Rodney Bell (Ngāti Maniapoto, Tainui) is a performer, advocate and pioneer of inclusive dance whose work is grounded in whakapapa and lived experience. From Te Kūiti, he carries the legacy of his tīpuna — Ko Tainui tōku waka, Ko Ngāti Maniapoto tōku iwi, Ko Motakiora tōku maunga, Ko Mangaokewa tōku awa — into every stage and space he enters.
Dancing professionally since 1995, Rodney was a founding member of Touch Compass and continues to create with both Touch Compass and Movement of the Human as key creative partners. He has toured internationally, including with AXIS Dance Company in the United States, receiving an Isadora Duncan Dance Award. His honours include the Attitude Artistic Achievement Award and Creative New Zealand’s Te Tohu Iho Pūmanawa Award.
After acquiring a spinal injury 33 years ago, Rodney discovered a deeper intimacy with movement and the tangata whaikaha community. Working across performance, film and advocacy, he champions universal access and disability-led arts.
His guiding philosophy: He waka eke noa; we are all in this together.
Iwi affiliation
No Tainui tooku Waka - Tainui is the Waka I descend from
No Ngaati Maniapoto tooku Iwi - Maniapoto is the Tribe I'm from
No Motakiora tooku Maunga - Motakiora the Mountain I belong to
No Mangaokewa tooku Awa - Mangaokewa the River I belong to.
What grounds me?
Increasingly, I am actively working not only as an artist but also as an advocator and provocateur, calling for stronger integration and providing voice for people with diverse requirements to have more choice and control over their lives especially Hau Tipua (Persons with a Disability and their Whaanau – Family). I Feel very strongly about making Performance spaces accessible as possible not only physical access but also supporting access for the hearing and sight impaired. I find myself working across varied media, including film, documentaries, and in motivational presentations. With a strong focus on Universal Access, I am also extensively involved in organisations that advocate and pursue wide access for people with and without a Disability.
Rodney Bell and Guests
Artform: Dance, Live Performance
Development Status: Ready To Premiere
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Synopsis
Rodney Bell and Guests is a powerful new performance work celebrating over 30 years of artistry from one of Aotearoa’s most compelling dance voices, Rodney Bell. Developed in May 2024 at Auckland’s Concert Chamber with the support of Auckland Live and Creative New Zealand, the work now moves toward its final development and premiere season.
Staged in the round, the performance space echoes a boxing ring — a “Dance Ring” where courage, vulnerability and virtuosity meet. Ten artists sit anonymously among the audience, unaware of who else will be called or when their moment will arrive. One by one, they are invited into the ring to encounter Rodney in spontaneous duets and exchanges — a dance-driven nod to This Is Your Life. Some move. Some speak. All respond in real time.
Guided by live music from Jol Mulholland, each encounter unfolds as a raw, intentional act of human connection. The cast spans recent collaborators and decades-long creative relationships, reflecting the depth of Rodney’s performance life. Between dances, he weaves personal reflections — stories of survival, humour and gratitude — grounded in his belief that “dancing saved my life.”
Little is rehearsed. Everything is lived.
Audiences are invited into an intimate, unscripted celebration of community, improvisation and presence — a work where honesty leads, relationships ignite revolution, and a lifetime of dancing culminates in electrifying, unrepeatable moments.
Creative Team and Crew
Creative Team for Rodney Bell and Guests By MOVEMENT OF THE HUMAN
Rodney Bell – Central Artist
Malia Johnston – Creative Director and Producer
Emma Willis – Dramaturg
Jol Mulholland – Vocalist and Musician
Eden Mulholland – Composer
Rowan Pierce – Production Direction (Set, AV, LX)
Michael Lyell – Production and Stage Manager
Plus 10–12 Guests from the performing arts landscape (Dancers, Actors, Singers) – some well known, some recent acquaintances.
Number of People in the Touring Party
5 Main People and between 9-12 Guests who come in just for the show.
Previous Seasons
Development Season held at the Concert Chamber in Auckland 2024
Reviews and Quotes
“Revolution comes from relationships.” Witnessing Rodney engage with friends across decades of connection was deeply intimate and profoundly moving. In a time of global unrest, the work offered not escapism, but a vital reminder of care, empathy, and honesty. Art like this is integral to the growth of empathy within our cultural landscape.
