Pacific Dance Festival 2016

PACIFIC DANCE FESTIVAL 2016

A new festival brings Pacific contemporary dance to the floor at Mangere Arts Centre (June 13 – June 18) bringing to fruition an idea years in development by Pacific Dance New Zealand.

“The festival is New Zealand’s first contemporary Pacific dance festival of its type and showcases some of the country’s most exciting contemporary Pacific dance choreographers,” says festival director Iosefa Enari.

Bringing together an array of choreographers who have previously taken part in the *Pacific Dance Choreographic Laboratory (2009 – 2015), the festival provides an opportunity for the artists involved to take previously devised works from ‘the lab’ and re-present them in developed form.

“It is also a wonderful opportunity for audiences to familiarise themselves with the incredible diversity of performance out there,” iterates Enari.

The artists include: Justin Haiu (2009 ChoreoLab), Tupua Tigafua (2012 ChoreoLab), Nikki Upoko (2013 Choreolab), Katerina Fatupaito (2014 Choreolab), Leki Bourke (2014 Choreolab), Hadleigh Pouesi (2015 Choreolab) and Jahra Wasasala (2015 Choreolab).

A special guest performance by Julia Mage’au Gray of Sunameke Dance (first mentor to the lab 2009) brings an international flavour to the festival, incorporating Papua New Guinean dance and video narrative. Audiences who may be used to Polynesian dance expressions have an opportunity to experience contemporary Melanesian dance in this special edition piece entitled Wearing My Map.

Also on at the festival will be a special performance of Fatu na Toto, the greatly successful show by Le Moana and Tupe Lualua (Pacific Dance Artist in Residence 2013). This show sold out in its Auckland and Wellington seasons last time it toured and will also travel to the San Diego International Fringe Fest in 2016. This is a chance for Auckland audiences who missed it the first time around to catch it before it leaves our shores.

Coinciding with the world of dance on the floor is an exhibition of Pacific dance costumes, which will be on display in the exhibition halls of the centre.

“This exhibition will show costume wear, head dresses and other adornments from a variety of Pacific traditions and presents audiences another avenue in which to connect with Pacific dance,” explains Enari.

The festival showcase will give audiences both familiar and unfamiliar with the breadth of work in the contemporary Pacific dance sphere an insight into the world and joy of Pacific Dance in one place and one week of fabulous dance. Don’t miss out.

*The Pacific Dance Choreographic Laboratory has been running annually since 2009 and gives up-and-coming Pacific choreographers the opportunity to create, develop and perform original dance works.

You can find more information about the Pacific Dance Festival 2016 at
www.pacificdance.co.nz

ENDS

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