04 Dec Manawa ora’s sold-out season
Ka rawe! By July this year, it felt like a long time between Manawa Ora shows because of Covid – and it was. But the return of Manawa Ora, devised each time by the rangatahi in collaboration with Ngā Rangatahi Toa’s team of artistic advisers, turned out to be a triumph: every night of the performance at Q Theatre’s Loft was sold out.
The performances allowed the rangatahi to showcase their broad range of skills, including dance, rap, song … and goofball comedy. This all led to a rousing finale that had audiences cheering from their seats.
Manawa Ora is Ngā Rangatahi Toa’s flagship annual project, staged in Tāmaki Makaurau annually (except for Covid delays) since 2009.
This year saw the cast exploring the concept of ‘Te Hīhiri’ which points to the idea of a spark igniting empowerment and action. Devised from scratch in the week before the season, the show channeled the real-life experiences of the rangatahi into a mesmerising stage show.
The rangatahi were guided and mentored through the process by artists including Bella Kalolo, Laughton Kora, and Freshmans Dance Crew. As always, we’re massively grateful for their support and inspiration.
2022 was the first year that Manawa Ora was staged at Q Theatre. A huge thank you to the team at Q for their manaakitanga throughout the production.