School of Business’s Molia Alama selected as ‘Pacific Dance Artist in Residence’

Molia (right) during a Tuvaluan Dance performance

Molia Alama, Administrator in our School of Business, has recently been selected by Pacific Dance New Zealand as their Artist in Residence.

The Pacific Dance Artist in Residence programme, which started in 2009, is offered to an established dancer, choreographer or a director of Pacific Islands descent, with a proven track record of working in a community or professional theatre context. The residency allows senior dance artists to work in a community to deliver dance forms and share their skills with local communities.

We chatted to Molia about the opportunity the residency brings and how she juggles her dance commitments with her work at Unitec.

Congratulations on your selection as Pacific Dance Artist in Residence! Tell us what dancing has meant to you throughout your life?
Thank you! My love for dance started at a very young age in Tuvalu. I grew up around all my aunts dancing to fatele (Tuvalu Cultural dance), and my grandmothers and women on our island of Nukulaelae in Tuvalu making dance costumes. I learnt the basic dance techniques in Tuvalu and the more advanced techniques through my Nukulaelae Tuvalu community here in Auckland.

Can you tell us a bit about your experience with Pacific Dance New Zealand?
I am really grateful and thankful to Pacific Dance for this opportunity. My initial connection with Pacific Dance was through the Tuvalu Arts Festival, hosted by Fafine Niutao i Aotearoa at the Pacific Arts Centre. From there our dance group, now called Maneanea Dance, was invited to perform at the launch of the Pacific Dance Festival in 2019. I also hosted a dance workshop organised by Pacific Dance at Te Oro and showcased our costume pieces and dance composition. This year the group and I are part of Pacific Dance’s move into the digital space – we’ll perform in The Transform Series of Pacific Dancing in Aotearoa.

The official announcement of your residency was scheduled during the Alert Level 3 Lockdown – how did it go?
The residency started on Saturday 22 August 2020 with a launch and celebration of Pacific Dance’s 10-year anniversary. Due to the Alert Level 3 lockdown it was delivered virtually, but it went really well. You can watch it below (20 minutes). (interview continues below)

What are your plans for the year ahead in your role as Pacific Dance Artist in Residence?
As the Pacific Dance Artist in Residence I will be delivering workshops in selected schools, including Unitec. I will also deliver public dance and costume workshops. Due to COVID-19 some of these  activities will be moved to a digital platform.

Tell us about your role at Unitec and how this year has been for you and your team.
I’m the School Administration Assistant at the School of Applied Business. My role involves the administration tasks for the Real Estate programme and assisting the School where needed. I enjoy the mahi kotahitanga in our team and being part of the Unitec whānau. It has been a big learning curve this year, especially with the move to online learning due to COVID-19, and has provided the opportunity to explore working from home.

How do you balance your work at Unitec with your dance commitments, and do your two roles ever cross over?
The dance residency will fit in quite well with my work schedule as my dance commitments are normally outside working hours. The two roles may cross over in terms of community engagement. For example, I have delivered group performances here at Unitec for Whānau / Fanau Day and during Tuvalu Language week 2018. I am looking forward to the opportunity to connect with the School of Dance here at Unitec for the residency.