REBEKKAH SCHOONBEEK-BERRIDGE
(Ngāti Maru)
| CHOREOGRAPHER | DANCER | SINGER | ACTRESS | BURLESQUE PERFORMER| DANCE EDUCATor |
As an Auckland-based performer and seasoned arts practitioner with over a decade of creative arts industry experience, I have developed a keen eye for movement that has seen me work with large and small groups of dancers and non-dancers to create emotionally resonant and engaging works.
I am passionate about movement, life, and storytelling, fuelling my repertoire in dance education, choreography, dance/theatre adjudication, performance, and artistic creations. I relish moving from one project to the next, assuming different roles when required. I am so grateful to be working in this vast creative industry.
Recently, I completed a postgraduate diploma from the University of Auckland, which enabled me to expand my knowledge base and delve deeper into dance academia. My research is currently exploring the potential of New Zealand Sign Language as a choreographic form, hoping to help bridge the gap between the artistic-hearing and non-hearing communities in Aotearoa.
NGĀ MIHI,
R.S.B
BIO
Rebekkah Schoonbeek-Berridge (Ngāti Maru) is a highly regarded performer, choreographer and dance educator/adjudicator based in Tāmaki Makaurau. She holds a post-graduate diploma in Dance Studies from the University of Auckland and received training at New York's Broadway Dance Centre.
Her theatrical performance credits span various productions, including Auckland Theatre Company's 'Shortland Street The Musical' and 'Chicago,' 'Pleasuredome the Musical,' and ‘42nd Street.’ Some notable roles include Anne Elliot- in "Persuasion," Annie Wilkes in "Misery," Eliza in "Picket Fence People," and Vanessa in "In The Heights."
Her choreographic work has been seen in a wide range of settings, including theatre productions (Basement X-Mas, Rock Follies Forever, Night of the Queer), musicals (We Will Rock You, West Side Story, Be More Chill), music videos (“Running Wild” - INDIGO, “Currents of Black Blood” - Yan Yates), TV (My Life is Murder, Media Works, DWTS). She is a regular choreographer with Diamond Entertainment and other companies for corporate events, and her works have been featured in festivals like Tempo, Auckland Fringe, and Short + Sweet, where her contemporary piece 'The Crickets Have Arthritis' earned her the 'Stand out Female Performer Award.'
Some dance credits include appearances alongside Marlon Williams, Stan Walker, and William Waiirua, as well as on TV shows like 'X-Factor,' 'Dancing with the Stars,' and 'Jono & Ben.' Internationally, she participated in the Contemporary Indigenous Dance Residency at the Banff Arts Centre in Canada and performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (2022 & 2019) with 'Two Hearts Comedy Duo.’
Rebekkah serves as co-artistic director of the yearly cabaret “Night of the Queer” and is the founder of the dance theatre company LUCK & SCHOONEY. With more than 12 years of commitment to New Zealand dance education, she has developed curricula and taught at various institutions around Aotearoa.
