Tupe Lualua

MNZM
NationalityNew Zealander
EducationWhitireia
Occupation(s)Director, dancer, choreographer, producer, performer, actor, tutor, lecturer
Organization(s)Measina Festival, Le Moana
Websitehttps://www.lemoanaarts.com/measina-2022

Tupe Lualua MNZM is a New Zealand-Samoan choreographer, director, founder of the dance company Le Moana.[1] She is also the current artistic director and producer for the Measina Festival, and award winning choreographer Tupua Tigafua.[2][3] In 2019 Lualua was the Creative New Zealand Samoa Artist in Residence.[4]

Biography

Lualua studied performing arts at Whitireia New Zealand and Victoria University of Wellington.[5] She founded a dance company called Le Moana, which creates 'Pacific contemporary dance and theatre'.[6] Le Moana has performed at the Pacific Dance New Zealand Festival in Auckland, the San Diego International Fringe Festival and in Samoa.[5][7][8][9]

Prior to founding Le Moana Lualua managed the Waka Ura Cultural Dance Company (2005 -2008)[10] which won the Emerging Artist Award at the Arts Pasfika Awards in 2007. As a maker and performer her work includes Poly-Zygotic (2009)[11] devised by and featuring, Tupe Lualua, Taofi Mose-Tuiloma & Asalemo Tofete[12] and the Pacific Island musical The Factory (2011).[11][13] The Factory was proposed by one reviewer to be 'The Great Kiwi Musical' and was first presented at the Mangare Arts Centre with many well-known artists involved produced by the Kila Kokonut Krew.[14] Written by Vela Manusaute, directed by Manusaute and Anapela Polataivano and composed by Poulima Salima with choreography by Siaosi Mulipola and design by Sean Coyle it is said to be the New Zealand’s first Pacific Island musical.[15][16] Lualua played one of the machinists at the clothing 'factory'.[14]

In 2013 Lualua devised and directed Fatu na Toto reflecting her experience of growing up in Porirua, Wellington. It premiered at the New Zealand Fringe Festival and went on to the Tempo Dance Festival.[17] In 2015 Lualua wrote and directed the dance theatre production 1918 about the Spanish Influenza pandemic in Samoa, collaborating with Andy Faiaoga as choreographer.[18][19]

The Measina Festival was started in 2014 by Lualua's company Le Moana to showcase contemporary Pacific dance and theatre.[20][2][21] In 2017 Lualua directed Watercress Tuna and the Children of Champion Street at the festival based on the children’s story by Patricia Grace with 70 students from Cannon’s Creek School and choreographers Tehau Winitana, Oriwa Mitchell and Sophia Uele.[22]

In 2020, Lualua featured as one of several artists in The Transform Series, distributed digitally by Pacific Dance.[23] Lualua shared her knowledge regarding the political history of Samoa, and how this connects to the performances of the Ma'ulu'ulu and Taualuga.[24]

Lualua wrote and directed Purple Onion about a famous burlesque parlour in Wellington. It was produced by Le Moana and first presented in the Kia Mau Festival in 2017.[6]

Honours and awards

In 2019, as the Creative New Zealand Samoa Artist in Residence, she worked with 13 young men in Samoa to create a dance show about their role in traditional Samoan village society.[25] It was performed at the National University of Samoa in November 2019.[26]

Lualua won the Contemporary Pacific Artist Award at the 2021 Arts Pasifika Awards.[27][28]

For her contributions towards the Pacific arts sector, Lualua was awarded one of two FAME Mid-Career Award FAME Trust (Fund for Acting and Musical Endeavours) in 2022.[29][30]

In the 2024 New Year Honours, Lualua was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the arts.[31]

