Kerikeri to host Pacific dance event

Kerikeri’s Turner Centre is to be the only venue outside of Auckland to host an event from this year’s Pacific Dance Festival.

The Pacific Dance Festival 2024 takes place next month in various venues across Auckland, and one show at the Turner Centre in Kerikeri on June 13. That event is Aua E Te Tagi, created by Dr Opeloge Ah Sam, who is credited with writing the first original Samoan opera.

He particularly focuses on bringing Pacific narratives to the stage.

Aua is described as a blend of music, dance, and storytelling “showcasing the vibrancy of Pacific culture and the transformative power of the arts.” It is about a “journey through the rollercoaster of emotions we experience as human beings” and “exploring the innocence of youth to the complexities of love, from finding our identity, to dealing with loss and grief.”

Festival director Iosefa Enari says the full dance festival offers a range of events “from classical Pacific melodies to contemporary choreography, from ancestral storytelling to visions of the future, there is something for everyone to enjoy. “We are thrilled to present such a diverse and dynamic line-up for this year’s festival.”

The Turner Centre will play host to Aua for an 11.30am matinee and a 6pm show.