Behind the scenes of the collaboration in 2021 between Etienne Charles (arranger) and Mark Loquan (composer/writer) showing how musicians of the steelpan and big band, could come together across borders in a virtual world to perform “My Home”, a piece intended to uplift each other through our individual talents, stories, actions to shape our future, for the next generation.
The Director
Daniel Belton’s early career in dance and physical theatre is highlighted through invitations to perform with luminaries Douglas Wright Dance Company/Arc Dance Company/Kim Brandstrup/Irek Mukhamedov/Compania Vicente Saez/Tanz Company Gervasi/Lindsay Kemp Company and Opera icons Glyndebourne/ROH Covent Garden. Passionate to create his own work he reunited with fellow artist Donnine Harrison to co-found Good Company Arts (GCA) returning from Europe to their homeland Aotearoa New Zealand. GCA has since established an international reputation for innovation in stage and screen arts with projects championing moving image and dance. As digital cinema, immersive installation and live performance, GCA’s work is lauded in Aotearoa, Australia, Europe, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific.
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Daniel is an esteemed pedagogue in the fields of choreography, film and multimedia arts. He has presented his work with GCA at the Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space, Dance on Camera New York, Festival Internacional de la Imagen and ISEA Colombia, Ryerson University Toronto, Leeds-Beckett University, Bauhaus University Weimar, Genius Loci Weimar International Video Mapping Festival Germany, World Stage Design Festivals, Sapienza University and Romaeuropa Festival Rome, xm:lab and NOW DanceSaar Internationales Tanzfestival Germany, Cinedans Amsterdam, Zentrum Paul Klee Bern, Museo de Arte Moderno de Buenos Aires, Attakkalari India Biennial Bangalore, Oceanic Performance Biennial Rarotonga, Soundislands Festival Singapore, Arts House Singapore, Aarhus Festival Denmark, Xintiandi Festival Shanghai, TPAM Tokyo Performing Arts Meeting, Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Christchurch Arts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora, Auckland Art Gallery, Tempo Festival Auckland, Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand and the National Museum of Singapore.
Daniel is an accomplished arts practitioner with 3 decades of working in and researching film, cinematography, digital post production, choreography, performing arts, projection mapping, VR, fine arts, sound and design. He was awarded Creative New Zealand’s Inaugural Choreographic Research Residency at Otago University, Media Artist in Residence at Massey University Turatea Campus, and later the Arts Council of New Zealand Choreographic Fellowship. Daniel received an Arts Foundation of New Zealand Arts Laureate in 2015. Through his leadership with Donnine Harrison, Good Company Arts continues to win international awards and accolades, recently achieving 1st place at the prestigious Sino x Niio Illumination Art Prize in Hong Kong.
Born on the Kapiti Coast of New Zealand in 1970, Daniel’s genealogy is Welsh, Irish, Scottish, Hungarian and English. Daniel has affiliation to the Samoan family Pereira of Apia. Daniel’s Māori whānau affiliation is through his uncle Dave Tawhai Bodsworth (Iwi are ko Te Ati Awa, ko Rangitane a Wairarapa rātou ko Rangitikei ko Te Tau Ihu o Te Waka a Māui – top of South Island, ko Ngāti Rarua, ko Ngāti Mututunga, ko Toarangatira, ko Muā Upoko). Also likely married into Kai Tahu Te Tau Ihu o Te Waka a Māui.
www.goodcompanyarts.com
Director Statement
Kā mihi nui film and music whānau!