References

  1. ↑ "Samoan choreographer Tupe Lualua". RNZ. 2019-09-29. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
  2. 1 2 "Le Moana Launches Measina Festival at Te Auaha". Scoop News. Archived from the original on 2021-08-28. Retrieved 2021-08-28.
  3. ↑ "Arts Pasifika Awards celebrate excellence and innovation in Pacific Art". creativenz.govt.nz. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
  4. ↑ Flightdec. "Tupe Lualua: 2019 Creative New Zealand Sāmoa Artist in Residence". DANZ. Archived from the original on 2021-06-05. Retrieved 2021-08-21.
  5. 1 2 "Tupe Lualua". The Conch. Archived from the original on 2022-01-27. Retrieved 2021-08-21.
  6. 1 2 "Diverse collection of local artists join line-up for Kia Mau Festival". Creative New Zealand. Archived from the original on 2021-06-02. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
  7. ↑ "My Story: Tupe Lualua - 'To dance is always an invitation, never a command'". NZ Herald. Archived from the original on 2021-08-21. Retrieved 2021-08-21.
  8. ↑ "Samoan choreographer Tupe Lualua". RNZ. 2019-09-29. Archived from the original on 2021-06-05. Retrieved 2021-08-21.
  9. ↑ "Le Moana Dance Choreographic Residency Showing". Te Oro. Archived from the original on 2021-08-28. Retrieved 2021-08-28.
  10. ↑ "National Pacific dance arts residency to be launched at Pataka in Porirua". Wellington.Scoop. Archived from the original on 2018-07-02. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  11. 1 2 "Pacific Dance Porirua Community at Pataka". The Big Idea. 2013-09-03. Archived from the original on 2022-10-11. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  12. ↑ "Poly-zygotic - Skillful and totally engaging". www.theatreview.org.nz. Archived from the original on 2015-01-28. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  13. ↑ "Theatre Preview: The Factory, Mangere Arts Centre". NZ Herald. Archived from the original on 2022-10-11. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  14. 1 2 Smythe, Nik (15 Aug 2011). "THE FACTORY – A Pacific Musical - The Great Niu Sila Musical ?". Theatreview. Archived from the original on 2021-05-17. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  15. ↑ Delilkan, Sharu. "REVIEW: The Factory (Kila Kokonut Krew)". Theatre Scenes: Aotearoa New Zealand Theatre. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  16. ↑ "Theatre Preview: The Factory, Mangere Arts Centre". NZ Herald. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  17. ↑ "Fatu na Toto: Planted Seeds, a Samoan Immigrant Story". Scoop News. Archived from the original on 2013-10-05. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  18. ↑ "1918 - A heady, poignant and polished work". Theatreview. Archived from the original on 2021-08-28. Retrieved 2021-08-28.
  19. ↑ Faamanatu-Eteuati, Niusila. "1918 Le Moana Review". DANZ. Archived from the original on 2021-08-28. Retrieved 2021-08-28.
  20. ↑ "Measina Festival". Eventfinda. Archived from the original on 2021-08-28. Retrieved 2021-08-28.
  21. ↑ Joanna (2021-02-25). "Pacific Dance NZ and Le Moana Planning Day". Pacific Dance New Zealand. Archived from the original on 2021-08-28. Retrieved 2021-08-28.
  22. ↑ "Measina Festival – Porirua's contemporary cultural treasure | Creative New Zealand". Creative NZ. 2017-11-14. Archived from the original on 2021-08-28. Retrieved 2021-08-28.
  23. ↑ Easther, Elisabeth. "My Story: Tupe Lualua invites you to dance". NZ Herald. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
  24. ↑ "Siva Samoa practitioner talks about the politics of dance". RNZ. 2020-07-16. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
  25. ↑ "Samoan choreographer Tupe Lualua". Radio New Zealand. 2019-09-29. Archived from the original on 2021-06-05. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
  26. ↑ Fruean, Adel (2019-11-11). "Dance pays tribute to untitled men". Samoa Observer. Archived from the original on 2021-08-30. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
  27. ↑ Tokalau, Torika (2021-11-15). "Pacific artists recognised for contribution to Pacific art in Aotearoa". Stuff. Archived from the original on 2021-11-19. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
  28. ↑ "25th Annual Creative New Zealand Arts Pasifika Awards Recognise Excellence And Innovation | Scoop News". www.scoop.co.nz. 2021-11-15. Archived from the original on 2021-11-19. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
  29. ↑ "FAME Trust :: Acorn Foundation". www.acornfoundation.org.nz. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
  30. ↑ "The FAME Mid-Career Awards 2022 Winners!". Performing Arts Network of New Zealand. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
  31. ↑ "New Year Honours 2024: the full list". The New Zealand Herald. 30 December 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
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