Pacific Dance NZ and ASB Polyfest Unite! A 2-Year Triumph
Through the generous support of Sky City Community funding, Pacific Dance Fono Trust has embarked on a 2-year partnership with ASB Polyfest. This collaboration elevates our exposure and brand awareness and enables us to achieve our community engagement goals while championing our core values. Through the platform provided by ASB Polyfest, we will be able to connect with a wider audience, reaching individuals who share our passion for celebrating our Pacific culture and heritage through the dance medium. One of the most exciting aspects of this partnership has been the access it provides to exclusive Polyfest events. From the Polyfest launch to
Melodic Movements: Collab With NZTrio Elevates Festival In 2024
The rhythm of the Pacific is set to intertwine with the harmonies of classical music as Pacific Dance NZ announces an exciting collaboration with NZTrio for the upcoming 2024 Pacific Dance Festival. This bold fusion promises to reshape the festival landscape, offering a unique and dynamic experience that transcends traditional boundaries. Prepare to be captivated as we delve into the vibrant heart of Pacific culture and the enchanting world of classical music. Known for its commitment to showcasing the talents of Pasifika artists, the Pacific Dance Festival has become an annual celebration of diversity, innovation, and cultural richness. As we gear
FREE Summer of Dance Workshops for the Kids
Pacific Dance NZ is thrilled to announce the return of its highly anticipated FREE summer of dance program in partnership with Te Oro Arts & Music Centre. Attention parents and young dancers – mark your calendars! Our much-loved School Holiday Programme, in collaboration with Te Oro Arts & Music Centre, kicks off on January 22, 2024! Get ready for a week of energetic dance and learning that promises to keep everyone groovin!. Join us for Kuki Airani Ura led by the popular Aunty Kura. Jenna will also lead Afro and Hip-hop classes. Leave your children with us for a week
A Mealofa to Samoa – To Samoa with Love
Introducing the 2023 Pacific Dance NZ Artist in Residence Programme (Samoa) featuring Villa Junior Lemanu Pacific Dance NZ is excited to announce our 2023 Artist in Residence programme on the Beautiful Island of Samoa. And trust us when we say, it's going to be a game-changer! The Artist in Residence programme is a treasured gem in the Pacific Dance NZ annual calendar. For years, we've celebrated the beauty and diversity of Pacific dance and culture right here in Aotearoa New Zealand. But this year, we're raising the bar, and we couldn't be more excited about it! Say 'Talofa' to the evolution
Calling All Pacific Artists: Your Time is Now for the 2024 Pacific Dance NZ Festival!
Are you a Pacific artist with a burning desire to showcase your talent on a grand stage? Look no further! Pacific Dance NZ is thrilled to announce the open call for expressions of interest for the highly anticipated 2024 Pacific Dance NZ Festival. Whether you're a dancer, choreographer, filmmaker, or any other form of creative expressionist, this is your chance to shine and share your unique Pacific heritage with a captivated audience. Join us as we celebrate the richness and diversity of Pacific dance and culture. Get ready to leave an indelible mark at the most vibrant dance festival in
John ‘Happy Feet’ Vaifale Honoured
Celebrating Exceptional Talent: Pacific Dance Festival Announces Inaugural Director's Choice Awards The Pacific Dance Festival, a renowned platform for showcasing Pacific dance in Aotearoa, announces its inaugural Director's Choice Awards recipient. This esteemed accolade aims to honour exceptional achievements and contributions to the Pacific dance community. The highly talented John "Happy Feet" Vaifale has been recognised as this year's recipient, highlighting his captivating performances and artistic vision that have captivated audiences worldwide. A Rising Star: John Vaifale a.k.a Happy Feet John 'Happy Feet' Vaifale has proven himself to be an extraordinary talent, captivating the hearts and attention of audiences with his exceptional dance
Unveiling the Unconventional
In the world of fashion, unexpected pairings often result in the most captivating creations. Beau Louis Takapu, known for his unique and boundary-pushing designs, has joined forces with the Feohianga Alonga 'ia Kalaisi Trust, a group deeply rooted in Tongan heritage and the practice of Faikava. This collaboration not only pushes the boundaries of fashion but also celebrates the diverse cultural tapestry that weaves our society together.
