BELLE - Movement of The Human, 2024
The 2024 Festival saw the world premiere of the highly anticipated BELLE - a breathtaking fusion of aerial artistry, dance, light, and live music that lit up Wellington’s St James Theatre.
Created and directed by Malia Johnston, known for her innovative projects and creative direction of World of WearableArt (WOW), BELLE brought together an exceptional all-female team - aerialist Jenny Ritchie, performance designer Rowan Pierce, and composer Eden Mulholland, to craft what The Post called “a performance that lives up to its name - a spectacle of air.”
In a recent interview, Johnston described BELLE as “a celebration of female strength, collaboration, and transformation, like the dragonfly that inspired it.” The show’s purpose-built aerial apparatus became both a stage and a symbol, where performers “miraculously appeared and disappeared, defying gravity” (Stuff).
From its sculptural light portals to its richly layered soundscape, BELLE was a moment of pure transformation.
📽️ Josiah Wood
#40years ##AotearoaFest
Team work is the dream work. This is a shout out to all the amazing dancers I had the pleasure of costuming this year on WOW. Choreographed by the wonderful @kayla___paige with Holly Newsome @jemigebe . With the wondrous Malia Johnston @movementofthehuman at the helm. Thank you @worldofwearableart for these images.
