The Tempo Community Day, hosted by Ngā Akoranga Kanikani at Waipapa Taumata Rau, unfolded as a rich and interwoven gathering of movement, knowledge, and exchange across generations of dance practitioners.

Held within the University of Auckland, the day brought together students, artists, and educators in a shared space of learning and reflection. The morning opened with a welcome from Moss Patterson and Dr. Tia Reihana, setting the tone for a programme that moved fluidly between practice and kōrero.

A movement workshop led by tuakana tauira Mikaela Debela and Sidney Sherwood invited participants into embodied exploration, where peer-led learning created an atmosphere of openness and collective discovery. This was followed by shared kai and kōrero, where student voices and creative works were offered and received in a spirit of generosity.

The afternoon unfolded through a series of presentations and discussions that bridged contemporary practice, technology, and cultural knowledge. Dr. Becca Weber introduced VECTOR, an immersive body of work exploring embodied attention through virtual and interactive environments, opening new perspectives on how dance is experienced and understood.

This was followed by a kōrerorero between Moss Patterson and Dr. Tia Reihana, reflecting on cross-cultural and trans-Indigenous collaboration, and the nuanced relationships that shape shared creative practice.

The day concluded with a poroporoaki and facilitated talanoa led by Teuila Hughes, where participants gathered their reflections and connections, before closing with karakia.

What emerged across the day was a strong sense of continuity between emerging and established voices, where knowledge moved between bodies, disciplines, and generations. The Community Day stood as a space of exchange, where learning was held collectively and the future of dance in Aotearoa was both honoured and imagined.