• 
• 

'Celebrate, Elevate and Participate' is the strapline for NZ Dance Week, but also a hint of what’s to come from Dance Aotearoa New Zealand (DANZ) under the leadership of new chief executive Anton Carter.

With a career that traverses the creative and management in music, art, Pasifika and education, Anton Carter's skills and energy seem suited to support recreational to professional dancers and connect across sectors.

Although not from a dance background, since his appointment in October last year Anton says he’s spent a lot of time researching, listening and working with the existing dance community. He’s also been brainstorming new ideas to broaden the vision and grow audiences. One of them was to get NZ dancing for a week, from April 23-30, including International Dance Day on April 29.

Anton tells us more about his background and vision for DANZ. 

Tell us about your creative background.

My own creative background is in music (contemporary/hip hop) and performing arts, mainly theatre. I’ve been djing since 1987 and performed and recorded albums with The Nomad, Pacific Underground and Rhombus.

When I look back now I realise that I have been surrounded by dance in different forms, especially with the breakdancing revival in Christchurch in the late ‘90s by running workshops and putting on events. Through my links with Pasifika communities I have also been involved in cultural dance.

I’m still active and host a weekly radio show (Audio Mechanics on Radio Active 88.6fm) and run a regular night in Auckland (Golden Dawn) and Wellington (Laundry Bar) called AFRO Delight. I’ve also collaborated with Michel Tuffery at the Wanaka Festival of Colours, Ole Maiava at The Dreaming Festival in Australia and Lisa Taouma’s Island Diva’s at Asia Society in New York. Currently I’m working on a solo lyrics/poetry performance for mid-May at The Fringe Bar, Wellington.      
 
Pacific Underground was your first management role 20 years ago. Why did you move into management and what did you learn during this time.

At the time, I had worked in the UK in a small office doing TV producing and production. I didn’t know too much about theatre but I knew everyone involved and I knew I could organise things. My first real task was to apply for funding. I learnt at the time that there was no real template for Pasifika theatre in New Zealand. The natural talent was amazing. 

Tell us a bit about your career path since then. 

I’ve always been interested in how to support people achieve their own goals and aspirations.  

After working with Pacific Underground in CHCH, I applied for the role of Pacific Advisor at Creative New Zealand in Wellington. I was offered the role and that led me on an 11 year journey at Creative New Zealand in roles as Pacific Arts Advisor and Strategy Advisor, establishing residencies, exchanges and awards. 

Then I decided to gain more management and broader policy experience, which led me to roles at the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs, Private Secretary to the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs and Tertiary Education Commission.

What tips do you have for emerging arts managers?

Aim to learn from the best person you can, who is doing what you want to do or something similar. Gaining experience early on is important, so volunteer. 

Top tips: 

• Be fast to listen and slow to speak 
• Being humble is the best solution 
• Effort = Reward
• Believe in what you’re doing and believe you can achieve it – you may be the only one who does, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be done

Why were you interested in leading DANZ? 

I was interested in running an arts organisation, considering I had built up a range of diverse skills and had already worked with arts organisations at Creative New Zealand. I knew the arts landscape from a practitioner’s perspective as well as an arts administrator, which is unique. 
  
I wasn’t too sure because I don’t have a specific dance background, but I thought I have an outside eye and I’m open to listening and learning, rather than having a formed view of how things should happen.  

It’s interesting to see how different art forms behave, what systems are in place and how the sector works together. The more I thought about it the more I thought I did have something to offer. There is a huge amount of potential. 

Tell us about DANZ - its history and purpose.

DANZ (est. 1993) is a national service organisation set up to support the dance sector in New Zealand. We actively seek opportunities to provide professional development and training for dancers, choreographers, managers and promoters. We provide mentoring programmes, coordinate national dance events and facilitate international visitor masterclasses and workshops.

DANZ aims to be a vital hub for dance information and resources including events, festivals, articles and news, made available through our website, the DANZ Magazine, DANZ e-news, Facebook page and in doing so to promote dance in all its diversity in Aotearoa. 

What combination of people and resources run it?

We’re a small team of six, with one Advisor position based in our Auckland office. Our Wellington based office has staff working in the areas of communications, education, finance and membership.

Tell us about the members of DANZ.

DANZ offers five levels of membership with a varying range of benefits to suit the needs of the industry. Our membership base currently sits at 455 including students and freelance choreographers and dancers (Bronze) to dance schools and studios (Silver), dance companies and industry organisations (Platinum). We also have membership for libraries who join up to receive a copy of the DANZ magazine. We encourage the dance community to join DANZ, not only connect with us and keep up to date with what’s happening in the world of dance (NZ and abroad), but to work with us to create a vibrant and thriving dance industry in Aotearoa NZ.

What has been your focus in the first six months in the role?

Gaining a better understanding of how the dance sector operates, who does what, who doesn’t do what, what the issues are. As well as doing my own assessment of DANZ activities to see how effective we can be.   

Basically building on the great work already done, being informed so I can make good decisions for the benefit of the dance sector. 

Tell us about NZ Dance Week.

New Zealand Dance Week is a national event for all New Zealanders to celebrate, elevate and participate in all forms of dance. The aim of this newly branded event is to promote the visibility of dance and create an annual platform for all New Zealanders to become audiences, to participate and enjoy the many physical, mental and spiritual benefits of dance. It’s an open access approach, people are encouraged to get involved – whether it be to host an event, or to just get the word out.

We want to see NZ dancing so we hope that we will see people take lots of pics and videos during NZ Dance Week and post these to Instagram or Facebook using #nzdanceweek2016. This is chance to celebrate the work of the many amazing talented dancers and choreographers in NZ and is just one way of highlighting the value of dance in our society.

What is your vision for the future of DANZ and Dance in New Zealand?

The DANZ vision is ‘Thriving and vibrant dance in New Zealand’ so I want to be able to develop programmes and activities that deliver towards this vision. Dance is a powerful art form with a rich and diverse history that needs to be celebrated and made more accessible. I want to champion our vision and engage with NZ to make it happen.  

What’s your big idea for 2016?

The big idea for 2016 is to be visible, engaging and make an impact. Our key projects include; a National New Zealand Dance Week (23 – 30 April 2016), a National Dance Hui (October 2016) and developing DANZ programmes and promotional material that consistently supports our message of ‘vibrant and thriving dance in Aotearoa’.