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Danse Macabre – Photos of a Halloween Dance of Death at MOTAT

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The Danse Macabre (Dance of Death) at The Olde Hallows Eve festival at MOTAT in Auckland New Zealand

In honour of the impending Halloween, MOTAT invited in the past, who came in with a vengeance. This year’s Olde Hallows Eve celebration was themed the Danse Macabre, the Dance of Death: no matter one’s station in life, the Dance of Death unites all.

Despite its theme, Danse Macabre was a family-friendly event with a variety of theme-related activities and opportunities spread throughout the museum while nearly all of the daily exhibits were closed. Images projected on walls told stories, the steam engine was operating, there was face painting and a stage filled with family-friendly fun. A few activities like “Jack the Ripper’s House” did have age restrictions, while another had parental warnings.

Best seen in photos, starting with the themed Danse Macabre:

The Grim Reaper calls forth the dead from their graves to dance at the Danse Macabre, The Olde Hallows Eve festival at MOTAT in Auckland New Zealand
The legend tells us that “Death” portrayed at MOTAT by the Grim Reaper, appears at midnight every year on Halloween. He calls forth the dead from their graves to dance for him until the rooster crows at dawn when they must return to their graves until the next year.
The Danse Macabre (Dance of Death) at The Olde Hallows Eve festival at MOTAT in Auckland New Zealand
Guests were invited to join into the Danse Macabre (Dance of Death).
On stage at MOTAT's Halloween event in Auckland New Zealand
The centre stage offered different family fun activities throughout the evening.
Actors at the Danse Macabre (Dance of Death) at The Olde Hallows Eve festival at MOTAT in Auckland New Zealand
Sometimes it was about laughing. This Victorian “doctor” and “nurse” diagnosed observers suggesting solutions like cat poultice or a frontal lobotomy.
Childrn's creepy coutyard at the Danse Macabre (Dance of Death) at The Olde Hallows Eve festival at MOTAT in Auckland New Zealand
Guests participate in making pumpkin crafts at the “Children’s Creepy Courtyard”, one of the family-friendly activities.
Making Lollipops at the Olde Hallows Eve festival at MOTAT in Auckland New Zealand
Both the demonstrations and opportunity to make your own lollipops were popular with the kids.
The Danse Macabre (Dance of Death) at The Olde Hallows Eve festival at MOTAT in Auckland New Zealand
A photo booth gave out free family shots – three persons maximum, so we needed two photos. In case your wondering about my costume, I was a photographer. However, Melissa followed me around while clapping two coconut shells together, and I galloped. We did see Sir Robin at the event, and he was amused.

And, there were the more eerie areas, often with parental warnings or even R13 restrictions.

A bleak warning inside Jack the Ripper's House at The Olde Hallows Eve festival at MOTAT in Auckland New Zealand
A bleak warning inside Jack the Ripper’s House. This section was R13, and guests were warned at entry, ‘if you don’t like what the actors are doing, raise up your hands and they will stop.’
Plague Town at The Danse Macabre (Dance of Death) at The Olde Hallows Eve festival at MOTAT in Auckland New Zealand
The graphic and detailed makeup in “Plague Town” added an element of reality.
Haunted House at the Danse Macabre (Dance of Death) at The Olde Hallows Eve festival at MOTAT in Auckland New Zealand
The haunted house served up a pig’s head, and cow’s tongue, both “real” (so I was told).

One of my favourite things about the Danse Macabre is the creativity of some of the attendees.

Costumed guests at the Danse Macabre (Dance of Death) at The Olde Hallows Eve festival at MOTAT in Auckland New Zealand

Costumed guests at the Danse Macabre (Dance of Death) at The Olde Hallows Eve festival at MOTAT in Auckland New Zealand
Sarah also had a camera, and she let me share here my favourite of her shots.

Costumed guests at the Halloween festival at MOTAT in Auckland New Zealand

This is my second year attending Old Hallows Eve. A Twisted Victorian Tale was last year’s theme.

MOTAT is (Auckland’s Museum of Transport and Technology) in Western Springs at 805 Great North Road in Auckland, New Zealand. Also, part of the museum’s regular daytime activities is the Aviation Display Hall at 190/200-208 Meola Road, Pt Chevalier.

Christmas and Matariki are also celebrated in the evenings at MOTAT.

