At first light, the festival opened with karakia led by the whānau of Ngāti Whātua at Aotea Square, a site layered with ancestral significance. Beneath the surface, the flow of the Horotiu river remained present, carrying memory through the whenua.

Artists, crew, and their whānau gathered in this space to begin together, acknowledging the ground beneath them and the stories it holds. The morning held a quiet intention, not only for the success of the festival, but for the connections, encounters, and shared moments that would unfold across it.

From this beginning, the kaupapa of whenua and wāhi was set in motion, held in collective presence and carried forward into the days that followed.

Photography by Asher Milgate. All images are copyright and owned by New Zealand Dance Festival Trust.