The Pacific Dance Festival kicks off on 27 June in Auckland.
Pacific Dance NZ
Auckland’s Pacific Dance Festival is ‘merging two worlds’ in its final concert this month
The Pacific Dance Festival is a cultural kaleidoscope - a celebration of heritage, friendship, and cooperation.
As vibrant dances and thought-provoking performances are popping up throughout Tāmaki Makaurau this month, the highly-anticipated festival grand finale is gearing up for its biggest moment yet.
Contemporary dance artist Faivaeselopepe Anric M. Sitanilei (Toamua, Vavau, Vaovai, and Savaia - Sāmoa) said the festival highlights creative growth.
“It's a celebration of Pacific dance in its various forms and the evolution of Pacific dance that we find ourselves at here in New Zealand in 2024,” he told 531pi’s Pacific Days.
Faivaeselopepe is involved in the creative development and will perform in the festival’s annual wrap-up concert, Tolu, which means three in some Pacific languages.
“This year’s show intertwines Western musical elements with rhythmic Pacific arrangements, weaving a tapestry of culture and sound that bridges cultures through music.”
Faivaieselopepe said they are “merging two worlds”.
Experience the magic as the festival blends tradition with innovation, he added.
“It's the mixing of old songs from our elders of the Pacific with arrangements and instruments from a more classical background, a Western European classical background."
With the artistic fusion of three dancers from the Pacific Dance NZ collective, three Pacific musicians as well as the classical ensemble of NZTrio, the collaboration leans into the meaning of ‘tolu’.
It comes to life through the melodic mastery of pianist Somi Kim, violinist Amalia Hall, and Ashley Brown on the cello alongside guest musicians Niulala Helu, Helen Pahulu, and Alan Motufoua.
The piece is choreographed by the founder and director of PDNZ, Iosefa Enari.
When it comes to the creative process, Faivaeselopepe said Enari has a fluid approach that allows dancers to have creative contemporary interpretations of siva Sāmoa.
NZTrio's Somi Kim (piano), Ashley Brown (cello), Amalia Hall (violin) is renowned for its eclectic repertoire, outstanding talent and warm Kiwi stage presence. Photo/NZTrio
“He's super open to letting us figure out the look of the dances and… figure out what that exactly looks like on stage. So because it's classical music, it's not [a] traditional Sāmoan dance.
“Audiences might see movements that are quite unfamiliar to them, but it's about feeling that music rather than just learning an eight-step count.
"It's about trying to physically display what each dancer feels inside when they listen to this music.
“It's a very interesting process being someone who's not from this space, it's been a learning curve most definitely. But I am having so much fun along the way.”
“Aua e te tagi” by Dr Opeloge Ah Sam is set to bring a beautiful tapestry of diversity to the Pacific Dance Festival this June. Photo/PIDFT
Dr Opeloge Ah Sam lost his dad recently and his latest work “Aua e te tagi” is also part of the Pacific Dance Festival which is being performed at the Kerikeri's Turner Centre at 7pm tonight.
"Since my father’s passing a few weeks ago, I’ve been facing the challenges of grief and loss," he said.
The show promises to invite audiences on a "moving" journey that aims to celebrate the rich tapestry of Pacific culture through the universal language of music and movement.
"I express and share this experience through music and dance in my new show, Aua e te tagi, with this original work," he said.
"I hope others going through loss or grief find a connection or healing through it."
Aua e te tagi is showing at Kerikeri's Turner Centre, 7pm, click here for tickets.
TOLU is showing at Auckland’s Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre in Aotea Centre on 27 June.