International choreographer to attend Pacific Dance Fono
Papua New Guinean Australian choreographer, Julia Mage’au Gray, will be the featured guest artist at this year’s Pacific Dance Fono in Manukau.
Moving between traditional and contemporary worlds through dance is the theme of this year’s national fono.
Being held at three venues as part of Manukau Festival of Arts 09, the fono will be a national gathering of Pacific dance practitioners between 2 and 14 November.
Following humble beginnings in 2006, the fono now encompasses two major components in addition to Ms Mage’au’s attendance. A choreographic lab will provide three selected choreographers with a studio, a mentor, dancers and funds to develop a new dance work.
The two-day fono programme will feature master dance classes in various Polynesian dance forms, a hip hop dance workshop, a series of panel discussions, professional development workshops and presentation of three new works.
“I had always wanted the fono to be able to provide capacity building capabilities for the Pacific community and now it can, through the choreographic lab,” says Sefa Enari, director of the fono.
“The inclusion of our international guest choreographer is also a sign of the outreach and network capabilities of the sector.”
Leisa Siteine, manager of Manukau Arts, is pleased to see the fono being held in Manukau for the first time. “Manukau is brimming with Pacific culture and knowledge and it’s exciting to see traditional and contemporary dance being explored and developed during Manukau Festival of Arts.”
The Pacific Dance Fono is presented by Manukau City Council in partnership with DANZ (Dance Aotearoa New Zealand), as well as the newly formed Pacific Islands Dance Forum, along with sponsorship from Creative New Zealand.
Pacific choreographers and dancers are invited to apply for the choreographic lab and complete a ‘call for submissions’ form.
What: Pacific Dance Fono 09
When: Workshop Programme 13 - 14 November
Final Showing: 14 November, 6.30pm (free entry)
Where: Metro Theatre (Mangere East Hall), 351 Massey Road, Mangere East, Manukau
Price: $30 one day, $50 two days. Registration fee is for workshops only.
Bookings: Phone 09 815 5772 or email fono@danz.org.nz
What: Choreographic Lab
When: 2 – 13 November, Monday – Friday, 10am – 3pm
Where: Metro Theatre, Mangere East; Nathan Homestead Theatre, Manurewa; and Otara Music Arts Centre, Otara
Entry: Free (Public viewing by arrangement only.)
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Arts Auckland SouthArts and Culture South is a unit of Auckland Council. We run arts centres, exhibitions, events and classes through Auckland South.
Our centres include Nathan Homestead (Manurewa) Otara Music Arts Centre and Fresh Gallery Otara, Mangere Arts Centre - Nga Tohu o Uenuku, Metro Theatre (Mangere), Papakura Gallery and Hawkins Theatre (Papakura).
Our Arts Centres run a busy schedule of community arts activities including exhibitions by local artists, classes, holiday programmes, concerts, competitions and events.
We have two arts co-ordinators devoted to Maori Arts and Pacific Arts. Nigel Borell, Toi O Manukau Kaiwhakahaere - Maori Arts Coordinator, runs Toi o Manukau's Waitangi Day Family Celebrations and coordinates Matariki events in South Auckland. Ema Tavola, Pacific Arts Coordinator and Manager of Fresh Gallery Otara, runs the annual Pacific Arts Summit and associated events. Both coordinators play an active role in the arts community as artists, mentors and supporters of the arts.
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