Renowned New Zealand dance company Touch Compass celebrates its 10th anniversary from October with a four centre North Island tour.

The company's most memorable works have been selected for this retrospective showcase, including the critically acclaimed Lusi's Eden. Renowned New Zealand dance company Touch Compass celebrates its 10th anniversary from October with a four centre North Island tour.

The company's most memorable works have been selected for this retrospective showcase, including the critically acclaimed Lusi's Eden.Over the last ten years, audiences have been drawn to the beauty and skill of this groundbreaking company, unique for its integration of professional dancers and choreographers with and without a disability.

Highly regarded for their innovation and 'flying', which sees wheelchairs and dancers suspended and swinging above the stage, the company creates work to challenge public perception of 'what dance is and who is a dancer'.

A decade ago, artistic director and founder Catherine Chappell returned home from the United States to experiment with her newly learned contact improvisation skills. Touch Compass was created in the same year and in 1997 the first Touch Compass season proudly premiered at Auckland's Maidment Theatre.

Lusi's Eden is a theatrical journey in which the heroine, Lusi Faiva, trades her electric wheelchair for a harness to fly her to freedom across the stage and high above the audience.

This physical and metaphorical flight of fancy inspires and uplifts audiences, who identify with the liberation of spirit captured by this poignant work.

The 2007 Touch Compass retrospective tour offers audiences a chance to trace the journey of this captivating dance company as they launch into a new decade of exceptional dance.

Auckland
As part of the 2007 tempo NZ Festival of Dance
When: 17-20 October 2007
Where: Maidment Theatre
Bookings: (09) 3082383 or www.maidmenttheatre.ac.nz

Whangarei
When: 31 October 2007
Where: Forum North
Bookings: Ticketek or (09) 430 4244

Hastings
When: 8 November 2007
Where: Hawkes Bay Opera House
Bookings: 0800 4 TICKET or www.ticketdirect.co.nz

Wellington
When: 13-15 November 2007
Where: Te Whaea Theatre
Bookings: 0800 4 842538 or www.ticketdirect.co.nz