This month, Tauranga’s Baycourt will host its first Matariki show as a stage production begins travelling the country to celebrate the Māori New Year.

The New Zealand Dance Company and Baycourt Community and Arts Centre will present Matariki for Tamariki on June 30 – the first stop of the company’s Te Ika-a-Māui (North Island) tour.

The production follows a group of friends travelling through ngahere (forest), maunga (mountain) and moana (sea) of Aotearoa.

They discover the nine whetū (stars) of the Matariki constellation and the role each star plays during the Māori New Year.

Creator Sean MacDonald said the show blended storytelling, contemporary dance and music into an interactive experience for audiences.

New Zealand Dance Company producer and artistic director Moss Patterson said the production was created especially for families and told a uniquely New Zealand story.

“You can’t experience this particular story anywhere else in the world.”

Patterson said the narrated performance introduced each Matariki star and its qualities and stories, before dancers brought them to life on stage.

“It represents a moment of joy and celebration, and that’s what we’re looking forward to presenting.”

He said the work reflected the spirit of Matariki as a time to come together, share stories and enjoy each other’s company.

“I think the more we can understand and enjoy the stories of New Zealand, the more we will have the sort of fulfilling and happy stories to tell at home.”

Patterson said audiences could expect a warm, accessible and light-hearted evening of dance and storytelling celebrating the Māori New Year.

The production follows friends travelling through Aotearoa’s landscapes from forest to mountain to sea. Photo / John McDermott, NZDC

Baycourt manager Renna Snook said the performance was an exciting milestone as the venue’s first Matariki show. “We’re proud to bring this beautiful show to Tauranga, creating another opportunity for our community to experience and celebrate Matariki together this year.”

Snook said the Addison Theatre stage will transform, with costume and set design by Rona Ngahuia Osborne and sound design by Alistair Deverick.

She said accessible pricing was a focus for the event, with tickets starting at $10.75 on the Baycourt website.

“For us, it’s about creating a sense of welcome.

“By deliberately keeping ticket prices accessible for Matariki for Tamariki, we’re helping ensure more whānau can experience the magic of theatre together – some for the very first time.”

Zoe Blake is a multimedia journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post.