Performance Life at Otago
Concerts, theatre, dance, multimedia - it's all happening at Otago. The performance world of the campus and the city is a lively, active, exciting place to be.
Here are some of the activities that you can enjoy.
Theatre
The University's own Allen Hall Theatre, known throughout New Zealand as an innovative venue that has launched many careers for playwrights and actors, presents weekly lunchtime theatre during the teaching weeks. Usually two or three productions are presented as evening theatre events each semester, and these may be home-grown productions or visiting shows.
Performing Arts Studies students have an opportunity to participate in some of these events, and of course are always welcome as audience and supporters. In the city the Fortune Theatre presents an ongoing programme of professional theatre, other theatre groups in town present regular productions, and the Globe Theatre in London Street is part of New Zealand's theatre history.
Dance
Several dance groups present performances in the city and on campus, with styles ranging from classical ballet to contemporary dance and improvisational performance events.
Dance Lab
Dance Lab is a dance collective and performance research group in the Dance Studies Programme that incorporates community based practice. Check out the Dance Lab website.
Community and Dance Lab Dance Classes
The Dance Studies Programme offers a range of dance classes taught by our Dance Lecturers, qualified associate teachers and Dance Lab.
Music
The Music Programme presents weekly concerts of classical music, some given by the professional teachers of performance music, some by students, and others by visitors to the campus.
The students of the Contemporary Rock Music degree programme perform regularly in venues in town, and that's a special treat.
The Music Programme also provides the opportunity to learn gamelan, taiko drumming and koto.
Dunedin is a very musical place. The city has a long-standing reputation as a centre for rock music, and our students are maintaining and enlarging that reputation. Also in the city you'll find many classical music concerts and events featuring orchestras, chamber music groups, choirs, brass bands, jazz bands . . .
Multimedia
In Dunedin you'll find many kinds of mixed-discipline performance events.
The Dunedin Opera Company and The Really Authentic Gilbert and Sullivan Performance Trust put on regular productions. Other local groups do musicals and shows. Most of these offer performance opportunities for students.
Every year the Students' Association puts on the famous Capping Show.
Look around and you'll find all kinds of creative work happening, mixing dance and music and theatre in unconventional or exploratory ways. You can be part of this exciting world of arts performance and take the opportunity to grow as a performer through real creative experiences.