Dancing with strangers on Wellington's Cuba St
It’s just after midday on Wednesday and Marielle Estelle is wearing a white dress.
Carrying a $500 boom-box, two yellow signs, a water bottle and adorned in a kina ring she designed herself, Estelle walks down Cuba St in Wellington’s Te Aro with a smile.
She uses blue chalk to draw a large, uneven oval onto the cobblestone pavement alongside the words join the dance.
And then she starts to dance.
For the past 11 weeks she’s been coming to Cuba St during people’s lunch hour. She sees dancing as a way of making people relax and encourages everybody to give it a go.
Poll: Are Kiwis allergic to “exuberance”? 🥝
In The Post’s opinion piece on the developments set to open across Aotearoa in 2026, John Coop suggests that, as a nation, we’re “allergic to exuberance.”
We want to know: Are we really allergic to showing our excitement?
Is it time to lean into a more optimistic view of the place we call home? As big projects take shape and new opportunities emerge, perhaps it’s worth asking whether a little more confidence (and enthusiasm!) could do us some good.
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41.5% Yes
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33.7% Maybe?
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24.8% No
Scam Alert: Fake information regarding December Bonuses from MSD
The Ministry of Social Development is reporting that fake information is circulating about new ‘December bonuses’ or ‘benefit increases’
If you get suspicious communication, please contact Netsafe.
Some Choice News!
Many New Zealand gardens aren’t seeing as many monarch butterflies fluttering around their swan plants and flower beds these days — the hungry Asian paper wasp has been taking its toll.
Thanks to people like Alan Baldick, who’s made it his mission to protect the monarch, his neighbours still get to enjoy these beautiful butterflies in their own backyards.
Thinking about planting something to invite more butterflies, bees, and birds into your garden?
Thanks for your mahi, Alan! We hope this brings a smile!
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