Roll up, roll up: Circus school on show at Māori theatre and performers’ open day

Circus performing students from Te Kura Maninirau, from left, Paku Fernandez, Te Rongopai Curreen-Tukiwaho and Charlize Ross. Photo / Supplied

Two professional performing arts companies – Te Pou Theatre, the home of Māori theatre in Auckland, and The Dust Palace, New Zealand’s leading circus theatre company – are combining forces for a Māori Performing Arts Open Day to showcase their work and introduce a circus school for young Māori artists called Te Kura Maninirau.

“The purpose of the open day is to give our community an opportunity to engage with the arts and explore it as a viable vocation and to encourage our rangatahi to develop their interest in the arts, especially as circus performers,” says Tainui Tukiwaho, the co-founder of Te Pou Theatre.

“Both companies have been open long enough and done enough different types of shows that our community has had a chance to get a sense of what we do and hopefully we have piqued some interest.”

The Māori Performing Arts Open Day is a free event on Saturday, June 24 at Te Pou Theatre in West Auckland from 11am.

It will include kai, a DJ and many of the performing arts showcased by both Te Pou Theatre and The Dust Palace, including circus and acrobatic acts, and appearances from the cast members of Kōpū, Te Pou Theatre’s last show which showcased the singing and acting talents of wāhine Māori.

Māori circus performer and juggler, Mark Williams. Photo / Supplied

The day will also feature seminars from Māori musicians, Mohi Allen and Brady Peeti, a poi workshop led by group members of former Te Matatini champions, Te Roopū Manutaki and a contemporary dance demonstration from Kura Te Ua from HawaikiTū.

Tukiwaho, of Tūhoe and Te Arawa, says the day is for whānau to connect and participate in the array of performance arts offered by Te Pou Theatre and The Dust Palace.

“It’s never too late to take part in the arts, if it’s for fun, for a job or everything in between,” he says.

The Open Day is also an opportunity for Te Pou Theatre and The Dust Palace to highlight their other joint venture – Te Kura Maninirau – the first kaupapa Māori circus school in Aotearoa. A special performance from Te Māwhaiwhai, the youth circus company, will be one of the highlights.

Māori juggler and circus performer, Mark Williams of Ngāpuhi, is a kaiako at the kura and says the open day will showcase his work in the circus industry as well as celebrate all things Māori.

“It’s rare that I’m able to put my energy into something that focuses on combining the Māori and circus cultures. It’s part of my story and history.

“Circus performance is an evolving artform. It’s great that it’s moving into this Māori cultural space.”

The Māori Performing Arts Open Day is at Te Pou Theatre, Corban Estate Arts Centre, West Auckland on Saturday, June 24 from 11am -3pm.