AFI LOA – Celebrating the Power of Pacific Women
The Auckland Art Gallery is set to screen a captivating film that breathes new life into the remarkable story of the Virgin Taupou Grave in Saleaula Savaii, Samoa. "AFI LOA," directed by the exceptionally talented Charlene Tedrow, takes us on a mesmerizing journey that explores the power of lava and its parallel existence within the tama’ita’i, the women of the Pacific. Through this awe-inspiring performance, the film pays homage to the rise of women in the realm of siva afi, the fire dance, and celebrates their strength and resilience. Join us as we delve into the magic of "AFI LOA"
Experience the Beauty of Diversity: ‘ENUA
"Experience the Magic of Pacific Couture and Dance: 'ENUA' Takes Center Stage at Pacific Dance NZ Festival 2023" The Pacific Dance NZ Festival 2023 just got even better with the addition of 'ENUA', a Pacific Couture fashion and dance show by the talented Viv Hosking-Aue, AUĒ dance company, and the House of Va. 'ENUA', previously known as 'Territory', was created and choreographed by Hosking-Aue in 2014, and now, 10 years later, it's back to life! https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WJYf9_VW7zY In this inspiring and thought-provoking performance, Hosking-Aue explores how we interact with people from different social-cultural backgrounds. He asks the question, "What if South Auckland was Ponsonby
Embrace Cultural Fusion and Celebrate Dance
The Pacific Dance NZ Festival season in Auckland this June is set to be an extraordinary event that brings together diverse dance workshops, highlighting the intersection of traditional indigenous practices with contemporary movement styles. Among the featured workshops, KARUL Projects from Australia, the Samoan Performing Arts Centre of Excellence (S.P.A.C.E) from Apia, Samoa, and Aunty Kura's URA dance workshop promise to offer unique and inspiring experiences for dance enthusiasts, students, artists, and choreographers alike. Image Courtesy of KARUL Projects. Thomas E.S. Kelly KARUL Projects: Exploring the Fusion of Indigenous Dance and Contemporary Movement Led by Thomas E.S. Kelly, a celebrated artist, and
STORIES FROM TE-MOANA-NUI-A-KIWA – MOANA ’23
Pacific Dance NZ Festival Showcases MOANA 23: A Night of Spectacular Dance Performances The highly anticipated Pacific Dance NZ Festival is proud to present MOANA ‘23, an extraordinary showcase featuring an exceptional lineup of talented artists and the esteemed Choreographic Lab Cohort for 2023. This one-night-only event will take place in the Rangatira at Q Theatre, captivating audiences with its dynamic fusion of culture, innovation, and artistic expression. The MOANA 23 showcase will transport the audience on a journey through diverse styles and narratives, celebrating the vibrant dance traditions of the Pacific. From contemporary movements to traditional choreography, the performances promise to
TONGAN FLAIR & HAUTE COUTURE AT THE AUCKLAND MUSEUM
Twilight Tuesdays at the Auckland War Memorial Museum is about to get 'mafana' under the kava bowl in the Te Ao Mārama South Atrium with a Tongan haute couture showcase on June 13th. The 2023 Pacific Dance NZ Festival has again added a fashion show to its line-up with United States born, San Francisco raised and educated Tongan designer Beau Louis Takapu. Beau Takapu has made New Zealand home and has worked for WORLD brand before he became a contestant on Project Runway New Zealand. This show debuted on NZ television screens in late 2018 as an adaption of the American
NEWSFLASH : KO AU – Disconnected by Projekt Team
"KO AU" Disconnected by Auckland based Hip Hop and Street Dance collective Projekt Team is set to hit the big stage at Auckland's Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre as part of the 2023 Pacific Dance Festival. We are currently offering a free Secondary School's Matinee show (11am). This one-off performance is locked & loaded for Thursday 4th of May. If you are interested in booking tickets for your school to attend, please book through with your school name & how many student / staff tickets you require. Tickets are free, but seats are filling quite fast so get in quick! Email : info@pacificdance.co.nz SHOW DETAILS: Pacific Dance Festival 2023 and Auckland Live present: Ko Au - Disconnected by Projekt
June ’23 Festival Dance OnScreen – FREE EVENT
Dance OnScreen FREE Event Sunday 11th June 2023, 2pm - 4pm AUCKLAND ART GALLERY TOI O TĀMAKI We are inviting you to venture into Auckland City during our festival to participate in our FREE workshops, open air-rehearsals and the popular 'Dance OnScreen'. Tataki Auckland Unlimited and the Auckland Art Gallery have enjoyed a long partnership and they will host our open-air rehearsals with Viv Auē and Lominia Meteri-Araitia on Saturday 27th May, 3rd & 10th June at 1130am on the mezzanine. On Sunday 11th June 2023 from 2 pm, our Dance OnScreen will be in the auditorium on the lower level of the
Checkout our Samoa Vlog!
