I am a dance artist living in Te-Whanganui-A-Tara whose practice is grounded in a philosophy of learning, creating, and teaching - each element informing the others as passions in their own right. I predominantly create theatrical dance works and my work spans from durational performance art to meditative poetry podcasts.
Alongside my sister Charley, I am Co-Artistic Director of House of Sand, creating visceral contemporary performance through care-based and trauma-informed methodologies. Since 2015, House of Sand has created and presented 16 productions across three countries, reaching audiences through 24 performance seasons, while engaging over 500 collaborators internationally.
As a certified Countertechnique teacher, Vinyasa Yoga teacher, and Contact C.A.R.E practitioner in training, my work is deeply informed by somatic practices, particularly the Alexander Technique. I have choreographed and performed for numerous companies around Aotearoa, Australia and Korea, and have been a full time tutor at The New Zealand School of Dance. I am passionate about continuously growing my capacity to lead safe and nourishing yet creatively risky spaces. I believe that everyone can (and should) dance and that movement is a powerful tool for connection, compassion and joy.
Organisation/Company
Name: House of Sand
My Role: Co-Artistic Director
House of Sand emerged in 2015 from the sibling creative partnership of Charley Allanah and Eliza Sanders, who saw untapped potential bridging dance and theatre practices. The company name reflects a creative philosophy: like children building sandcastles, they seek connection and meaning through play, crafting ambitious artistic experiences in joyful knowledge of their ephemerality.
Early recognition came through multiple awards from NZ and Adelaide Fringes, with nominations from BroadwayWorld Sydney, ATG and Adelaide Critics Circle. Their madcap, visceral, and expressionistic aesthetic has since produced 17 original works, some in collaboration with companies including STCSA (Welcome The Bright World), and ranging from pure dance (Contents.Container) to new Australian plays (The Split by Sarah Hamilton), and including the ambitious global dance theatre and documentary epic That Was Friday and 24-hour durational installation, all h0urs.
Their practice has evolved into a philosophy of care-based, trauma-informed creative practice, an approach giving primacy to artist and audience wellbeing alongside artistic excellence. Eliza leads the company’s workshops and somatic practice classes, while Charley champions access and inclusion through advocacy.
Celebrating a decade of work with over 200 collaborators in 2025, House of Sand has entered its second decade with Manage Your Expectations touring globally.
"Eliza and Charley Sanders are important artists who give us an alternate view of the world" — Suzy Wrong, Suzy Goes See, Auditorium (UK)
Manage Your Expectations
Artform: Dance/ Theatre
Development Status: Tour Ready
Media Uploads
Trailer
Full Length
Synopsis
Manage Your Expectation is a monumental feat of solo performance and a revolutionary fusion of contemporary dance, cine-theatre, and quirky comedy.
Beginning as a comic performance lecture (think Hannah Gadsy’s Nannette) affectionately skewering the now-obligatory ‘Trigger Warning’ in a speech that – while full of laughs – also hands audiences keys to the meaning in the dance to come. The performer sets out to tell you everything that will happen in the work, so you can decide if you want to see it.
The absurd pursuit travels down many thematic roads before seamlessly evolves into the work’s second part, which consists of evocative moments of dance, each addressing a universal concept of human relationships.
With foundations laid previously, in amusing anecdotes and subtle allusions, audiences are primed for a fecund experience of moments evoking Expectations of our Partners, Children, Ancestors, Self, and Death.
Manage Your Expectations is “Aesthetically gorgeous, consummately crafted and choreographed”. Eliza’s multi award winning tour de force (Best Performance NZ Fringe, Whangārei Fringe 2024), is an “exquisite combo of dance, theatre, wordplay and storytelling [that] takes us on a journey” (audience review) traversing “ a joyous interpretation of our struggle to be the best that we can be.” (The Clothesline).
Creative Team and Crew
Creator & Performer: Eliza Sanders
Director: Charley Allanah
Video Artists: Daniel Nodder, Alec Katsourakis, Jack Sullivan
Lighting Designer: Deb McGuire
Original Music by: Jazmine Mary
(TOURING PARTY OF THREE)
Creator & Performer: Eliza Sanders
Director & Company Manager: Charley Sanders
Live Cinematographer & AV Operator: Daniel Nodder
Number of People in the Touring Party
3
Previous Seasons
Premiere: Wellington, NZ at Te Auaha, Tapere Iti as part of NZ Fringe, March 2024
Nominated for Best In Fringe, Most innovative Work and others, winner of Best Solo Performance.
Australian Premiere: Canberra, ACT at Canberra Theatre Centre, Courtyard Studio as part of Valance Performance For Now, August 2024
Whangarēi, NZ at Theatre 116 as part of Whangarēi Fringe, October 2024
Winner of Best Performance.
Adelaide, SA at The Courtyard of Curiosities, Hetzel Theatre as part of Adelaide Fringe, March 2025
Dunedin, NZ at Te Whare o Rukutia as part of Dunedin Fringe, March 2025
Wellington, NZ at Circa Theatre as part of Circa Mainstage Season, September 2025
Reviews and Quotes
'... likely the most visually and verbally innovative show you’ll see all Fringe, but language is an inadequate tool for preparing you for where Eliza Sanders and Charley Allanah’s imaginations will take yours.' - James Murphy for Scenestr (Adelaide Fringe)
14 March 2025
'Imagine Spike Milligan meets Kafka and they converse and enter a maze of mirrors made by Escher, where you feel you may not find your way out....Eliza Sanders’ performance is exhilaratingly beautiful in every aspect.'
'There are plenty of surprises, and many moments of wonder. The sheer athleticism of such an excellent dancer is a glorious thing, and it is an Olympian task to manage a solo show with peak perfection.'- David Cronin for The Clothesline
Mar 12, 2025
'Raw, confronting yet deeply relatable, Eliza Sanders’ Manage Your Expectations gives you a glimpse into the sprawling mind of an individual living with neurodivergence.' - Mal Hemanth for Mindshare
14 March 2025
'This is a must see...clever, witty, evocative, subversive, immersive, despairing, poignant, personal and universal all together.' - Deirdre Tarrant for TheatreView
28th Feb 2024
Read full reviews here - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oEozXRMknfIefVIdgD6xTzzXm4cLtKaXAaGHKauZURY/edit
Technical Rider & International Touring Info (if applicable)
- View/download document #1 here
The Performing Arts Network of New Zealand (PANNZ) Arts Market is New Zealand's premiere event for artists, producers, presenters and industry leaders from across the performing arts sector.
The Performing Arts Network of New Zealand (PANNZ) Arts Market is New Zealand's premiere event for artists, producers, presenters and industry leaders from across the performing arts sector.