Cat Ruka Photo: supplied
Christchurch is about to host its first Tiny Festival, squeezing a programme of performances and talks all into 14 hours.
Guest speaker at the Ōtautahi Tiny Performance Festival on Saturday is the recently appointed Artistic Director of Tempo Dance Festival, Cat Ruka. Cat also mentors young dancers, working with the youth organisation, Ngā Rangatahi Toa in Auckland.
She'll be using her time behind the microphone at the Festival on Saturday to question why there's so much emphasis these days on innovation in the arts. She argues that those who quietly maintain and sustain what already exists are no less important.
"Do we really need to innovate and if so - who for?" is the name of her talk. Cat's own dancing and choreography have often been described as boundary-pushing and innovative. So Lynn Freeman asked her why she feels so strongly about this issue.
Cat Ruka will be speaking at the Ōtautahi Tiny Performance Festival on Saturday at Coca (Centre of Contemporary Art) in Christchurch.
