Supporting rangatahi through artistic movement

High above the studio floor at Parakiore Recreation and Sports Centre in Christchurch Ōtautahi, rangatahi are climbing, balancing, spinning and discovering new ways to move.

For some, it’s a chance to be active in a space where they can build confidence and connect with others without the pressure of competition.

That’s the focus of programmes at MOVE Ōtautahi, which use artistic movement to give rangatahi more ways to be active, express themselves and build a positive connection with movement.

Based at Parakiore, MOVE Ōtautahi offers dance, circus, acrobatics, aerial movement and other activities like mahi poi and hula hooping for young people who may be looking for different ways to move and connect alongside their peers.

MOVE Ōtautahi Dance Programme Manager Adam Hayward says offering movement options like this matters because not every young person sees themselves in competitive sport.

He says it provides another pathway into being active for rangatahi.

“The majority of it is non-competitive, non-judgmental. It’s social,” Adam says.

As one of the domains of active recreation, artistic movement broadens what being active can look like for rangatahi, creating opportunities that reflect their interests, cultures and experiences.

For the MOVE Ōtautahi team, that starts with listening. They work alongside a range of communities, including Māori, refugee, migrant and Pacific rangatahi, to understand their needs and create opportunities that work for them.

Adams says the key is making sure rangatahi have a say in how opportunities are designed and delivered.

Classes can be shaped around taster sessions, term-based programmes or progression through different levels, giving young people opportunities to build confidence and develop skills at their own pace.

Creating the right environment is also central to the programme.

Adam says MOVE Ōtautahi thinks carefully about how rangatahi are welcomed into the space, as well as what happens once they’re in the studio.

That can mean adapting sessions for different groups, making sure tutors reflect the needs of participants and creating spaces where young people feel comfortable to take part.

“It’s about ensuring the journey into the studio is as important as what happens within the studio itself,” says Adam.

In practice, that can involve making simple changes to help rangatahi feel safe and included.

“For one of our weekly dance classes with a refugee group, we covered the mirrors and windows to create a completely private space,” says Adam.

The purpose-built studios at Parakiore are helping make that possible, giving rangatahi a dedicated space to explore artistic movement.

Ultimately, it’s about providing opportunities for all rangatahi to be active in ways that work for them.

“Wouldn’t it be great if 5 or 10 years down the track every young person at high school was physically active in ways they want to be, rather than have to be,” says Adam.

MOVE Ōtautahi is one of several organisations helping grow artistic movement opportunities across Aotearoa.

Alongside organisations such as The Polyfest Trust and Aotearoa New Zealand Circus Association (ANZCA), it’s helping more rangatahi discover the benefits of movement, creativity and connection.

Photo credit: Sky Petch Photography