Shona McCullagh

Shona Margaret McCullagh MNZM is a New Zealand choreographer, dancer, filmmaker and artistic director. McCullagh was the founding director of the New Zealand Dance Company and was appointed artistic director of the Auckland Festival in 2019.

Shona McCullagh

MNZM
Occupation(s)Dancer, choreographer, artistic director
Years active1984–
Career
Current groupAuckland Festival
Former groupsLimbs Dance Company, Douglas Wright Dance Company

Biography

Born in 1962 in Hamilton, McCullagh moved to Wellington when she was four and attended Northland School,[1] and Wellington Girls' College from 1975 to 1979.[2][3] McCullagh trained as a dancer at the New Zealand School of Dance, graduating in 1983 with a Special Award in Choreography. In 1984 McCullagh joined the Sydney company Darc Swan.[4] McCullagh then became was a rehearsal director, choreographer and dancer in Limbs Dance Company from 1985 to 1988.[5] She was a founding member of the Douglas Wright Dance Company.[6][7] Prior to that she toured New York performing with Douglas Wright & Dancers (1887).[4] Companies that McCullagh has choreographed for include Footnote Dance, Douglas Wright Dance Company, The Royal New Zealand Ballet and her own company The Human Garden.[8]

McCullagh has choreographed for theatre including collaborations with Nightsong Productions, The Watershed Theatre, the NZ Actors Company and Auckland Theatre Company.[6] In addition McCullagh has both choreographed for screen and directed dance films. As a choreographer she has worked on television series Xena – Warrior Princess, Hercules, Spartacus and Legend of the Seeker and feature films Lord of the Rings and King Kong.[9]

McCullagh will be the artistic director for the Auckland Festival, leading from 2021 until 2024, replacing the outgoing director Jonathan Bielski.[10]

Honours and awards

References
  1. "Shona McCullagh (MNZM) – My story, as told to Elisabeth Easther". Hotcelebon.com. 15 February 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  2. "Hall of Fame – Wellington Girls' College". Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  3. "New Zealand Theatre: theatre reviews, performance reviews – Theatreview". Theatreview. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  4. "Shona McCullagh | Arts Foundation Laureate". Arts Foundation. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  5. Schultz, Marianne (2017). Limbs Dance Company : dance for all people, 1977-1989. Dance Aotearoa New Zealand (First edition 2017 ed.). [Auckland, New Zealand]. ISBN 978-0-473-40769-8. OCLC 1011322731.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  6. "Shona Mccullagh". New Zealand Dance Company. 26 September 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  7. Black, Eleanor (2 February 2005). "Shona McCullagh". Noted. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  8. "Shona McCullagh". New Zealand School of Dance. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  9. "Shona McCullagh – Choreographer". Auckland Theatre Company. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  10. Christian, Dionne (27 November 2019). "Auckland Arts Festival names new head". NZ Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  11. "Shona McCullagh". Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  12. "Queen's Birthday honours list 2000 (including special list for East Timor)". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 5 June 2000. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  13. "Alumni". Women of Influence. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
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