For Inese Velde, dance and the environment have always been closely connected. So, as she prepared to finish her postgraduate studies in Environmental Management and say goodbye to Dunedin, she decided to bring the two together for one final encore - a dance film shot across some of Dunedin’s distinctive landscapes, exploring the relationship between people and the natural world through movement.
Tell us about your dance video project
The idea behind the film, Our Home, was to celebrate our environment and encourage people to think about their own connection to it.
There’s something about dance that can communicate emotion without needing to explain everything in words. I wanted to use that to explore the idea that our relationship with the environment is reciprocal – the environment affects us, but we also have an impact on it.
We started the film with the whakataukī, “Ko au te taiao, ko te taiao ko au” - “I am nature and nature is me.” The whakataukī helped speak to the deep connection between people and the land, water, climate and all living beings. If our environment is healthy, we can be healthy too. It is inherently a te ao Māori perspective and something I’ve become increasingly interested in through my studies.
We filmed over three days, moving between locations around Dunedin including Doctors Point, Woodhaugh Gardens Blackhead Quarry and Sutton Salt Lake. Dancing outdoors came with its own challenges. You’re dealing with uneven ground, different surfaces and whatever the environment gives you. Rather than fighting against that, the dancers had to move with it and work with the landscape.
For me, the finished film is also a goodbye to Dunedin - a way of bringing together my love of dance, what I’ve learnt about the environment and the places I’ve connected with while living here.
Tell us about your time studying in Dunedin and what’s next
I came to Dunedin from Wellington to study both undergraduate and postgraduate Environmental Management, and it’s been a great experience.
There’s something about the student community here that drives you to do more and do better. I’ve also learnt a lot about the human side of environmental management. I’ve always had a passion for the environment, but my studies have made me think much more about the connections and emotions behind the decisions we make - and the importance of considering tangata whenua and mana whenua in planning and policy.
One thing I learnt pretty quickly was to get out and explore. I didn’t have a car when I first arrived, but I soon realised how much there was beyond the central city. Being able to get out to the coast, the Peninsula and other natural areas completely changed my experience of living here.
Next, I’m heading back to Wellington, where I’d love to create something around dance. One thing I’ve noticed is that opportunities to keep dancing can drop away once you leave high school. I’d love to help create something accessible and affordable that gives people a way to continue dancing and find that same sense of community.
What are your thoughts on Dunedin’s creative scene?
I didn’t realise how big the dance and creative community in Dunedin was until I moved here.
The Otago Dance Association has been a huge part of my time here. It’s kept me sane, introduced me to friends and given me a real sense of community.
More broadly, Dunedin feels like a city where young creatives can actually have a go at things. Events like the Dunedin Fringe Festival give people opportunities to put work in front of an audience, there are funding opportunities through the Council, and having the art school here brings another layer of creativity to the city.
There’s a lot happening for a city this size. For me, Dunedin has been a place where my interests in dance and the environment have been able to come together - and this film feels like the perfect way to leave.
If you had a friend or family member visiting Dunedin, what would your ideal day look like?
I’d definitely take them up the Otago Peninsula. Sandfly Bay is a really special place to me. There’s something powerful about that landscape, and seeing sea lions there makes you realise how close we are to wildlife in Dunedin.
I’d also take them to Orokonui Ecosanctuary. I first went there on a university field trip and it completely blew me away. It made me think about what this place would have looked and sounded like a few hundred years ago. I always encourage people to go because it gives you a completely different perspective on the environment around Dunedin.
Food-wise, I love ADJØ. The porridge is great and I just really like the vibe there. And for something a little more hidden, Pequeño on a Thursday night for live jazz is hard to beat.
