Take Root by Imre & Marne van Opstal – A Visceral Dance Experience Inspiring NZs Movement Artist

Take Root, choreographed by the dynamic sibling duo Imre van Opstal and Marne van Opstal for Nederlands Dans Theater 1 (NDT 1), is a visceral, sensorial work that dives into themes of identity, transformation, and belonging. For New Zealand’s contemporary dance scene, this emotionally charged piece feels like both a reflection and a call to action — especially in a country where cultural roots and physical storytelling are central to our creative identity.

Aotearoa’s dancers and choreographers — from Auckland’s independent companies to Wellington’s arts collectives, and students at the New Zealand School of Dance — are increasingly blending personal narratives with movement innovation. Take Root speaks directly to that approach. It invites New Zealand creators to explore questions of self, whakapapa (ancestry), and environmental connection through movement that is at once primal and poetic.

With its use of tactile partnering, breath-driven momentum, and surreal physical imagery, the work mirrors New Zealand’s dual commitment to groundedness and experimental freedom. For Māori and Pasifika creatives especially, this choreography resonates with the kaupapa of anchoring dance in genealogy, land, and collective memory — while reimagining those anchors through contemporary form.

In a nation that values sustainability, identity, and interdisciplinary art, Take Root offers a powerful blueprint. It’s not just a dance piece — it’s a meditation on what it means to grow, break, and root oneself in a shifting world.

Hashtags (NZ Arts, Dance, and Identity-Focused Audiences):
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