Deirdre Tarrant

Deirdre Elizabeth Anne Tarrant CNZM (born 1946) is a New Zealand dancer, dance teacher and choreographer. She was the founding director of Footnote Dance and is principal of the Tarrant Dance Studios.[1][2]

Deirdre Tarrant

CNZM
Tarrant in 2013
Born
Deirdre Elizabeth Anne Tarrant

1946 (age 76–77)
Occupation(s)Choreographer, contemporary dance teacher
Spouse
​
(m. 1971)​
ChildrenBret McKenzie

Tarrant was born in 1946, the daughter of Alfred Edward Tarrant, a Wellington manufacturer.[3][4] She danced with the New Zealand Ballet Company while studying for a Bachelor of Arts degree at Victoria University of Wellington in 1967.[1][2]

Tarrant founded Footnote Dance in 1985. She led that company until 2012, when she handed over to Malia Johnston.[5] She has been a vocational examiner for the Royal Academy of Dance.[6] She is principal of the Tarrant Dance Studios.[1][2]

Awards and honours

Tarrant was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2000 New Year Honours for "services to dance and the community".[7] She was promoted to Companion in the 2013 Queen's Birthday Honours for "services to contemporary dance".[8]

In 2006 she was one of the first distinguished alumni to be appointed by the Victoria University of Wellington.[9]

Personal

Tarrant married actor Peter Leo McKenzie in 1971.[3] Their son Bret McKenzie is a comedian, actor, musician and producer, best known as one of musical comedy duo, Flight of the Conchords.[10]

References
  1. "Dance diva—Deirdre Tarrant". Victoria University of Wellington. 22 October 2014. Archived from the original on 13 August 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  2. "Distinguished alumni". Victoria University of Wellington. Archived from the original on 13 August 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  3. "Tarrant, Deirdre Elizabeth Anne, 1946–". Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 4 February 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  4. "New Year Honours 1988" (PDF). New Zealand Legal Information Institute. 14 January 1988. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 August 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  5. "Footnote Dance announces new Director after 26 years". Creative New Zealand. 19 July 2012. Archived from the original on 5 June 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  6. "2012 daCi/WDA Global Dance Summit". Ausdance. July 2012. Archived from the original on 6 April 2015. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  7. "New Year Honours List 2000". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 1999. Archived from the original on 18 October 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  8. "The Queen's Birthday Honours List 2013". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 3 June 2013. Archived from the original on 28 January 2018. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  9. "Victoria's Distinguished Alumni Awards announced". Scoop. 24 August 2006. Archived from the original on 30 August 2006. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  10. "Giant leap for Bret McKenzie". Stuff. 3 March 2012. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
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