Choreographer Corey Baker is a New Zealander fascinated by the past of the Maori people.

He has been researching their language, music, myths and dance for years, and his piece Kapa Haka is his attempt to illustrate all this by telling the traditional love story of Hinemoa, a chieftainess, and Tutanekai, a high-born but illegitimate young man.

More details in a programme note would have been helpful, but we join a group of people by the sea as they bring in fish and food.

Women are swinging poi, similar to tennis balls on strings, and beating out rhythms with short sticks called titi torea.

All this hints at a simple, happy life; but now we meet Hinemoa, who angrily rejects two prospective husbands put forward by her father, and is clearly dreaming of another.

And so the story unfolds, with simple dances and songs, and some of the male posturing that you see from the All Blacks.

This is all quite charming, but hardly galvanising; powerful emotions are hidden beneath stylised posing.

The most moving performance comes from Chareal Anderson. Much of her role is sung – songs of loneliness and despair I guess – and her final embrace with Tutanekai, after nearly drowning as she crosses the water to reach him, has a powerful intensity.

Baker says this work is a fusion of Maori tradition and contemporary dance.

Considering that six of his cast of eight are highly trained contemporary dancers, it is a pity he has not used their abilities further than a couple of undemanding dance sequences.

This slightly disappointing show did have some beautiful highlights though, in particular the billowing waves, created by swathes of blue fabric, and a lovely swooping dance with purple cloaks.