Set in 1984 suburban Aotearoa New Zealand, AVE MARIE is about adopted siblings Marie and Xavier who use dance as a way to escape the day-to-day reality of their mother’s religious rants and the neighborhood bullies. While tough and unforgiving Xavier insists on putting himself front and center of every dance routine and fighting the BMX gang for his right to wear lycra, Marie decides she wants to shine too. When their staunchly Catholic mother leaves the kids home alone for another funeral, Marie gets her chance. Can the power of dance unite where fists can’t?