MEET THE ARTISTS: THE TANTRUM
Java Dance Theatre brings cutting edge live dance theatre with original live music to audiences all over the world, choreographed by Sacha Copland. Java has created 22 full length shows, performing to people all over Aotearoa, Asia, Australia and the United Kingdom.
Tristan Carter: Musician
Tristan Carter is a Wellington based violinist, composer and field recordist. Alongside session work and free improvisation he plays in a variety of ensembles including jazz band The Troubles, The Noveltones, Indian/Jazz crossover project Shades of Shakti, Balkan band Bazurka, and Paul Bosauder’s Tierra y Mar Flamenco Project. He is a popular collaborator for theatre, dance and film/TV in New Zealand, with recent projects including featuring on the David Long’s soundtrack to the BBC Series The Luminaries, performing the live score and foley for Trick of the Light Theatre’s ‘The Griegol’, and playing in the live band for Agaram Productions’ ‘The Mourning After’.
Since 2015 he has worked as a composer and performer on 10 full length works with Java Dance Theatre, choreographed by Sacha Copland, touring New Zealand extensively as well as performing in arts festivals in Australia, China and the Edinburgh Fringe. Tristan's ancestry is English, Irish, Welsh, Danish and Māori (ngā Puhi, ngā Te Arawa).
Stela Dara Albuquerque: Dancer
Stela is a mover of Brazilian descent who has lived in Brazil, Germany and Aotearoa. Stela’s dance background stems from hip-hop and contemporary dance which she morphed while training at the New Zealand School of Dance. Stela has performed with Le Moana Dance Company in short works as well as the award winning Ciggy Butts in the Sand directed by Tupua Tigafua. She has also been part of World of Wearable Arts, What if the city was a Theatre and Creative Workshops New Zealand. Dance and art are Stela’s way of releasing and processing emotions, thoughts and identity. Language and culture are always at the forefront of her choreographic process and storytelling. Stela joined Java in 2023.
Asha Barr: Production Designer
Asha Barr is a Pōneke raised emerging live & screen performance designer/maker. She is passionate about all things visual, visceral, textural and tangible. As well as how these elements can uplift storytelling, liveness and intimate moments in our humanity. Asha unapologetically seeks beauty in complexity and values forming deep collaborative relationships. Asha is a graduate of Design of Stage & Screen at Te Kura Toi Whakaari Ō Aotearoa New Zealand Drama School (2022).
Since graduating she is actively working to establish and build rich and diverse creative relationships. Her current working questions are around Transformation, Scale and Texture. In live performance she is drawn to how to work with the languages of SPACE, LIGHT and MATERIALITY to transform scale, feeling and world. She is interested in what is hidden; How does design to transform the things we see everyday, re-frame it, so we can SEE and FEEL things in new, and perhaps surprising ways?
Sacha Copland: Choreographer
Sacha Copland is the artistic director of Java Dance Theatre. She founded the company in 2003 after graduating from the New Zealand School of Dance. Sacha has choreographed prolifically for 19 years, developing Java's distinctly immersive theatrical style in 22 full length dance works, garnering critical acclaim, box office success & international touring.
In 2019-21 Sacha was awarded the CNZ Choreographic Fellowship. She has been commissioned by Dance4 (Nottingham UK), Wellington Orchestra, NZ School of Dance, Capital E National Arts Festival (2007, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019), STAB/BATS. In 2012 Sacha became a Distinguished Graduate award of the NZ School of Dance, a TEDx speaker/performer in 2016 & ASSITEJ International Next Generation Alumni from 2017. Sacha has produced & performed ‘Back of the Bus’ throughout NZ, Australia, the UK & Asia.
As a dancer and actress, Sacha has toured nationally to critical acclaim and made a solo show at the age of 40 in 2022. Sacha is Pākehā (Polish, English, Scottish).
