‘Silent Protest’: Faith Schuster on dance company Black Grace's historic double bill

One of Aotearoa New Zealand’s top Pacific-led contemporary dance companies is entering its fourth decade with a historic double bill, and dancer Fuaao Tutulu Faith Schuster is at the centre of this moment.

This Friday, Black Grace will premiere If Ever There Was A Time, a brand-new show by Neil Ieremia ONZM, the Founding Artistic Director, alongside Esplanade, a seminal masterpiece by Paul Taylor, a legendary American choreographer.

The pairing marks a historic double bill celebrating Black Grace’s three decades of pioneering contemporary dance and the 50th anniversary Esplanade.

For Schuster, who was born and raised in Sāmoa and hails from the villages of Nofoali’i and Satuiatua, the occasion is deeply significant.

“It’s definitely hard, I’m not going to lie,” she tells PMN News. “However, it is the biggest privilege and honour to be a part of this double bill.”

Black Grace is the first New Zealand company ever licensed to perform Taylor’s work, a milestone that reflects both global respect and long-standing cultural bridges built under Ieremia’s guidance.

Ieremia describes If Ever There Was A Time as deeply rooted in universal connection.

“My new work is to do with some universal truths,” he says in a statement. “It’s about the things that we have in common and the things that connect us rather than the things that divide us.

“At times it’s a desperate lament, a pulsating charge, a soaring prayer of praise. This is my personal protest, my quiet revolution.”

Schuster’s first ever dance teacher was her grandmother, and she grew up performing siva Sāmoa for tourists at a resort in Satuiatua. After moving to Aotearoa, she discovered street dancing, which eventually led her to the contemporary dance scene.

Schuster says that dance is her natural form of expression. She joined Black Grace in 2021 after a friend invited her to participate in a project while she was freelancing.

Describing Ieremia as deeply understanding of a dancer’s journey, Schuster believes he is “a rarity” and she is inspired by how he continues to push boundaries through creative expression.

“He (Ieremia) really encourages us dancers to be as open and honest with ourselves in order to collaborate with him. If Ever There Was A Time is really his silent protest to what's been going on, not only in the world, but also in our backyard.

The creative process has been especially resonant for Schuster, adding that it has been both “confronting” and “eye-opening”.

“It's definitely elevated my way of thinking of not only what I surround myself with in the world, but also personally as well.”

Watch Fuaao Tutulu Faith Schuster's full interview below.

In contrast, she describes Esplanade as “a beautiful mirror to everyday life, humans, and relationships”.

Her long-term goal is to create pathways for young Pacific dancers. Drawing from her own life’s experience, she hopes to encourage more aspiring artists to make an impact.

Schuster speaks about the depth and intelligence behind dance, explaining how Pacific audiences can benefit from seeing Pacific-created contemporary work.

“I think what people underestimate, and especially our people too, is that dancing is not just about movement,” she says. “That's the beauty of working with Neil is that he shows us through his creative process that it's more than just movement.

Black Grace Double Bill premieres at Auckland's The Civic theatre on 21 November. Photo/Facebook

“He likes to say that art is an imitation of life, and life is art. Just like our people back in the old ways, we were doing that through dance, singing, siva, [and] chanting.”

Across both works, Schuster hopes audiences feel free to interpret the performance in their own way, suggesting that the costume designs could be a highlight for some.

“Dance is for everyone, Black Grace is for Aotearoa New Zealand and especially our Pasifika people…works they’ve produced are for us, by us.

“I hope that everybody sees a bit of themselves in the work and can connect with it in any way, shape or form, whether it is the dancing, the stage, the lights, or even the music."

Black Grace performs its Double Bill at The Civic in Auckland on Friday 21 November, before travelling to Christchurch for shows at the Isaac Theatre Royal on 25 and 26 November. Find tickets here.