Currently, CURVE involves the talents and energies of a number of Auckland women. CURVE aims to succeed by utilising the skills and ability of the dancers, most of whom have trained and gained experience in other careers as well as in dance. All CURVE dancers donate many hours to the co-ordination and growth of the group and are committed to voicing perspectives and creating new work. Each dancer is trained in performance, technique and choreography and may also work in other professional companies when rehearsal dates do not conflict.

They are each also qualified with other tertiary training and relevant experience in such areas as arts administration, cultural performance, production, visual communication, languages and other artistic disciplines. In addition, other local women contribute time to CURVE as rehearsal directors, teachers, advisers, technical crew and understudies.

Bios, 2003

Theatrical Direction - Waimihi Hotere
Waimihi is an experienced actor, who graduated from Te Whaea NZ Drama School in 1996. Her acting credits include Hone Kouka's Waiora with which she travelled to Hawaii, Bluesmoke(2000 New Zealand Festival), Mules at Downstage 2001, and He Taniwha Tino Pai by Antonio Te Maioha. She tutors at Te Whaea, and has been involved with Geoff Henderson's Urban Taniwha as a vocalist. Waimihishe performed in The Underwater-Melon Man at the 2002 NZ Festival. Waimihi made her directing debut in the recent Taki Rua Te Reo Maori season.

Waimihi believes performing is a chance to express experiences in our lives, and invite the audience to believe they too can own their experiences of Aotearoa. She is looking forward to sharing her strengh in storytelling and informing the project from a Maori perspective.

Becca Wood
Becca has an extensive background in both performance art and communication arts. She is committed to challenging conventions of presentation for performance and the arts. She is particularly focussed on crossing art forms and has participated in many projects that have utilised unusual spaces and a mix of sound, projection, moving image and dance. Becca is one of the founding members of Curve, and is currently co-directing the collective with Kelly Nash. She has produced a number of dance and multi-media performances and events over the past 5 years. 2003 has seen her act as assistant to the Artistic Director for the America's Cup Ball, co-producer of Soliton and tutor on the Year Two Generic interdisciplinary projects at the UNITEC School of Performing and Screen Arts.

Dolina Wehipeihana Ngati Tukorehe, Ngati Raukawa
Dolina has been involved with Curve Dance Collective since 2000, although she is yet to perform with the company. She was intrigued by 5 Girls Called Doris, and felt it had a New Zealand flavour. She became interested in what made this female group (mostly Pakeha) different from female dance groups in Australia, USA or Europe. Dolina felt that a study of the story of New Zealand, its biculturalism and cultural issues would create a stronger sense of identity for Curve, and fuel dance work uniquely and strongly of New Zealand.

Dolina graduated from UNITEC School of Performing and Screen Arts in 1995. Since then she has appeared in Atamira, Touch Compass's Lighthouse, and Mary Jane O'Reilly's Limbs Retro.spective. Dolina has also danced with Auckland Dance Company, and with NBR NZ Opera, in Vive Verdi.

Kelly Nash
Kelly Nash born in Auckland, New Zealand works as a freelance dancer and choreographer, she is also a Healing and Reiki practitioner.

In the last year she has joined Becca Wood in the Management and Artistic Direction of Curve, an Auckland based dance company which she has been involved with since 1997, founded by Karen Barbour. Kelly has had the privilege to work with the many fantastic choreographers in New Zealand since graduating from Unitec with a Bachelor of Performing and Screen Arts in 1999.

A unique and dedicated dancer, Kelly has worked with New Zealand's weath of talented choreographers, including Douglas Wright - Inland; Anne Dewey - Queen Camel; Shona McCullagh - Hurtle, Mad Angels; Daniel Belton - Soundings, Lumin; Mary Jane O'Reilly - Limbs Retrospective, Canopy; Morag Brownlie -Interdigitate, in both short films and live performances.

Kelly has participated also with the groups Graduate Dance Company and AhiWai, blending at times between roles of producer, choreographer and dancer.

In October 2002 Kelly performed in the Houston Grand Opera's performance of Ariodantein America, before travelling to Mexico and Brazil. After the season with Curve, Kelly will be working with Raewyn Hill in her show White in Christchurch and Wellington.

"Kelly Nash with a disarming freshness and sense of wonder" -- NZ Listener March 9
2001

"Kelly Nash was particulary fine, giving an enigmatic performance of wonderful gravitas and stillness" -- NZ Business Review 2001

"Kelly Nash is a deeply serious, intelligent peformer with the power to hold an audience in rapt attention. Her gifts are rare" -- Douglas Wright 2002

Louise Potiki Bryant (BA,BPSA)
Louise has a Bachelor of Arts in Maori Studies and a Bachelor of Performing and Screen Arts with a major in Contemporary Dance from Unitec School of Performing and Screen Arts. She has received an Aotea Trust Performing Arts Award and the Te Rangi Hiroa prize from the University of Otago. Since graduating from Unitec she has choreographed, produced and toured the interdisciplinary performance Turanga in collaboration with Rachael Rakena. She is also a member of Atamira Dance Collective and has choreographed two works for the collective - Whare Tangata and Te aroha me te mamae, both exploring the affects of colonisation in different eras. Other recent work includes choreography for Navigating Knowledge; the opening of the AUT Learning Centre officiated by Helen Clark, Cluster; an interdisciplinary performance to celebrate Matariki - the Maori New Year, and Solid presented at EIT Performing Arts School and the Auckland Dance Festival 2002. Currently, Louise is supported by Toi Maori Aotearoa as a Toi Maori Choreographer 2003.

Previous members include:

Cindy Aikman
Cindy is currently furthering her training in Klein Work in New York City.

Karen Barbour
CURVE was initiated by Karen in response to the lack of opportunities for professional women in contemporary dance. Karen now works at The University of Waikato http://edlinked.soe.waikato.ac.nz/staff/index.php?user=karenb where she recently completed her PhD.

Susanne Bentley
Susanne is currently living in Belgium and engages in dance and choreography projects.

Malia Johnstone
Malia studied at the University of Cantebury for her Bachelor of Science Degree, while teaching jazz dance in her spare time. She moved to Auckland in 1996 and completed a Bachelor of Performing and Screen Arts Degree at UNITEC. Malia is a choreographer, and in 2002 presented a season of her own work "Weather Vain People" and was principal choreographer for the Wearable Arts Awards (2003-05).

Anna MacRae
Anna is currently exporing project work with Meg Stuart's Damaged Goods in Europe.

Anja Packham
Anja completed a Bachelor of Performing and Screen Arts Degree at UNITEC and was invited to join CURVE in 1999. Anja also works on independent projects..

Megan Smith
Megan graduated with a National Diploma in Contemporary Dance from UNITEC and dances freelance. Megan has danced in the television series Xena, Warrior Princess, and for Sean Curham.