- Ooshcon One
Being part of Rodney Bell and Guests was an incredible experience. This evening of dance demonstrates the undeniable legacy Rodney Bell has created in Aotearoa and heartwarmingly highlights how strong our community is when we come together to share our passion for people and the arts.
- Jeremy Beck
Rodney’s honesty and generous performance energy encourages everyone in the room — audience and guest performers alike — to show up fully, with no compromise. Dancing with Rodney is a transcending experience; I always walk away a better person.
- ‘Isope Akauola
The room was united in mystery, honesty, joy and connection. Rodney’s kōrero leaves an impression on people of all ages and backgrounds; he truly is one of a kind.
— Katie Rudd
This was the most original, heartwarming and thoughtful performance I have seen for a long while. Rodney is sublime - engaging, brave and strong.
— Elizabeth Whiting
Hau Tipua - The Extraordinary People
Artform: Dance, Live Performance
Development Status: In Development
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Synopsis
Hau Tipua : Extraordinary People
In stillness, we begin to learn to bring a loving attention to ourselves.
In movement, we undergo a truly heroic transformation of consciousness.
Hau Tipua is a new body of work in development from Rodney Bell - it's foundations are drawn from the collaborative process of his heralded work Hurihuri. Hau Tipua is a concept at play. It will become a performance work but it is also a re-thinking of the very concept of the word disability. It's an opportunity towards reframing the disabled person and their body as extraordinary - a new kaupapa. Hau Tipua will become 3 things - A) A conversation B) a digital Offering C) a live performance. The Live performance will involve 2 options or opportunities the first is the development of a smaller work comprising 5 performers and 2 musicians - a flexible performance work. The second development involves a larger contingent of people from the wider community where we will collaborate with dancers with and without disability bringing in a mātauranga Maori perspective and where the direction is disability lead. It will eventually include a collaboration with some of the dancers from The New Zealand Dance company, Touch Compass and with members from the disability community. Both options involve dancers and musicians that will produce a work that can transform and mould itself to the environment that it is presented in. Developed for open spaces outside and/or inside. It is developed in collaboration with covid and the various challenges that the levels bring to our arts community.
The origins of Hau Tipua o Aotearoa - Extraordinary Disabled People of Aotearoa.
Hau Tipua o Aotearoa finds its breath from Tawhirimatea and being the Son that bought light between His Parents Ranginui and Papatuuaanuku. Taawhirimaatea also became Kaapoo -BLIND after removing His eyes to form Matariki- Ngaa Mata o te Ariki Taawhirimaatea( the eyes of the Atua Taawhirimaatea.)
Many Maaori traditions were supported in many ways from the blindness ofTaawhirimatea hence which I honour and celebrate through the development of Hau Tipua o Aotearoa.
Creative Team and Crew
Rodney Bell, Malia Johnston - Kaita Ringatohu/Artistic Directors / Harper Heta, Taniora Motutere, Cuba Haslam, Brydie Colquhoun, Rodney Bell - Ngā Kaitaa/Performers / Tom Scrase - Kaiwhakatangitangi/Drummer and Musician / Rose Philpott - Kaitaa/Akoako/Rehearsal Direction and co-choreographer
Collaborating partners - Touch Compass and The New Zealand Dance company.
Number of People in the Touring Party
5-17 TBA and Versatile
Previous Seasons
A Performance using of a small piece of the work in development will be presented at Rītaha - Shed 10 - part of Touch Compass anniversary celebration in November (OR February Covid dependant) - Another workshop and presentation will occur in April 2022
The Performing Arts Network of New Zealand (PANNZ) Arts Market is New Zealand's premiere event for artists, producers, presenters and industry leaders from across the performing arts sector.
The Performing Arts Network of New Zealand (PANNZ) Arts Market is New Zealand's premiere event for artists, producers, presenters and industry leaders from across the performing arts sector.
The Performing Arts Network of New Zealand (PANNZ) Arts Market is New Zealand's premiere event for artists, producers, presenters and industry leaders from across the performing arts sector.
The Performing Arts Network of New Zealand (PANNZ) Arts Market is New Zealand's premiere event for artists, producers, presenters and industry leaders from across the performing arts sector.