The goal is 'to bring dance in all its forms to Auckland and promote the talents of up and coming artists'. Regular programmes include
Secondary Colours for high schools,
Tertiary Improvisation Showcase for tertiary level dance and
Bloom (previously
Fresh), for emerging choreographers or for a change of artistic direction. It has been held every year in Auckland on the land of
Ngāti Whātua ki Ōrākei until 2020 when the
COVID 19 pandemic made the organisers move it fully online.
2011 Tempo Dance Festival For the first time
Tuakana: Maori Contemporary Showcase was programmed.
2012 Tempo Dance Festival Featured was Okareka Dance Company’s
Nga Hau E Wha,
Daniel Belton’s
Time Dance & Soma Songs, Sesilia Pusiaki’s
Pukepuke ‘o Tonga, and
Colours of India. Programme again in 2012 was
Tuakana: Maori Contemporary Showcase featuring work by Tia Reihana, Cat Ruka, Merenia Gray,
Kura Te Ua, artists from
Hawaiki Tu Productions and Nga Mana Whakairo a Toi (Q Theatre).
2014 Tempo Dance Festival In 2014 dancer and choreographer Alexa Wilson presented two shows at Tempo,
Q&Q with A&A, a collaboration with dance artist Anna Bate and
The Status of Being, a full-length work for
Footnote Dance Company.
2016 Tempo Dance Festival Taumata is the name of the closing performance of the 2016 festival at Q Theatre. This contained four works,
Bianca Hyslop's
A Murmuration,
Taane Mete's solo
Manawa,
Sarah Foster-Sproull's
Sisters of the Back Crow, and
Loughlan Prior's
Eve (Royal New Zealand Ballet).
Rodney Bell premiered his solo performance work
Meremere (a collaboration with director
Malia Johnston and Movement of the Human).
2017 Tempo Dance Festival The 2017 festival included at Q Theatre
Orchids choreographed by Sarah Foster-Sproull,
The Danz Season of Limbs@40 celebrating 40 years of the company Limbs with works by Mary Jane O’Reilly, Douglas Wright and Mark Baldwin,
A World, with Your Wound in It by Jahra Rager and
Inferno by Coven, a performance activation collective from South Auckland. In the Aotea Square was
Pedal Power, by choreographer
Susan Jordan a free community event involving dancing with bicycles for seniors.
2018 Tempo Dance Festival Headlining the 2018 festival was Los Angeles Contemporary Dance Company with ADAPTATION containing four works, EBBA, Stimulaze, FAM (duet excerpt) and Sporty.
2019 Tempo Dance Festival The programme included
GIRL by
Parris Goebel,
Pōhutu by
Bianca Hyslop and Rowan Pierce,
NZ Music Double Bill: Dances with Aldous by Zahra Killeen-Chance, Josie Archer and Kosta Bogoievski,
Fa’asinomaga/Identity by Sau E Siva Creatives and
Not Odd Human by
New Zealand School of Dance with Sam Coren
. 2020 Tempo Dance Festival As the global pandemic took hold Tempo offered a year-round programme online programme with three seasons free of charge called ‘#GoingDigital’. The third season was called
Putiputi, and ran through November and December. One item a dance film
Beneath Sky Snakes by Cameron McMillan, in collaboration with the
Govett-Brewster Gallery, a work in response to
Len Lye’s sculpture Sky Snakes. == Tempo Dance Festival Honours ==