A New Zealand based Samoan dancer has incorporated a memorial dance piece to remember last year's devastating Samoa's tsunami, in a new production called 'Verses'.
Samoan founder and artistic director of Black Grace, Neil Ieremia, has come up with a variety of short dance pieces which take the audience on a journey about life's various experiences.
Neil Ieremia says he penned a poem last year about how he felt when he heard about the tsunami, which has inspired this highly emotive and sad dance piece entitled Samoa Matalasi.
"When the tsunami hit Samoa, I was actually in Germany I was on tour. I wanted to sort of have that old radio sound and a song that is close to a lot of Samoan hearts. So that was my way of sort of offering something very very small very tiny back to Samoa. I hope to expand on that piece."
Neil Ieremia of Black Grace.
Verses debuts in Auckland's Maidment Theatre from 15 to 25th September.