Manukau Fono Celebrates Pacific Dance in Aotearoa/New Zealand

The Pacific Dance Fono, now in its third year, is one of the exciting attractions at the 2009 Manukau Arts Festival. The fono is a forum which provides capacity building, exposure and development for the Pacific Island dance community. The fono is to be held over two days, with a programme of practical workshops, panel discussions including a hip hop dance forum and master dance classes in Polynesian and Melanesian dance forms. The international guest artist for 2009 is Julia Mage’au Gray, director of Sunameke Productions, a Pacific Island performance group based in Darwin, Australia. Three new Pacific dance works will be developed as part of the Choreographic Lab, held during the preceding two weeks. The fono concludes with the launch of the new dance works in a special public performance. The Choreographic Lab will be held across three venues and is open for observation – a great learning opportunity for dancers, choreographers as well as teachers and students of dance. The event runs from 2 to 13 November 2009, Monday-Friday, 10 am-3 pm, at the Metro Theatre, Mangere East; Nathan Homestead Theatre, Manurewa; Otara Music Arts Centre, Otara. For more information ph (09) 815 5772 or email fono@danz.org.nz. The fono is presented by the Manukau City Council in partnership with DANZ and the Pacific Islands Dance Forum, with funding from Creative New Zealand.