My Final Thoughts on Danse Macabre:

MOTAT does a fantastic job on Olde Hallows Eve. It is well planned out, the attention to detail is its reason for success. If you haven’t been to it before, put it on your calendar for next year. Participant or spectator, it’s good fun with something for everyone. The actors (employees) are focused. They do an impressive job of both staying in character, and paying attention to their audience, speaking to adults like adults and toning it down for children. (Although it was always clean language.). Danse Macabre seems a perfect theme for this pre-Halloween event.

Did you attend the Danse Macabre at MOTAT this year? Did you get inspired for a costume? Will I see you at MOTAT next year for Halloween?

If you enjoyed this post, please pin:

The Danse Macabre-themed Hallween party at Motat in Auckland, New Zealand, was as much a treat to go to as it is every year. For more information visit the blog.

 

Disclaimer: I was a guest of MOTAT, however, the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

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About Rhonda Albom

Capturing the essence of travel through photography, Rhonda Albom is the primary author and photographer at Albom Adventures. She is an American expat based in New Zealand. She travels the world with her husband.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Michele {Malaysian Meanders}

    For some reason, I was surprised to see photos of people actually dancing at Danse Macabre. I like the Victorian doctor and nurse story, and I’d be too scared to enter the house of Jack the Ripper. It’s good of them to let people raise their hand to stop the scene. Looks like a fun time!

    Reply

  2. Julie Kemp Pick

    They really did do a fabulous job on the costumes and the makeup! Even though you didn’t dress up, it was a great photo of you and hubby. Rhonda, you look especially svelte!

    Reply

  6. Merlinda Little (@pixiedusk)

    Aww everyone looks lovely err scary I mean haha. Lovely photos. We dont celebrate Holloween where I am so I am jealous! Thanks for sharing =)

    Reply

    • Rhonda Albom

      We have been in New Zealand for 12 years, and Halloween has only really come into favor in the past few. Day of the Dead (1 Nov) seems to be a bigger holiday.

      Reply

  12. Jen

    What an amazing set of photos! That looks like an incredible event. I’m not the biggest fan of Halloween – I don’t like getting dressed up and I don’t like being scared – but this looks like a great time.

    I host a Photo Friday link-up each week – I’d love it if you considered joining us!

    Reply

    • Rhonda Albom

      The cool thing about this event is that you didn’t need to dress up, and you could just do the purely family friendly activities and avoid being scared.

      Reply

  14. Paul F. Pietrangelo

    What wonderful fun for all. You looked eerie but gorgeous. Ha,ha,ha. I wish my town had something like this so that I could take place in it. See ya Rhonda.

    Cruisin Paul

    Reply

  17. Michelle C

    Hi Rhonda,

    The MOTAT thing looks really well done if you like that sort of thing. Personally I would love to have made the lolly Pops. I know why Dawali was early this year, Venue had already been booked/promised for another event- it was in the herald as the organisors were not happy., perhaps the same thing happened at MOTAT as you would think friday night would be better or perhaps because a lot of the staff are volunteers it was inconvenient for work arrangements.

    Reply

    • Rhonda Albom

      Thanks Michelle. I had a researched and found a couple of articles on the Diwali date, but I only saw the unhappiness, and opted to leave it out of my article. This is really interesting, thanks for adding it. For MOTAT, I am thinking maybe they selected Labour weekend, but I don’t know.

      Reply

    • Rhonda Albom

      Thank Joyce. I still have 16 pounds to go, and then I will still weigh more than when we were roommates and thought we were fat. Funny how perspective changes over the years.

      Reply

  21. Alissa Apel

    What a fun spooky time. I can’t wait until Friday. That’s when my work goes crazy, and everyone dresses up. At an art school it’s always pretty interesting. I bet you guys had a lot of fun at your party.

    Reply

  24. Comedy Plus

    I’m not a fan of Halloween so none of this appeals to me. I know it does to many and that’s awesome.

    Have a fabulous day. 🙂

    Reply

    • Rhonda Albom

      Yes, the real cow tongue and pigs head even freaked me out a bit. (and if they weren’t real, they are super realistic looking). As for the coconuts, it was just a lot of fun.

      Reply

  30. Anda

    Halloween is a sort of creepy holiday, don’t you think? All those gruesome looking people running around dressed like the characters in a horror movie… I’d be really scared to be around them. Seriously! We have some festivities here in Los Angeles too, but nothing as fancy as the Dance Macabre at MOTAT.

    Reply

  32. stevebethere

    Oh! what fun the make up is really effective heheh! I don’t blame you for opting out with the tongue LOL

    Have a creepytastic week 🙂

    Reply

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