Arts Access AotearoaTouch Compass will present a double bill of dance-theatre exploring disability, technology and motherhood at Te Pou Theatre in Auckland from 26 to 28 February.
Called ABILITOPIA + WHITE NOISE, the show features two disability-led works that examine how identity, power and communication are shaped in a rapidly changing world.
Richard Benge, Executive Director of Arts Access Aotearoa, says disability-led work provides a more accurate reflection of our diverse communities and challenges assumptions about creativity, authorship and access.
“Disability-led performances not only broaden who we see on stage but also expand how stories are told and who gets to tell them,” he says.
The first work, ABILITOPIA, is a world premiere directed by choreographer and researcher Dr Suzanne Cowan. The 40-minute black-box performance places three dancers alongside a live AI-enabled robot, staging an encounter between human movement, machine responsiveness and sound.
Performers Duncan Armstrong, Raven Afoa-Purcell and Julie van Renen share the stage with the robot, described as a “BFF”, as the work questions familiar boundaries between human and non-human creativity.
“ABILITOPIA is a dance with AI in the form of a ChatGPT-enabled robot,” Suzanne says. “As a company exploring AI in the context of performance, we’re excited about how it can stretch human imagination and serve as an incredible tool for education.
“We’re looking forward to taking our ChatGPT-enabled robot into schools and conducting performance-based educational workshops.”
Suzanne, an Associate Artist with Touch Compass since 1999, brings together her long-standing choreographic practice with academic research in dance studies. Her recent work has explored disability-led performance through post-human and site-specific approaches, including film and live performance formats
The second work in the programme, WHITE NOISE, receives its Aotearoa New Zealand premiere following its debut at Brisbane’s Undercover Artist Festival in 2025.
Experience as a mother with disability
Created and performed by Alisha McLennan Marler with co-choreographer Jessie McCall, the solo work draws on Alisha’s experience as a mother with disability.
 sm.jpg "Alisha McLennan Marler")
“White Noise resonates with parents, caregivers and disabled people but is also relatable to all of us navigating the intricacies of life, misinterpretation and marginalisation,” Alisha says.
“It will leave audiences reflective, with fresh perspectives and questions about communication and identity.”
WHITE NOISE examines communication, visibility and authorship, asking what it means to be heard or overlooked. Using movement, live sound manipulation, digital design and aerial performance, the work connects personal experience with broader social narratives around disability and motherhood.
Spanning performance, education and aerial dance
Alisha is a member of Touch Compass’s Artistic Leadership group and the organisation’s Touch Rangatahi Arts Development Lead. Her practice spans performance, education and aerial dance, and she is a certified DanceAbility teacher. She has received multiple awards, recognising her contribution to the arts.
 sm.jpg "Alisha McLennan Marler in White Noise")
WHITE NOISE has previously been recognised by Australian reviewers for its articulation of lived experience on stage.
“WHITE NOISE illustrates why disability-led creation and performance are so important in bringing new perspectives to the stage and illuminating audience perceptions,” wrote one Stage Whispers reviewer of the Brisbane show.
All performances include NZSL interpretation, audio description and touch tours, with wheelchair access. A schools and community matinee will be held on 27 February, alongside evening performances throughout the season.
The combined runtime for the double bill is approximately 100 minutes, including an interval. Strobe and intense lighting are used in ABILITOPIA, and there are sharp sound elements and visual effects in WHITE NOISE.
Bookings are available through Te Pou Theatre website.
About Touch Compass
Touch Compass is Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading professional disability-led arts organisation, producing work and accessible creative experiences that amplify disabled voices. At Touch Compass, access is a foundation. Through artistic excellence and transformative engagement, the company is building a future where disability artistry thrives, and everyone has a place in the creative landscape.
Touch Compass is a member of the Creative Spaces Network and the Arts For All Network, both facilitated by Arts Access Aoearoa.
