Concrete Playground Meets Taiaroa Royale of Okareka Dance Company

The performers of Okareka Dance Company have been busy rehearsing for their new show K'Rd Strip: A Place to Stand which premieres at Q Theatre on June 11. It's a dance / theatre piece which encompasses pole dancing, haka, contemporary dance and dramatic scenes entwined with live vocals. According to artistic director Taiaroa Royale (above) it celebrates the many facets of our most vibrant, creative, unique and yet universal road. Concrete Playground caught up with Taiaroa to find out more.

What makes K'Rd so iconic for you?

If we go back to pre European times it was the ridge that Maori used to get inland to the Waitemata Harbour. When the Europeans did arrive it was one of the main streets even before Queen St became popular. Now it's full of all different cultures both racially and sexually. All kinds of different communities come and play on K Rd.

How did the idea for the show come about?

It stems from an idea that Taane (Mete) and I had when we were performing at Edinbugh Fringe Festival in 1997. We were touring with someone else's show but we really wanted to take our own show back. At that stage it wasn't definite that it was going to be about K'Rd. We knew that it would have to be a show that included different genres of dance, not only contemporary dance but all different styles which our K Rd show does.

The subtitle of the work is A Place to Stand, tell me about the significance of that.

It's the translation of the Maori word Turangawaewae. K'Rd is a place to stand. You have people who see this as their home, their neighbourhood, as their place of work, their stamping ground. It's a place where a lot of people feel at home, it's their street; they belong to it and it belongs to them.

Are you also touring this show around the country or internationally?

Yes, we open at Q Theatre then we go to Mairangi Arts Centre, then Dunedin, Hamilton, Palmerston North and we end the season in Wellington. Internationally we've had interest from Australia, Holland and Edinburgh but nothing is confirmed at this point. Everyone is waiting until the show is up and going so they can see what they are getting but the good thing is that it was gaining interest well before we even started rehearsals.

So I take it you are excited about the Q Theatre shows?

Definitely, this is our third major project and it's totally different from our other two works so it's going to be exciting to put on.

Do you think audiences outside of Auckland wil be able to relate to this show in the same way?

Well, I'm sure each city we go to will have their own Karangahape Rd. These stories, although they come from K'Rd, are universal. We are telling stories not only with dance but also with words. Dance is a lot more conceptual and so it requires more interpretation to get the meaning. In that sense this show should be more accessible.

Concrete Playground's giving away a double pass to Okareka's show K'Rd Strip: A Place to Stand on at 8pm on Wednesday June 19 at Mangere Arts Centre. Email [email protected] with this subject line 'K Rd Strip' and add your name and mobile number in the email.