Dancer Rodney Bell Ngāti Maniapoto (Aotearoa) performs award-winning multi-artform performance work Meremere at the Sydney Opera House for four shows only. Drawing on Bell’s Maori culture, this richly layered work marries spoken word, music, dance, and audio visual technology.
Known for his physically integrated performance, Bell was paralysed from the chest down following a motorbike accident 31 years ago, and then took to the stage where his wheelchair became a fluid extension of his body.
Bell reveals his journey from principal dancer in California’s AXIS Dance Company, to a devastating period of homelessness on the streets of San Francisco. Meremere was developed in collaboration with director Malia Johnston’s performance design company Movement of the Human (MOTH).
The term ‘meremere’ is a short weapon, often of stone or greenstone – upon returning to New Zealand, Bell was given a block of black maire (NZ native hardwood) by his brother, and carved a meremere from it. This process of ‘sacrificing’ the wood brought up the great sacrifices he himself went through to pursue his love of dance.
Outside of dance, Bell is an advocate of stronger integration and voice for people with diverse requirements and backgrounds through the Enabling Good Lives Leadership Group and Mahi Tika - Equity in Employment.
There will be an AUSLAN interpreted performance at 6pm on Friday, August 26 and the performance on Saturday, August 27 at 2pm will be relaxed.
