Immerse yourself in Rushes, a unique experience where live music gig meets art gallery meets theatre, dance and film.

Directed by Malia Johnston in collaboration with visual artist Rowan Pierce and with live music from Eden Mulholland, Rushes is an inter-arts experience like no other. Featuring over 25 dancers and performers from across New Zealand, including dance nobility Taiaroa Royal, as well as stunning visual imagery, lighting and sound, Rushes will leave you energised and exhilarated. 

Forget about sitting still. Rushes asks you to design your own experience through a series of performance spaces you can explore.

visually stunning

beautiful and engaging…I didn’t want it to stop.

- Rushes audiences. 

Part of the Auckland Fringe, this is the world premiere of Rushes.

Reviews

'Rushes is the perfect festival event, leaving audience members smiling...It's simultaneously relaing, energising, entrancing, immersive, fanciful, inspiring and entirely delightful.' - The New Zealand Herald

'poetic interplays of light, space and twisting bodies.' - The Pantograph Punch

'each performer holds a significant role in the magic that is Rushes.' - Theatreview

Rushes in the media 

Listen to Eden Mulhollan's interview about the unique collaborative process behind creating Rushes on 95bFM.  

Find out what dance choreographer and powerhouse Malia Johnston has to say about the work in a Q & A with The Big Idea.

This show will recalibrate your expectations of dance theatre according to Denizen.

Find out more about the 11 rooms in the show from The New Zealand Herald.

Kickarts host Richard Green speaks with the creative minds behind this unique show and director of Auckland Fringe, Lydia Zanetti on Planet FM.

Rushes has been developed and created by artists from across New Zealand including

Direction: Malia Johnston

Live music: Eden Mulholland

Video art and film: Rowan Pierce

Set design: John Verryt

Lighting: Jo Kilgour

Graphic design: Ian Hammond 

 

Malia Johnston

Malia is one of New Zealand’s most prolific contemporary choreographers and has won numerous awards for her choreographic work.

She has choreographed and art directed some of New Zealand's largest performance events including World of Wearable Art Awards (2001 - 2014) and the opening of the Pukeahu National War Memorial Park.  Her work has toured to venues and arts festivals throughout New Zealand as well as presented internationally.

Now the director of Movement of the Human, she has completed numerous guest commissions for arts companies across New Zealand including The New Zealand Dance Company, Okareka, Touch Compass, Footnote and leading New Zealand tertiary dance schools. In 2016 she worked with Auckland Theatre Company on the production of Billy Elliot.

Eden Mulholland

Australian-based Eden is an award-winning New Zealand composer and sound producer for theatre, film and dance. Formerly of the bands Motorcade and the Mots, he also produces, performs and tours his own music. Eden has had significant years of collaboration with Malia.  A former dancer himself, Eden has composed for an array of arts, theatre and film companies throughout New Zealand.

Rowan Pierce

Rowan is a visual artist who uses video and film projection in his work, which has toured internationally with companies including Okareka Dance Company, Atamira and The New Zealand Dance Company.  Rowan will be producing the AV content for the 2017 World of Wearable Art Awards show.