Connecting Pasifika through dance

When Leilani-Grace Tonu’u performs in Saturday’s Moana Showcase, she will carry the aspirations of her Pacific ancestors with her.

The 21-year-old student says it is her grandparents and aiga, who made the journey across the moana to Aotearoa New Zealand from Samoa decades before, that motivates her to accomplish her dream to perfect her art form.

Having danced and performed all her life in cultural and church spaces, Leilani-Grace has followed her passion, and is currently in her second year of Contemporary Dance studies at Unitec in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.

Leilani-Grace acknowledges the decision her grandparents made to migrate to New Zealand for the betterment of their family, and the challenges they faced in doing so.

“I choose to honour those choices and always strive to do my best,” Leilani-Grace says.

Surrounded by diverse artists in a safe space, Unitec has enabled her creativity to flourish, and over the past six months, she has choreographed Of Change, alongside her peer Juelz Silulu.

“Of Change explores ideas that Juelz and I have been developing, and together we have attempted to convey the duality of connection and disruption through contemporary dance vocabulary … we are making new discoveries as we explore conflict between bodies, space and internal landscapes.”

Moana Showcase, part of the 2024 Pacific Dance Festival, is all about connection – and how the vast blue moana connects us all – and pays tribute to the abundant cultures throughout the Pacific.

An annual feature of the Pacific Dance Festival, this year’s Moana Showcase not only shines a spotlight on the Unitec dance students, but the exceptional talents of an all-female choreographic lab cohort of Lagi Hogue, Paige Mowbray, and Jenna Te Ariki.

These emerging dance creatives are at the forefront of Pacific dance, weaving together stories of ancestors, lands, and shared dreams into their groundbreaking works.

The Pacific Dance Festival is a light of cultural celebration, spotlighting the dynamic and evolving world of Pacific dance, taking place in Auckland throughout June.

It serves as a vibrant platform for established and emerging artists to connect with audiences, share their stories, and showcase the richness of Pacific dance forms.

By fostering a deep appreciation for our traditions and contemporary expressions, the festival strengthens the bonds that unite us as a Pacific family, and the shared connection of the moana.

Moana Showcase is at 7pm on Saturday (June 15), at Māngere Arts Centre. Visit Eventfinda to purchase tickets.