The Thrum of the Tide

It has been said that early settlers held Saturday night dances in Te Ana Ru cave – known as ‘the ballroom cave’ – until the 1920s, on a re-purposed, winchable kauri floor installed by local timber mill workers. The dances are well-known folklore in Huia and Whatipu and it is thought the floor is still in the cave, buried deep under the sand.

Presented in Te Uru will be a re-creation of the floor accompanied by a soundscape of subterranean seismic vibrations and taonga puoro captured in Te Ana Ru during the Auckland Regional Parks Artist Residency 2019.

On Saturday 10 April* at 4.30pm, contemporary dance stalwarts Michael Parmenter and Claire O’Neil will perform four of the most popular partner dances of the 19th century on the dancefloor itself, while storytellers Sir Bob Harvey and Rewi Spraggon bring the West Coast’s rich history to life. Book tickets to the performance HERE. 

Ahead of this performance, we're giving you a chance to try out the steps and join in the dance at the New Moon Folk Ball on Friday 9 April* at 6.30pm — in the vibrant folk tradition of the village fête and the raucous city dance-hall. Led by Michael Parmenter. Find out more HERE.

*Both the The Thrum of the Tide performance and New Moon Folk Ball are now sold out.