RANGATAHI LEAD THE KŌRERO IN MANAWA ORA: TAURITE
Life is constantly shifting. Balance is how we find our way.
Ngā Rangatahi Toa returns to Q Theatre from 7 – 8 October with Manawa Ora: Taurite, a vibrant new theatre production, created by rangatahi and made for everyone. Using music, dance, theatre and honest storytelling, Taurite explores what it means to find balance in a world that never stands still.
For Manawa Ora: Taurite twenty rangatahi between the ages of 13 and 17 have worked alongside some of Aotearoa's leading artists, including hip-hop artist Diggy Dupé, music producer Karlos Saunders Tunks, and choreographers Brooke and Starce O’Neill. The result is a performance that is joyful, thought-provoking and deeply moving, drawing on the whakaaro and lived experiences of its performers who share their realities and imagine the futures they want to create.
Unlike a traditional youth theatre programme, Manawa Ora is developed through Ngā Rangatahi Toa's kaupapa Māori creative youth development model, where the artistic journey is just as important as the performance itself. Across months of wānanga, rangatahi work alongside professional artists to devise original theatre inspired by their own experiences, identities and aspirations. The process nurtures creativity while building confidence, strengthening cultural identity and developing leadership, resilience and lifelong skills.
Inspired by the idea that balance is like a seesaw, Taurite embraces life's constant movement. There are highs and lows, moments of certainty and uncertainty, times when we lean on others and times when we stand on our own. Rather than striving for perfection, the work celebrates the ongoing practice of recalibrating – caring for ourselves, caring for those around us, and finding calm within the chaos.
For the past 12 years, Manawa Ora has been Ngā Rangatahi Toa's flagship programme, supporting hundreds of rangatahi through a carefully scaffolded creative process that culminates in a major public theatre production. Beginning at Auckland's Herald Theatre before seasons at Basement Theatre and now Q Theatre, the programme has become a launchpad for emerging young creatives while building a legacy of bold, authentic storytelling grounded in the voices of rangatahi.
"Watching our young people engage with the whakaaro of 'taurite' has been incredibly moving. They have shown courage, honesty, creativity and deep care for one another, and I couldn't be prouder of who they are becoming." says Ngā Rangatahi Toa Executive Director and Manawa Ora: Taurite Producer, Huia O’Sullivan.
Join Ngā Rangatahi Toa for an unforgettable theatrical experience that reminds us balance isn't something we achieve once, it's something we practise every day.
Manawa Ora: Taurite
Presented by Ngā Rangatahi Toa
7 – 9 October
Loft, Q Theatre
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