https://youtu.be/XXvtocR7uOs The team attended the 3 night festival in Apia on a recent trip to meet with potential partners. Each evening was themed with a mash-up of heritage and contemporary dance. Check-out our Vlog for our favourite parts of the festival.
Nesian Productions – This is me, This is US
It has been an awesome collaboration for Pacific Dance NZ with PHAB & Nesian productions. PHAB is an inclusive organisation that 'walks the talk' promoting self reliance that enhances the social opportunities for people with disabilities. PHAB is not an organization "of" or "for" people with disabilities. The PHAB experience is offered jointly and equally to disabled and non-disabled people. The opportunities and activities are intended to be of equal benefit to all members. Many memories have been formed with the Pasifika branch of PHAB - Nesian Productions. On Wednesday 13th December - Te Oro in Glen Innes was packed with friends,
Nafa and Hula time in Te Taitokerau
There are Pasifika right throughout Aotearoa and Pacific Dance NZ receives many requests for heritage dance workshops from throughout the motu. Earlier this month the Pacific Dance NZ team responded to a call and with their nafa and hula routine took a trip Te Taitokerau - Whangarei to run a two day dance workshop. The first night was a real treat and the attendance was our largest public workshop group that we have seen all year. Our young fit and accomplished dancers Aisea Latu and Leki Jackson-Bourke led an intergenerational group of 60 people that ranged in
SUMMER KIDS DANCE JANUARY 2023
Summer School Holiday Pacific Dance program for 7-15 year olds in Auckland. FREE registrations
2023 PACIFIC DANCE FESTIVAL
Callouts for 2023 Pacific Dance NZ Festival are now open.
Branded Merchandise for the Season
Pacific Dance NZ is helping you will gift ideas for Xmas starting off with snazzy coffee mug and a drink bottle - easy presents. Shipping is additional and proceeds from the sale will go to administering our community programs. Processing pre-orders with delivery before Xmas week. Limited first-run orders - get in quick. /**/
TALENT: Mone Lakatani
By day Montyleigh (Mone) Lakatani works for the Waitakere Central library and juggles a sociology and Pacific studies degree. A true creative, Mone is active in the performing arts community and more notably in teaching, promoting and collaborating on a myriad of Pacific works. Mone enjoys performing and does not shy from the public with all his talents. He has performed in a choir, his own family band, Pasifika festivals and was also the music director for a siva academy. As a member of the Tupumaiaga A Niue Trust, Mone is facilitating the weekly workshops teaching Niuean dances Takalo and Tame
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Kia Ora,Mālō e lelei, Talofa lava, Taloha ni, Kia orana,Fakaalofa lahi atu, Namaste, Ni sa bula and warm Pacific greetings. The Pacific Dance New Zealand Digital Festival 2022 featured a combination of digital, virtual, and in-person shows and workshops. Our programme was packed with options, giving audiences the freedom to pick-n-choose what they would like to see and do in 2022. The safety of our audiences was of utmost importance, as was ensuring that artists were maximising opportunities to perform and share their creative works while utilising immersive technologies during the pandemic. Our very own dedicated festival channel operated as both as
Who is Sisi’uno Helu? – Cultural, Choreographer Extraordinaire
