Foodstuffs’ Partnership Awards 2024
Te Pae Convention Centre
Kō au te Āwa, kō te Āwa kō au - I am the river, the river is me.
Foodstuffs’ Partnership Awards 2024
Te Pae Convention Centre
Kō au te Āwa, kō te Āwa kō au - I am the river, the river is me.
"I loved seeing how the performances came together during our planning sessions, but to see the execution and the audience reaction on the night was genuinely spinetingling!"
Tom McKenzie - Foodstuffs’ Marketing and Media
THE BRIEF:
In the heart of Ōtautahi/Christchurch, the 2024 Foodstuffs Partnership Awards sought to create an unforgettable evening for over 500 of it’s honoured guests.
The theme, ‘Te Awa’ (The River), was inspired by the powerful symbolism of rivers — embodying connection, community, and the sustaining life force.
With a focus on Aotearoa/New Zealand’s iconic braided rivers, the event aimed to celebrate the achievements of Foodstuffs’ suppliers, emphasising the connections, relationships and partnerships that help to provide food services for millions of New Zelanders every week.
THE PLAN:
With this in mind we crafted a vision of an immersive storytelling experience to align with the theme of relationships, the woven nature of community, connection and landscape, and the significance of tāngaata/people within that - all while keeping the concept of ‘te awa’ at the core.
We conceptualised an opening performance that merged movement, culture, and light with tight choreography and spectacular imagery showcasing the beautiful curves and design of the Te Pae Rivers room itself, with a 360-degree representation of Canterbury’s braided rivers. We developed the idea of introducing the popular ‘tutting’ dance style to symbolise the flow and connection of rivers and of the people to the land. This performance would be projected on the room surround screens - with digital animation in collaboration with local suppliers.
To prime the guests for the experience to come we layered in a meet-and-greet segment where an elegant dancer movemed amongst guests, gracefully revealing an architecturally geometric dress, symbolising the geological nature of the land and weave of water. Alongside this, we wanted to elevate the experience through auditory enhancement and so introduced a bonus concept of an electric violinist, who would weave through guests, mimicking the calming and soothing nature of water.
We then wanted to round the experience off with energy and an even greater lift in joy, while also transitioning to the post-meal dance and celebration of the guests. This is where we saw that a lively performance which combined live music and uplifting dance was the best way to leave the guests on a high.
THE EXPERIENCE:
As guests arrived at Te Pae Convention Centre Dobson Foyer they were greeted by a breathtaking sight.
Our professionally trained dancer surprised and delighted guests as she flowed amongst and around guests, filling them with curiosity as our dancer pirouetted to reveal the vibrant river-blue layers, symbolising the flow and connection of the rivers. Guests were led by the dancer through the Dobson Foyer up to the Rivers Room foyer.
From the top of the stairs our musician greeted guests, playing her electric violin and weaving through the audience, leading them towards the Te Pae Rivers room, her music echoing the river’s flow and creating an intimate, immersive atmosphere. The guests were captivated and mesmerised by her performances, blending entertainment with the practical element of signalling to guests that it was time to enter the main event.
Once guests were seated in the stunning Rivers Room the lights dimmed and the energy exploded. A powerful live Karanga Pao (welcome), leading into meticulously choreographed movement and visual symphony. This immersive stage and screen experience that was based around Sadeck Waff’s ‘tutting’ captured the river’s dynamics and flow, elevated by stunning 360-degree visuals created by Multi Media and Mulk Motion animations around the room. The scale of this was unbelievable and the interplay of live dance and animated screen projections brought the river theme to life, celebrating the unity and connection central to the evening’s message.
Once the performance had concluded there was a powerful silence as the guests realised they’d been holding their breaths at the spectacle, which quickly changed to an eruption of applause as they transitioned into the awards evening itself.
Later in the evening, the Emcee had (in secret) worked with our performers to take centre stage for a surprise and delight act.
With eight EPIC dancers, the Emcee performed our choreographed rock n roll inspired activator, engaging the audience with their dynamic and playful energy. This created a seamless opportunity for the guests to hit the dance floor, energised by the live performance to continue with a five-piece band. Through careful yet courageous planning and creative execution, we delivered an event that both honoured the rich culture and geography of Aotearoa/New Zealand, while celebrating the achievements and partnerships that the client wanted so importantly to recognise.
LET'S SET THE SCENE
Let our Epic team help you plan your next event and add a touch of surprise for your guests!
LET'S SET THE SCENE
Let our Epic team help you plan your next event and add a touch of surprise for your guests!
We’re experts in creating large and small-scale events that people remember. We can work with you to create an event that captures your company brand, vision and values. Together we create an experience that is entirely unique for you and your guests.