International Dance Day 2024: A weekend of celebrations

Over the weekend 4-5 May, Ōtepoti will be treated to a festival of free dance events, celebrating International Dance Day and the city’s many-layered dance history.

Dance Ōtepoti Founder and General Manager Anna Noonan says, “The purpose of International Dance Day is to celebrate dance in all its forms and share the joy and benefits with others. We had such a great time last year, and such a great uptake – the dance community here absolutely loves the opportunity to show their skills to the public. This year, we have another fantastic range of events including workshops, classes, talks and of course lots of performance!”

All the events are free to attend and are located centrally in the Lower Octagon, the Dunedin Community Gallery and Toitū Otago Settlers Museum’s Josephine Foyer. 

The 13 events include a yoga class for dancers, a panel discussion about the biological, psychological and social benefits of participating in dance, a movement storytime for the wee ones and a funky 80s style flashmob. The two Saturday concerts feature nine groups in the Lower Octagon at lunchtime and six groups in the afternoon one at Toitū Otago Settlers Museum. 

Anna says, “There are more than 200 dancers, dance artists and groups involved in the weekend and plenty for the people of Dunedin to enjoy and get involved in!”

International Dance Day takes place on April 29th every year and is celebrated the world over. This year’s Ōtepoti festival of dance has been supported by the Dunedin City Council.

Dance Ōtepoti was established in 2021 to research the state and needs of the city’s dance sector. The research has been used to create opportunities for professional, recreational and casual dancers to connect and most importantly to work. 

Dance Ōtepoti initiatives include the highly successful City Moves choreographic commission, the Go and See Fund, the Let’s Grow Fund and International Dance Day 2023 and 2024.

For more information on the weekend’s free events, click here.

Dance Otepoti International Dance Day, Image credit Dance Otepoti