Sisi'uno Helu is the choreographer and director of the piece 'New Dawn - Aho'eitu'. Sisi'uno shares with us a little about who she is…. I went back to Tonga, after graduating from the Conservatorium of Music, Brisbane, in Australia. At 22 years old, I was made Director for ‘Atenisi Foundation for Performing Arts, (AFPA) at my father’s school, ‘Atenisi Institute. AFPA performed classical anthems, European opera and Tongan music and dance. At the end of 1996, AFPA started touring continuously until 2002. The tours were to New Zealand, Australia, Hawaii, California and Utah in the US and also to Fiji, Samoa and
MOANA Showcase – Tala Tupu’a
Tapa Tupu'a by Losaline Tupou features in our MOANA Showcase 2022. The piece was inspired by Losaline's grandparents, especially her grandma. She used to share bedtime stories to teach her the Tongan culture, networks, connections and why we do what we do. Losaline's grandmother made stories entertaining to target her grandchildren so they would be engaged. I chose the story of Hikule’o to create an opportunity to share the stage with all my sisters. We asked Losaline to use 5 power words to describe her short piece that features classics from the late HM Queen Salote (Loka Siliva) and Tuimalo Kalo
New dance reclaims old worlds
Lavinia Lovo has a question. Pacific peoples of all ability face challenges, she begins. So why are some identifying by physical disability first, Lovo asks, not cultural identity like most others Pasefika? “We have to stop identifying only by disability and start with culture,” she says to an audience of around 80 people, in July. Tightly-circled, that call was made at an event at Papaptoetoe town hall, hosted by YesDisability, PHAB Pacific and VakaTautua. “Without that identity, the culture is lost, and the message is lost.” Born with spina bifida just before the new millennium, Lovo is young enough as a youth leader to
Pacific Dance New Zealand 2022 Artist in Residence
Pacific Dance New Zealand's 2022 Artist in Residence is Tupumaiaga A Niue Trust. Omai Ke Koli Auloa, Siohooohoooe! Photo Credit: Raymond Sagapolutele The Tupumaiaga A Niue Trust are our 2022 Artist in Residence with a 9-week action-packed schedule that will cover all aspects of Niuean heritage arts, culture and dance with some of Niue’s finest masters. On the back of winning the Creative New Zealand Pacific Heritage Arts Award in 2021, the trust win is an acknowledgement of their work that has been established since 2007 to provide and promote Niuean cultural heritage workshops to Niue youth and families. It is also a recognition
The Transform Series II – ‘Epetoma o te reo Māori Kūki ‘Āirani 2022
This year’s theme for ‘Epetoma o te reo Māori Kūki ‘Āirani – Cook Islands Language Week is ‘Ātuitui’ia au ki te Oneone o tōku ‘Ui Tupuna which means, connect me to the soil of my ancestors. We release three new episodes in our Transform Series II 2022 featuring our Aotearoa based Cook Island artists. Pacific Dance NZ will release 3 unique episodes to make the annual Cook Islands Language Week program. The episodes were all filmed in 2021 navigating lockdowns and alert level changes. Featuring three Aotearoa based Cook Island artists using dance to share their stories of
WATCH ‘SHIFTING CENTRE’ by young creatives Sefa & Oto
'Shifting Centre' is an exploration of what Aotearoa would look like if Pacific Peoples were at the centre of the narrative in all facets of society. First developed in Le Moana's Measina Makers LAB 2021, the dance film merges street and contemporary dance to highlight the intrinsic excellence imbued within our Pasifika communities. A collaboration between Sefa Tunupopo & Oto Lupo, Shifting Centre highlights the intrinsic excellence imbued within our Polynesian people. Moulding street and contemporary dance, this piece presents an insight into a world of possibilities and what Aotearoa may look like if our Polynesian People were shifted from the margins to the centre. In