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Gaylene Sciascia

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New Zealand choreographer and dance educator

Gaylene SciasciaONZM
Sciascia in 2017
BornGaylene Ann Wilson
(1948-09-03) 3 September 1948 (age 76)
Auckland, New Zealand
Occupation(s)Choreographer, contemporary dance teacher
Spouse Piri Sciascia ​ ​(m. 1972; died 2020)​

Gaylene Ann Sciascia ONZM (born 3 September 1948) is a New Zealand choreographer and dance educator.

Sciascia was born Gaylene Ann Wilson in Auckland on 3 September 1948. She graduated from the University of Utah with a Master of Fine Arts.

In 1972 she opened New Zealand's inaugural contemporary dance company, New Dance, along with John Casserly, Suzanne Renner and Jennifer Shennan. When New Dance toured New Zealand in 1973 was the first national tour of a local modern dance group. Sciascia and colleagues along with others such as Susan Jordan and Jamie Bull (Impulse Dance) were part of introducing modern dance throughout New Zealand in the 1970s.

In 1976 Sciascia organised the first National Dance Congress in Porangahau.

In 1991 she established Whitireia Performing Arts and led the programme until 2011.

Sciascia (left), after her investiture as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit by the governor-general, Dame Patsy Reddy, on 24 May 2017

In the 2017 New Year Honours, Sciascia was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for service to dance.

Personal

Sciascia married Piri John Ngarangikaunuhia Sciascia in 1972. He died on 18 January 2020.

References

  1. "Piri and Gaylene Sciascia". www.sciascianz.com. Archived from the original on 21 February 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  2. ^ "Sciascia, Gaylene Ann, 1948–". National Library of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 8 September 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  3. ^ "New Year Honours 2017 – Citations for Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Archived from the original on 4 October 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  4. ^ Schultz, Marianne. Limbs Dance Company 1977-1989 : dance for all people. ISBN 978-0-473-40769-8. OCLC 1099780479.
  5. Dando, Kris (11 January 2017). "Gaylene Sciascia humbled by New Year honour for services to dance". Stuff. Archived from the original on 8 September 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  6. "Kaumātua and leader Piri Sciascia dies". Stuff.co.nz. 18 January 2020. Archived from the original on 8 January 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
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