As kiwis, our identity seems fixed with references to the landscape. The land has such an impact on our lives it becomes a central character in our stories. The land is the mystery that romances our dreams
So how then does technological music, dance music, draw us into the land? How has it become a strong contemporary device that connects people to the land?
When dance music first arrived in NZ. It was unable to find a home; the outlets for the music were all secondary spaces: warehouse, abandoned venues and ultimately outdoors, away from the cities, dancing in the landscape.
Something happened out there! Something that is now as much a part of the music as we are part of the land. Despite the increase in clubs & venues, nothing sounds as sweet in Aotearoa as a sound system outdoors.
Dance events found a unique synergy between technology and the land. They can create a social interface for modern urbanised people to connect with each other and to connect with the land we live in. The message is in the music.
