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PACIFIC DANCE FONO 200930th November 2009
The Pacific Dance Fono 2009 was a national gathering of Pacific dance practitioners held in Manukau City, 2 - 14 November 2009. An important part of the dance programme of the Manukau Festival of Arts 09 it was also an event of national significance.
"Now in its third year, the Pacific Dance Fono has come of age" said director Sefa Enari. From its humble beginnings in 2006, the event has grown to encompass three major components: a choreographic lab, an international guest choreographer and dance classes for the public in various Pacific dance forms.
Julia Mage'au Gray, director of Sunameke Productions in Darwin Australia, presented workshops in Papua New Guinea dance and mentored New Zealand choreographers. South Auckland based, Samoan dance choreographer Keneti Muaiava set the fono theme 'how do we move between the traditional and contemporary worlds in our dance?'.
Manukau City Council and DANZ (Dance Aotearoa New Zealand) were major partners in the Fono. Creative New Zealand funded the choreographic lab and DANZ Pacific dance development project. The newly formed Pacific Island Dance Forum provided support and advice in planning the fono. The committee members - Associate Professor 'Okusitino Mahina, JR Pereira, Marjorie Boaza, Sene Falakoa, Albert Traill and Ben Taufua - represent Samoa, Niue, Cook Island, Fiji, Tonga and Tokelau cultures, with a shared vision: Keeping the culture alive through song and dance.
The fono also had support from Tempo, NZ's Festival of Dance, who are interested in further supporting the choreographers in 2010, as well as the Pacific Islands Business Trust who will deliver the all important business end of dance making and promotion for Pasifika artists.
"I am thrilled with the development of the fono and in particular the calibre of partners and supporters for the event" said Enari. "I had always wanted the fono to be able to provide capacity building capabilities for the Pacific communities and now, through the choreographic lab, it can. The inclusion of our guest dance instructor is also a sign of the outreach and network capabilities of the NZ Pasifika sector."
For further information on Pacific Dance support email Sefa Enari
More dance events are listed in the DANZ Diary
Photo: Tangaroa College, Photography by Evotia Tamua Thompson
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