DANCE-2017

Choreographers Renee Sharp (Wellington, NZ) & Mele Taeiloa, Seidah Tuaoi (Auckland, NZ)
Independent Dance Company Two and a Half Brownies

Seidah Tuaoi, Renee Sharp and Mele Taeiloa make up Two and a Half Brownies, the most delicious baked trio to come out of the NZ street dance scene. Individually, the brownies are members of various scenes in the street dance community. From krumping to locking, freestyle battling to choreography, the brownies have competed and showcased on both a national and international stage. As a trio, the brownies goal is to create works that are always fresh out of the oven by having a point of difference where we value creativity above all else.

Renee Sharp
Mele Taeiloa
Seidah Tuaoi

Choreographer Xavier Breed (Auckland, NZ)
Independent Dance Company Breeds Works

Xavier is an emerging choreographer currently studying postgraduate dance at the University of Auckland. Xavier has trained in modern dance in Seoul, South Korea, has been in award winning pieces for Short n Sweet, been a part of various festivals nationally and internationally such as TEMPO dance festival and the Macau International Dance Festival. In 2016, Xavier was awarded People’s Choice Award for his work WOMBMEN and the DANZ Emerging Choreohrapher Mentorship Award at Short n Sweet Dance Festival. He is back again with 2 more works using talented students from UNITEC dance and the University of Auckland Dance Studies department. During the festival, Xavier will depart for Taiwan where he will commence Masters of Choreography and Dance Education training and study at Taipei National University of Arts in Taiwan while doing research and other works.

Abi Jones
Atalya Loveridge
Fenjay Sapon
Ittichai Thuma
Natasha Van Etten
Oliver Carruthers
William Boquiron
Holly Thompson

Choreographer Xavier Breed (Auckland, NZ)
Independent Dance Company Breeds Works

Xavier is an emerging choreographer currently studying postgraduate dance at the University of Auckland. Xavier has trained in modern dance in Seoul, South Korea, has been in award winning pieces for Short n Sweet, been a part of various festivals nationally and internationally such as TEMPO dance festival and the Macau International Dance Festival. In 2016, Xavier was awarded People’s Choice Award for his work WOMBMEN and the DANZ Emerging Choreohrapher Mentorship Award at Short n Sweet Dance Festival. He is back again with 2 more works using talented students from UNITEC dance and the University of Auckland Dance Studies department. During the festival, Xavier will depart for Taiwan where he will commence Masters of Choreography and Dance Education training and study at Taipei National University of Arts in Taiwan while doing research and other works.

Alaina Te Rore
Ankaramy Fepuleai
Moana Te Hei, Natalia Ioane
Ngatau Leaf
Semira Mariner
Syrai Taumihau
Ayden Smith
Chas Samoa
Denyce Davis
George David
Jireh Lalotoa-Peniata
Melissa Sripromma,

Choreographers Caitlin Davey, Maddy Powell & Sarah-Louise Collins (Auckland, NZ)
Independent Dance Company Made with Magic Productions

Caitlin, Maddy and Sarah-Louise graduated Unitec in 2015. Since then they have been involved in dance works such as, Fabricate, White Light Falls, Catacular, and Rushes (Choreographed by Malia Johnston). They all dance and choreograph collectively for this work, which is a new experience for the three of them together.

Caitlin Davey
Maddy Powell
Sarah-Louise Collins

Choreographer Emma Cosgrave (Auckland, NZ)

Emma Cosgrave is currently in her third and final year studying a Bachelor of Dance Studies at the University of Auckland. Her interest in the performing arts began in Jazz and continued on with Contemporary and Ballet. Emma has worked with a range of choreographers through her time of study, including but not limited to Sarah Foster-Sproull, Sarah Knox, Taane Mete, Taiaroa Royal and Natalie Maria Clark. During her time, Emma has become increasingly passionate about choreography and contemporary dance.

Emma Cosgrave

Choreographer Gemma-Jayde Naidoo (Auckland, NZ)

Gemma-Jayde Naidoo is a 3rd year Dance Studies student at the University of Auckland. A passionate and innovative dancer and choreographer, who strives to continuously explore and develop ideas through movement. As a choreographer Gemma-Jayde draws from the many dance genres she has trained in, in an attempt to create a distinctive and complex movement vocabulary, that challenges the dancer to convey thematic choreography with a range of dynamics and musicality. Most recently Gemma-Jayde has choreographed a work that has been selected to go on tour to China with the University of Auckland.

Gemma-Jayde Naidoo

Choreographer Odessa Grayson (Auckland, NZ)

Odessa is a 3rd year Dance Studies student at the University of Auckland. Odessa has choreographed a 9 dancer choreography in 2016 called “Child Man Child”. This piece was then selected to be developed and performed on an international scale; performing on behalf of the University of Auckland in China this year. Odessa likes to create pieces that are quirky and unique; combining characters, stories and stylistic movement to create her own unique choreography.

Jared Peeters
Anna Ennis

Choreographer Gemma-Jayde Naidoo (Auckland, NZ)
Independent Dance Company BosSHE Dance Collective

BosSHE is an all female performance collective. We create and perform works around the female culture, exploring the ideas of female identity and relationships within the female community through the medium of dance and voice. BosSHE is made up of 8 powerful performers with a range of performance backgrounds. These performers work in collaboration with choreographer and founder, Gemma-Jayde Naidoo. The team are current students and graduates of the Dance Studies program at the University of Auckland.

Keyana Fuiava
Keretina Hakaraia
Hannah Elley
Phoebe Lee-Churr
Maria Princess Lealiiee
Renee Wiki
Kisha September
Liv Martin

Choreographer Taitanyk Toniu (Auckland, NZ)

Taitanyk Toniu, 21, grew up in Otara, South Auckland with a Hip Hop Background before beginning his Dance Studies Bachelors Degree at the University of Auckland. He is now currently completing his Postgraduate Diploma in Dance Studies.



In 2016, he had the opportunity to perform and teach overseas in China (Beijing, Shanghai and Suzhou) as well as Macau representing the University of Auckland as well as recently teaching in South Korea in 2017. He also performed in the Short+Sweet Dance Festival, and was very fortunate to receive the Wallace Arts Trust Outstanding Emerging Artist Award.



This is his first choreographic piece in a professional dance industry and is very excited to see where his future is headed.

Renee Richards
Taitanyk Toniu

Choreographer Jay Richmond (Auckland, NZ)

Al-Gervahn Richmond ( Jay ). I am an emerging choreographer at 20 years of age based in West Auckland. I am a full blooded Niuean and have been dancing for 5 years now. A little bit about my dance background – I was offered a full-time scholarship to train over in Melbourne, Australia at The Edge Performers School where I committed myself to two years of fulltime training and graduating with The Edge Performers School Certificate in dance performance (2015) and The Edge Performers School Diploma in Dance performance (2016) . Melbourne offered me an opportunity to be versatile, not only was I trained in the technical elements of Ballet, Jazz, Contemp. I also involved myself in musical theatre, tap, singing, acting and acrobatics. Being a hip hop boy, the struggle to adapt was real but I managed, survived and loved what I gained in the end.

Renee Wiki
Jayme Aylish Scott
Sunny Sun,