Shapes In The Clouds

‘Shapes in the Clouds’ is the premiere work of dancer, actor and stunt artist Andy Tilo-Faiaoga. It is a humorous and heart-warming show inspired by the visions of a super-hero in training…his 11 year old son.  

The show has been selected for a premiere season in the Pacific Dance Festival 2025,  so we need YOUR help to get it ready for a live audience.  

ANDY TILO-FAIAOGA  / CREATOR / CHOREOGRAPHER 

Andy is a highly skilled arts professional working in dance, visual arts, film and theatre.   As a dancer he toured internationally with Black Grace dance company under the leadership of Neil Ieremia ONZM.  He also features in Shel We and 14 Malone Road by critically acclaimed choreographer Tupua Tigafua.    As an actor and stuntman, Andy has worked on major feature films such as Avatar: Way of Water Directed by James Cameron, Evil Dead Rise Directed by Lee Cronin, Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom Directed by James Wan, Red White and Brass Directed by Damon Fepula’i, Chief of War Directed by Justin Choon and Time Bandits Directed by Taika Waititi.

Alongside his arts practice, Andy is also an experienced sports player representing on the rugby field and volleyball court.  Shapes in the Clouds is Andy’s first live show as a creator/ choreographer combining all of the elements that have formed his practice over the years. 

DALLAS MITCHELL-FAIAOGA / WRITER / CHOREOGRAPHER

Dallas is 11 years old and of Maori and Sāmoan heritage.  This is Dallas’ very first collaboration as a writer and choreographer with his Dad.  This is also his first time performing in a professional dance show.  

TUPE LUALUA  /  PRODUCER

Founder of Le Moana and the Measina Festival, Tupe is a dreamer from Porirua whose foundations are in live performance.  From 2009 - 2019 she taught Samoan Performing Arts at Whitireia New Zealand and created works for performances in Aotearoa, Europe, Asia and North America.  In 2013, she founded Le Moana who produced the works of choreographer Tupua Tigafua and created the shows Fatu Na Totō, 1918 and Purple Onion, these works went on to tour internationally and win several awards on the festival circuit.  As a performer, Tupe featured in PolyZygotic (2009), The Factory (2011), In Situ by Regine Chopinot (2011 - 2013) Marama (2014) The White Guitar (2015) and A Boy Called Piano (2022).  Tupe was awarded the Sāmoa Artist in residence in 2019, Contemporary Artist Award for the Creative NZ Arts Pasifika Awards 2021, FAME Mid-Career Award 2022 and appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order Of Merit in 2024 for Services to the Arts. 

Our campaign is designed to raise the additional finance required to pay professional fees to our cast of dancers, pay for our rehearsal venue, props and costuming for the show.  The funds we raise will go directly to these costs, you can learn more about the wonderful creatives you’re supporting here: 

TUPUA TIGAFUA  | DANCER 

Tupua has danced internationally for Black Grace, MAU and The New Zealand Dance Company.  He received the creative New Zealand emerging artist award at the arts Pasifika awards in 2017. He created dance works for Footnote Dance Company, Unitec Institute of Technology, Alofagia Le Opera by TAPA (feat Sole Mio) and Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School and New Zealand Dance Company.  His work, Ciggy Butts In The Sand was created in collaboration with award-winning composer David Long (The Muttonbirds, The Hobbit) and saw Tupua win the Best Choreography award at the Wellington Theatre Awards in 2022.   His most recent work 14 Malone Road, premiered at the Measina Festival in 2023 and that same year, he created choreography for theatre works The Savage Coloniser Show by Tusiata Avia and O Le Pepelo, Le Gaoi Ma Le Pala’ai by IKenSo Productions.  

ALOALII TAPU | DANCER 

Aloalii Tapu is the co-founder of Ta’alili, an arts company that works with artists who design stage, theatre, dance, film and visual art. His expertise in dance is presented mainly on stage through his original works Goodbye Naughton, LEECHES and Manumalo.   but has recently taken form in galleries and film. In collaboration with his partner Tory, they have established the ETENAFEST, sharing dance, film and workshops by local Artists.  

VILLA LEMANU  | DANCER 

Villa is an actor, dancer and choreographer who has appeared in a number of notable New Zealand screen and stage productions. His performance as a young boy living with OCD in the acclaimed short film My Friend Michael Jones earned him a Best Actor Award in 2017. Villa starred in the television series - Panthers, Far North and Duckrockers.  He has appeared in feature films Born to Dance, The Other Side of Heaven 2: Fire of Faith, The Legend of Baron To’a and Inky Pinky Ponky.  As a dancer he features in 14 Malone Road by Tupua Tigafua and is a lead choreographer for KO AU by ProjektTeam.  Villa’s original theatre work Atali’i O Le Crezent premiered in the Pacific Dance Festival 2022 and then made into a short film winning several international awards. 

We understand that funds are hard to come by and prior to this campaign we have worked to reduce the costs so that what we’re asking for is the bare minimum. Please know that every dollar counts and is covering the basic necessities for this process.  

We appreciate your support! 

A message from the creator: 

This work is a response to the question If there was any advice that you could give to your younger self, what would it be?  

My son is a leading character in this work and at 11 years old, he is very creative.  We have written the dialogue together and he has created movement motifs for the choreography.   We are both very passionate about how we express the story and having some of the best dancers in Aotearoa deliver it is an incredible opportunity for us to create something truly special for our audiences.  

The show title Shapes in the Clouds is a game that I play with both of my sons when we go to the park and lay on the grass staring towards the sky.  We are always entertained and impressed by the visions that we can create.  

- Andy Tilo-Faiaoga 


 

A message from the creative team: 

Being selected for the Pacific Dance Festival 2025 is a massive honour and having danced in previous festivals, it is an ideal platform for this work to be shared with our communities.  It is also a springboard for our work to prosper as we have seen with many other artists who have also premiered their works in this festival.  

Thank you for your support. 

In doing so, you are helping us to create our first masterpiece.  You are contributing to the creative arts economy and helping us to inspire other young superheroes in training to see Shapes In The Clouds and to live their dreams…

Fa’afetai tele lava,  Ngā mihi maiohā 

Andy and Dallas