Muscle Mouth is a New Zealand
visual dance theatre company that delivers
performance and installation work
Past presentations:
Auckland Arts Festival, Auckland, NZ, March 2019
NZ Fringe, Wellington, NZ, March 2019
Tempo Dance Festival, Auckland, NZ, October 2018
Seoul International Dance Festival, South Korea, October 2017
Busan International Dance Market, South Korea, October 2017
M1 Contact Contemporary Dance Festival, Singapore, June 2017
M1 Contact Contemporary Dance Festival, Singapore, December 2016
Bay Court Theatre, Tauranga, NZ, October 2016, in partnership with Tour Makers
Hawke's Bay Arts Festival, NZ, October 2016, in partnership with Tour Makers
Nelson Arts Festival, NZ, October 2016, in partnership with Tour Makers
Issac Theatre Royal, Christchurch, NZ, October 2016, in partnership with Tour Makers
Hong Kong Arts Festival, Asia Pacific Dance Platform VIII, March 2016
APAM: Australian Performing Arts Market showcase, Brisbane, Australia, February 2016
Liveworks Festival of Experimental Art, Sydney, Australia, October 2015
Tempo Dance Festival, Auckland, NZ, October 2015
Enjoy Public Art Gallery, Wellington, NZ, July 2015
Hannah Playhouse, Wellington, NZ, April 2015
Enjoy Public Art Gallery, Wellington, NZ, April 2015
New Zealand Festival, Wellington, NZ, February 2014
Ross McCormack - Artistic Director, Designer & Performer
Ross McCormack is one of New Zealand’s leading next generation performance makers. His extensive career includes ten years performing with the acclaimed Belgian company Les Ballets C de la B. Throughout this time Ross maintained connections to New Zealand and Australia, choreographing and designing multiple works for companies in both countries and performing internationally with Chunky Move and Lucy Guerin. In 2014, upon being commissioned to direct and choreograph AGE for the New Zealand Festival, Ross co-founded Muscle Mouth. Ross designed, directed and starred in the company’s second work Triumphs and Other Alternatives, which premiered in 2015 to much acclaim, and then The Weight of Force, which premiered at the 2016 Hong Kong Arts Festival. Ross is a recent recipient of the prestigious Creative New Zealand Choreographic Fellowship, and a 2017 NZ Arts Foundation Laureate.
Jason Wright - Composer & Videographer
Jason Wright is a composer and sound artist working across performance, sound installation and videography. A co-founder of Muscle Mouth, he composed the soundscapes for AGE and Triumphs and Other Alternatives, plus installation works Another Garden, and Tiger for which he also created a new short film. As well as curating the Low Noise sound exhibition series he has exhibited his work Black Series at Toi Poneke Gallery and The Auricle Gallery. Jason collaborates frequently with New Zealand choreographers and his work has been presented at NZ Fringe and Tempo Dance festivals, and by New Zealand School of Dance, Footnote NZ, Unitec, and New Zealand Dance Company. Jason holds a Masters of Music in Sonic Arts and Composition from New Zealand School of Music.
Natasha James - Light Designer & Production Manager
Natasha James is a light designer and production manager who has worked throughout New Zealand, Australia and Europe. A co-founder of Muscle Mouth, Natasha is a key collaborator with Ross McCormack. She light designed Nowhere Fast, a collaboration they undertook for Dancenorth, Australia, in 2009, which toured to Macau, and has light designed Muscle Mouth works AGE, Triumphs and Other Alternatives, Tiger and Another Garden. Natasha has production managed multiple tours across Australia, including an 18week tour of Jack Charles V the Crown, and toured award-winning dance and theatre shows throughout Europe, the United Kingdom, Israel, Canada and the United States. Natasha was Senior Production Manager for the New Zealand Festival, and also works with a number of established New Zealand performance companies.
Melanie Hamilton - Producer & Dramaturg
Melanie Hamilton is a producer and dramaturg, experienced in working across multiple art forms. She collaborates on dance, theatre and performance-based projects. Melanie has produced a variety of large scale events, and toured works across Aotearoa and internationally. A co-founder of Muscle Mouth, Melanie has contributed to each of the company's creations.
Muscle Mouth has received project funding from Creative New Zealand to support the development and delivery of new works.
Show and Installation photography © Jason Wright
unless otherwise credited
Muscle Mouth acknowledges the generous support of previous sponsors and partners, especially: Village Accommodation; Charter Packaging; Museum Art Hotel, Hannah Playhouse; and supporters of our crowd funding campaigns.