it and your relationship with other people is so important.
“You’re not trying to impress people but you’re completely invested in your movement so other people are drawn into that. It’s a different approach really.”
WATCH Olivia McGregor talk about her development as a dancer:
