The Robin Hood of modern dance
Neil Ieremia, founder and leader of the Black Grace dance company, is a man on a mission. Actually, it’s probably more accurate to say several missions.
He’s passionate about maintaining his company’s position at the cutting edge of modern dance, and for his newest production – Paradise Rumour – to challenge our perceptions of the Pasifika-Kiwi experience. And he’s been on a 29-year mission to keep the wolf from the door of his organisation.
So as he speaks on a video call from the USA, where Paradise Rumour is playing five dates before its upcoming Christchurch debut, Ieremia’s mind is on the mission of fundraising.
“We make more money here in a month-long tour than we make in an entire year back home,” he says, contrasting the healthy state of the arts in the US with that in Aotearoa. If we didn’t have overseas touring, we wouldn’t be able to tour through New Zealand.”
Ieremia has much love for Black Grace’s American audiences, and their reaction to the recent Paradise Rumour show in Portland. “I went out to take a bow, and 2000 people were standing up,” he says. “It was incredible to see that kind of response.”
But he’s quite relaxed about relieving affluent American society of its disposable income. “The West has taken a lot out of the Pacific, so it’s time for us to go back and …” he trails off into laughter. “It’s the Robin Hood model, right?”
Reparations of a sort are at the core of Paradise Rumour, but more in the payback of recognition than money.
The piece encourages us to acknowledge the truth about the lies sold to people in Pacific islands from the 1950s onwards – the rumours of an Aotearoan paradise, used to tempt people across the ocean to address a labour shortage. A formal government apology in 2021 for the Dawn Raids – immigration operations which unfairly targeted Pasifika communities in mid-70s New Zealand – needled Ieremia into creating Paradise Rumour. “I asked myself the question, ‘How far have we really come since that moment?’ And I think probably not that far,” he says. Ieremia doesn’t want to put New Zealand down, “but I’m not blind, deaf and dumb,” he says. “There are some real challenges at the moment with everything that’s happening with the new Government.”
Hence the need for agitant art like Paradise Rumour.
When Ieremia and Black Grace are done robbing the rich to pay for the poor state of arts funding in New Zealand, they’ll be bringing Paradise Rumour to the Isaac Theatre Royal next Sunday.
“There’s an anger that’s driving it,” Ieremia says of the show, “tinged with hope for conciliation. The work that we make is just a small offering – my only means of protest, my only means of having a voice.”
During former French top model Caroline Lorinet’s international career modelling for magazines such as Vogue and working with the likes of Naomi Campbell, she experienced a severe skin reaction to skincare. The reaction was so severe it caused a disfigurement on her face.
This set her back personally, but Auckland-based Lorinet tells how that experience set her on a path to launching her own skincare brand.
Now, after 10 years of developing products and a radical rebrand, she is confident she has found the formula for a business that can make it on the global stage.
What has your venture set out to achieve?
I started the business after I repeatedly burned from skincare products on the market. One day I was in the Skin Institute to see the doctor because I had a rash and was allergic to products. The doctor gave me cream and I reacted again; I burned intensively on my face, and I burned so badly they had to inject steroids. I was red and flaky, and disfigured.
I was already passionate about skincare in my 20s because I’ve had very sensitive skin from the age of 25 during my modelling time. But in my mid 30s, about 10 years ago when this happened, I took the time to thoroughly research and I became fanatic about what ingredients we put on our skin, what products are made of and why we react.
Through that journey I decided to do my own skincare range, and I went to a few manufacturers and was very specific about what I wanted – something for really sensitive skin and actually did something; repaired the skin and had anti-ageing properties.
My brand first launched in 2014 under a different name. I made the journey from model to businesswoman and had to learn the hard way of developing a business and that you needed a lot of money for marketing, and I needed to learn how to make my product in a better way because my packaging and logo at that time was not unique enough. I struggled with that over the years, and when I arrived in New Zealand in 2019, I decided to rebrand completely, and improved my formulations.
I’m happy with where I am at because finally I broke through to the biggest retailers Smith & Caughey’s and Ballantynes. I remember with my previous brand I was refused by Smith & Caughey’s three times – so to reak through was a big achievement for me. My products are also sold in a spa and beauty salon and I’m growing slowly.
Being in Smith & Caughey’s and Ballantynes has opened a lot of doors.
How much time and money have you invested?
Time has been significant over the past 10 years and I’ve invested about $1 million into this business all up.
What’s the opportunity for your business?
Opportunity for business lies in expanding our product range to include the likes of SPF products and special oils. We have finalised a formulation for a moisturiser combined with glycolic acid. Other developments we are exploring is the possibility of branching into makeup and lipsticks derived in a similar manner, made especially for sensitive skin and formulated with active ingredients. We think there is scope for an entire beauty range of innovative skincare products designed specifically for sensitive skin.
In three years’ time you will be...
This year we are focused on properly establishing the brand and growing brand awareness. However, over the next year to two, we will be focused on growing the business in New Zealand and Australia. We also see an opportunity to go to Japan and Europe, and expand wider internationally. The plan for expansion for Australia is to get stocked by David Jones and Myers, and then expand to Mecca.
What’s your biggest lesson learnt?
I’ve had 10 years of lessons and learning about competition in the market, and that’s what made me rebrand. I’ve learnt through experience and falling down and getting back up again to be better. The past 10 years has essentially been my MBA. I had to devise a unique strategy that encapsulates the essence of the brand. The packaging now exudes a French influence, evoking a sense of fashion and sophistication, while the formulations draw inspiration from nature and New Zealand with the ingredients.
One thing you wish you’d known before starting?
I wish I had known the importance of prioritising marketing efforts. Initially, my sole focus was crafting the finest natural and organic products. However, I’ve come to realise it is equally crucial to incorporate promotional channels to effectively bring the range to market. Establishing a robust presence in the first two years post-launch lays a solid foundation for success.
Most helpful piece of advice you have ever received?
The most helpful piece of advice I have ever received came from multiple business owners from different industries and that is; conduct thorough competition analysis and ensure your packaging is unique to reflect the product. It is not enough to create exceptional products.
The Small Business Project shines the spotlight on Kiwi small businesses doing interesting and unusual things. If you would like to take part in The Small Business Project, email us at aimee.shaw@stuff.co.nz