Latest news with #PacificDance
RNZ News
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
The founders of dynamic Kia Mau and Pacific Dance New Zealand Festivals
This month welcomes two contemporary indigenous performing arts festivals which have established themselves as cornerstones of the presentation of new work from Aotearoa and across the Pacific. Deeply embedded in the scene they are leaders in premiering exciting new works, developing our Pacific talent and bringing artists from across Te-Moana-a-kiwa together. Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland has for 15 years hosted the Pacific Dance Festival. It's the work of the Pacific Islands Dance Fono Trust, who champion the growth and visibility of Pacific dance in Aotearoa. The festival opened last night at Māngere Arts Centre - Ngā Tohu o Uenuku,.and runs through till June 19. In Pōneke, Wellington Kia Mau Festival is now 10 years old and this year has a diverse programme of 28 performing arts works. It opened last weekend and runs through until June 14. Susana Leia'taua with Culture101 welcomes the founders and artistic directors of both festivals for talanoa: from Kia Mau, Hone Kouka and Mīria George, and from Pacific Dance New Zealand Iosefa Enari.
RNZ News
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
Australian first nations performance comes to Festivals
This next fortnight sees the visit of indigenous performers to Aotearoa from across Te Moana Nui a kiwa -the Pacific Ocean. They are presenting works at two established contemporary festivals - Pacific Dance New Zealand in Tamaki Makaurau Auckland, and Kia Mau in Poneke Wellington. These festvials are also providing a special opportunity to bring together in Aotearoa First Nations performance from Australia. Performance has a long political and storytelling history in Australia. Over at least 65,000 years with 100s of tribes and languages, stories have been passed down. And the contemporary scene is equally diverse, and alive to future potentials and the opportunities of the present. Joining Culture 101 arethree artists from three different Pacific connected states. In Naarm Melbourne a member of collective A Daylight Connection, Carly Sheppard of the Wallangamma and Takalaka Tribes of Northern Queensland. From Wiradjuri country in New South Wales Vicki Van Hout and from Burleigh Heads, Minjungbal, Wiradjuri and Ni-vanuatu dancer Thomas ES Kelly of Karul Projects. Thomas ES Kelly's Kuramanunya is at Te Pou theatre in Tamaki Makaurau 8-9 June as part of Pacific Dance New Zealand Festival.
