Tōrua

Following sold-out seasons across Aotearoa, Tōrua returns to offer an intimate, cinematic and unforgettable encounter with dance, place and community.  An immersive contemporary dance journey that transforms the city into a living stage.
Directed by Malia Johnston from Movement of the Human and created collaboratively with nine exceptional dance artists from across Aotearoa, the work invites audiences to travel through streets, laneways and public spaces wearing wireless headsets that offer a choice between two original musical scores by Eden Mulholland (Ngāti Porou) and Anna Edgington.
Uniquely re-created for every location, Tōrua responds to the architecture, landscape and character of its host neighbourhoods.
For this 2026 return season, the work unfolds in the transformed city centre places surrounding the new Karanga-a-Hape and Te Waihorotiu train stations, offering audiences a chance to experience these evolving places from a fresh perspective. As audiences move alongside the performers, they become an integral part of the choreography, discovering familiar streets and newly connected urban spaces in unexpected ways.
Tōrua features dancers Sefa Tunupopo, Xin Ji, Jemima Matsuda, Ella Williams, Veronica Lyu, Andre Busby, Petronilla Su'a, Montell Nickel and Nate Gascusan.
Presented by Movement of the Human and Auckland Live as part of Tempo Dance Festival 2026.
For the full Tempo Dance Festival programme visit: www.tempodancefestival.co.nz
Please Note:

• You will be wearing headphones for the duration of the performance

• Tōrua is free, but a ticket per person is recommended to secure a headset. Ticket holders have priority access until 10 minutes before the performance, after which remaining headsets will be available to walk-ups

• Please arrive 15min prior to the start of the performance to pick up your wireless headset. Any headphones not collected within 5 minutes of the performance, may be reallocated

• We ask that you return the headsets to available crew after the performance

• The dancers will take the audience from one location to another within the public spaces so walking shoes are recommended. There will additionally be accessible route options available

• The show will most likely continue in a variety of weather conditions, so please come dressed for the weather of the day and bring an umbrella if light rain is predicted (heavy rain will result in a postponement)

Meeting Locations:

• Performances around Karanga-a-hape Station: Meet outside the Pitt Street Church at 78 Pitt Street, Auckland 1010

• Performances around Te Waihorotiu Station: Meet inside the Aotea Centre Box Office, 50 Mayoral Drive Auckland 1010