Posts by ANZCA

The Dust Palace is New Zealand's most established circus theatre company and school. Established in 2009, our aim is to foster circus arts practitioners in Tāmaki Makaurau and from across Aotearoa in addition to creating and touring circus theatre: taking Aotearoa’s stories to the world.

First gaining attention for provocative and political circus burlesque shows the Dust Palace has progressed toward creating more integrated narrative-based works as our company and audience profile has grown. Telling stories is at the core of what we do. Having toured extensively both nationally and internationally with our full length theatre works, we have been focused on innovating circus as an art form and growing an audience for circus theatre. From our early cabaret-style works we have been introducing our audiences to a more sophisticated, genre-bending blend of circus and physical theatre; challenging and engaging diverse audiences as well as providing mind-blowing entertainment!

We began our training facility and school in 2013 in order to give professional artists a space to train and create shows. Over the years we've championed and delivered many initiatives to the sector such as; comprehensive teacher training, workshops in consent based tuition, a scholarship program, a professional preparation program, a circus residency and many more.

In 2023 we established Te Kura Maninirau (The Circus School) in collaboration with Te Pou Theatre Trust with seed funding from Manatū Taonga MCH - Te Urungi Innovation fund. Te Kura Maninirau is a circus school specifically designed for tangata whenua; tamariki and rangatahi Māori. This school not only provides an avenue for young Māori to explore their artistic potential but also serves as a means of cultural expression and identity affirmation. By actively including and empowering Māori communities within circus arts, we aim to create a stronger and more vibrant arts landscape in New Zealand.