Who is Alexa Wilson?
I am an interdisciplinary performance, video, and text artist of 20 years. Throughout these years, I founded and produced Experimental Dance Week Aotearoa in 2019/20, curated Morni Hills Performance Residency in India in 2017, created work for Footnote NZ Dance and Touch Compass and have danced for choreographers such as Douglas Wright, Malia Johnston, Lisa Densem, and Anna Bate among others.
I have a BA in sociology/gender/film studies from the University of Auckland and fun fact, martial arts paved my way towards dance school!
As well as my creative practice and projects, I also work internationally as a body therapist.
You currently reside in New York City (amazing!). Tell us a bit more about your experience of living there.
The difficulty of being an artist in New Zealand in Covid is what prompted me to move here. I absolutely love NYC. It is a thriving performance art city where I continuously get opportunities in dance and live art settings – it is full of possibilities! Just walking around in the city is inspiring and energising and the people are super friendly, despite common belief. I love the sassiness, the diversity and the passion here. I feel at home!
And could you tell us more about the work you’re bringing to Tempo Festival?
IN/TENSE is presented in four different sections. The first section is the one with the most physical movement, accompanied by dramatic lighting and music. The second section features an interview with AI as a satirical panel, and in the third section, I fuse into a video presentation by DotDot Social NYC. The fourth and final section is interactive for those who are up for it...I don’t want to give too much away, because it’s a new section created specifically for the Tempo iteration of the work!
What are some of the themes or emotions audiences might notice in the work?
I’ve been told my work generally is like a roller coaster of emotions and layering of ideas that activate unique and individual experiences. There is a lot happening in the show and it aims to elicit genuine feelings and thoughts without telling anyone what to think. I am okay with audiences finding elements of the piece absurd or humorous, because that helps people to connect. Playfulness is a vital way of being in the world!
IN/TENSE sounds like an exciting blend of many different performance elements. Is this “blended” performance style part of your usual practice?
Yes, this is a hybrid practice I have been developing for some time now, hitting the edges of improvisation and interactivity. I see hybrid performance as a way of being holistic and speaking to people across different art forms. I am not keen to alienate viewers from themes, but to activate them in a generous way.
Why did you decide to take part in Tempo Dance Festival 2024 with IN/TENSE?
I have not taken part in a live Tempo Festival for 10 years, because I was living overseas in Berlin. I feel that dance has had a very hard time since Covid with a lot of resources and funding pulled and it feels supportive to be part of Tempo – I welcome all support! As this work (IN/TENSE) was inspired by Auckland during the pandemic, it felt right to present it as the first Tempo Dance Festival since I returned to NZ. I also felt the theme of this year’s festival related to my work, which explores themes of displacement and disparity.
Tempo is a great lift to the morale of the dance community.
Why do you think it’s important to have festivals and events like Tempo on the dance calendar?
Dance has suffered immensely at an independent level in NZ and Tempo is a great lift to the morale of the dance community – it is a vital festival in the Aotearoa dance landscape, being basically our only main dance festival!
Lastly, what’s another show or event you’re excited to experience while you’re in Aotearoa?
I am excited to get along and support fellow independent dance artists Zahra Killeen-Chance and Bec Jensen, who I programmed in the 2020 Experimental Dance Week Aotearoa!
Alexa Wilson's show IN/TENSE is on at Q Loft from 17-18 Oct as part of Tempo Dance Festival - Te Rerenga o Tere 2024. Click here to read more and book tickets.
