PERRI EXETER | CHOREOGRAPHER/CREATOR/DANCER
is a Unitec Dance Graduate who has created work for Tempo Dance Festival and was the Judges and Audience Choice winner for Short and Sweet 2015. She currently is the Teacher In Charge of Dance at Rutherford College and recently won an award for Excellence in Dance Education.
is a Unitec Dance Graduate who has created work for Tempo Dance Festival and was the Judges and Audience Choice winner for Short and Sweet 2015. She currently is the Teacher In Charge of Dance at Rutherford College and recently won an award for Excellence in Dance Education.
JOASH FAHITUA | CHOREOGRAPHER/CREATOR
Joash Fahitua is of Samoan descent, is a PIPA graduate and performed around the world as a dancer with Black Grace Dance Company for four years. Joash has travelled to the USA to train with the Creator of Krump, Tight Eyez , and is developing his own Contemporary, Krump fusion style. He has since created work for Pacific Dance NZ and Tempo Dance Festival.
Joash Fahitua is of Samoan descent, is a PIPA graduate and performed around the world as a dancer with Black Grace Dance Company for four years. Joash has travelled to the USA to train with the Creator of Krump, Tight Eyez , and is developing his own Contemporary, Krump fusion style. He has since created work for Pacific Dance NZ and Tempo Dance Festival.
Georgia Elson started dancing at age 4, learning modern jazz, then ballet from the age of 8. She was eventually introduced to contemporary as a teen, and after high school, graduated with a BPSA majoring in Contemporary Dance from Unitec in 2015. She has since been freelancing, dancing with Trip The Light and performing with Encore, a cabaret dance entertainment show.
Renee Richards, 23, started dancing at the age of 5, doing Jazz, Ballet and Hip Hop. She has completed her Bachelor of Dance Studies (2015) and choreographed shows such as How We Tessellate at the Basement Theatre (2016) and Vacant.6 for the Auckland Fringe Festival (2017). Renee worked at a Performing Arts Camp in New York and recently competed at New Zealand National Hip Hop Championships, placing third, qualifying for HHI World Hip Hop Championships. She is currently completing her Honours in Dance Studies at the University of Auckland and, teaching junior dance at Rutherford College.
Riki Nofo’akifolau is a young mother of Tongan descent. She graduated from PIPA in 2012. This is her first time working with Trip The Light and it’s truly been an amazing experience.
Sione Fataua, Tongan. Sione has been dancing for 6 years. He was born in Auckland but raised in Christchurch and moved to Auckland in 2012 to study dance at Unitec, completing a Bachelor of Performing and Screen Arts. Since, he has been freelancing and has performed in shows in Wellington with Footnote, Tempo Dance Festival in Auckland, and Auckland University Dance Showcases.
Taitanyk Toniu, is a dancer from Otara, South Auckland and is of Niuean decent. He started as a Hip Hop dancer before studying contemporary dance at the University of Auckland Dance Studies Program. Currently completing his Postgraduate Diploma in Dance Studies, and has created work for Short and Sweet Festival and performed in Grounded Battle of the Arts, Tempo Dance Festival and Auckland Fringe.
Callum Sefo , is of Samoan and Scottish heritage and was raised in Porirua, Wellington. Callum completed a degree in Performing Arts at Whitireia Polytechnic and in 2013 joined Black Grace Dance Company for performances throughout North America and New Zealand. He has performed in numerous works throughout the last 5 years in countries such as South Korea, Scotland, Canada, France, Netherlands and Taiwan. He recently performed in Black Grace’s most recent work As Night Falls in April of this year as part of the New Zealand season.
Otis Donovan Herring , is a native of College Park,Georgia. He received his training and BFA from Howard University in Washington, D.C. under the late Dr. Sherrill Berryman Johnson. He moved to Brooklyn, New York to dance with Ronald K. Brown/Evidence, A Dance Company, Camille A. Brown & Dancers, and other distinguished companies and choreographers from 2007-2013. In 2013, Otis moved to Auckland, New Zealand to join Black Grace Dance company under the direction of Neil Ieremia. He has since performed throughout New Zealand and on international tours to Europe, South Korea and the USA. Independently, Otis choreographs, films, and teaches contemporary movement internationally. In addition to his dance career, Otis Herring became the first male instructor of ASA! an African dance fitness class in 2015. His latest venture has been modeling for the World of Wearable Art show (WOW) in Wellington, New Zealand.
Renee Richards, 23, started dancing at the age of 5, doing Jazz, Ballet and Hip Hop. She has completed her Bachelor of Dance Studies (2015) and choreographed shows such as How We Tessellate at the Basement Theatre (2016) and Vacant.6 for the Auckland Fringe Festival (2017). Renee worked at a Performing Arts Camp in New York and recently competed at New Zealand National Hip Hop Championships, placing third, qualifying for HHI World Hip Hop Championships. She is currently completing her Honours in Dance Studies at the University of Auckland and, teaching junior dance at Rutherford College.
Riki Nofo’akifolau is a young mother of Tongan descent. She graduated from PIPA in 2012. This is her first time working with Trip The Light and it’s truly been an amazing experience.
Sione Fataua, Tongan. Sione has been dancing for 6 years. He was born in Auckland but raised in Christchurch and moved to Auckland in 2012 to study dance at Unitec, completing a Bachelor of Performing and Screen Arts. Since, he has been freelancing and has performed in shows in Wellington with Footnote, Tempo Dance Festival in Auckland, and Auckland University Dance Showcases.
Taitanyk Toniu, is a dancer from Otara, South Auckland and is of Niuean decent. He started as a Hip Hop dancer before studying contemporary dance at the University of Auckland Dance Studies Program. Currently completing his Postgraduate Diploma in Dance Studies, and has created work for Short and Sweet Festival and performed in Grounded Battle of the Arts, Tempo Dance Festival and Auckland Fringe.
Callum Sefo , is of Samoan and Scottish heritage and was raised in Porirua, Wellington. Callum completed a degree in Performing Arts at Whitireia Polytechnic and in 2013 joined Black Grace Dance Company for performances throughout North America and New Zealand. He has performed in numerous works throughout the last 5 years in countries such as South Korea, Scotland, Canada, France, Netherlands and Taiwan. He recently performed in Black Grace’s most recent work As Night Falls in April of this year as part of the New Zealand season.
Otis Donovan Herring , is a native of College Park,Georgia. He received his training and BFA from Howard University in Washington, D.C. under the late Dr. Sherrill Berryman Johnson. He moved to Brooklyn, New York to dance with Ronald K. Brown/Evidence, A Dance Company, Camille A. Brown & Dancers, and other distinguished companies and choreographers from 2007-2013. In 2013, Otis moved to Auckland, New Zealand to join Black Grace Dance company under the direction of Neil Ieremia. He has since performed throughout New Zealand and on international tours to Europe, South Korea and the USA. Independently, Otis choreographs, films, and teaches contemporary movement internationally. In addition to his dance career, Otis Herring became the first male instructor of ASA! an African dance fitness class in 2015. His latest venture has been modeling for the World of Wearable Art show (WOW) in Wellington, New Zealand.
Photo Credit: Jinki Cambrenero