K3 Hamburg

Aloali'i Tapu

MANU MALO

A debris of memories reveals the accumulation of community and the evolution of language from the tongue through the body. In the Pacific, this language often mimics its climate – dancing and speaking in the rhythm of nature’s song, sitting close to the earth, holding trees close to the chest or listening to the ocean wash dreams ashore. Aloali’i Tapu enters the stage with family, friends and guests to create a new performance of memory, dreaming and coexisting. Between dreams and imaginings, the performers return to an origin that is undefined, remembering the history they are bringing to Hamburg, and search for a moment of being one before being the Other.

^{Director: Aloali´i Tapu | Light, Stage: Sean Curham | Costume: Tori Manley-Tapu | Mechanical wing construction: John Joplin | Composition: Eden Mulholland, John Vaifale aka Happy Feet, Villa LemanuProject and tour management: Sasha Gibb | Choreography, Performance: Folasaitu Meki Tapu, Gifty Lartey, Jahra Wasasala, Joshua Faleatua, Ken Vaega, Ooshcon Masseurs, Seidah Tuaoi, Talili Manley-Tapu, Tyler Carney-Faleatua, Aloali´i Tapu}

Information about the event

Aloali'i Tapu

is a Samoan stage, design and dance artist from New Zealand. As a mentor and youth worker, he was involved in the street dance community and did community work. He studied contemporary dance at UNITEC (NZ). Tapus collaboration with Berlin-based choreographer Christoph Winkler lead to the win in the category of “Best dancer” at the “Faust” award for their bio-pic solo Urban Soul Café. He is a co-founder of Ta'alili Dance Company, which has had a profound impact on the perception of contemporary dance in New Zealand. Within his own productions he collaborates with Pacific artists with street and Island dance expertise.

During the K3 residency (season 22/23), Aloali'i Tapu will explore and deconstruct his identity within the dance scene. His interest lies in continueing his research about being described as “other” due his upbringing in a samoan home, his appearance and his language within the dance community. In Hamburg his work will revolve around connecting diasporic communities that fall under that same judgement.

A Production by Aloali’i Tapu, in co-produktion with K3 | Tanzplan Hamburg and Pacific Dance NZ.

Funded by: