Pacific Dance New Zealand

What Pacific Dance New Zealand does

Pacific Dance New Zealand is a not-for-profit development organization founded in 2010 and headquartered at 147 Great North Road, Grey Lynn, Auckland. It is governed by the Pacific Islands Dance Fono Trust and operates as the only dedicated Pacific dance development body in Aotearoa New Zealand. The organization delivers a portfolio of programs including the annual Pacific Dance Festival (its flagship event featuring live showcases, film screenings, workshops, and panel discussions), the Choreographic Lab (an annual mentorship program for emerging to mid-career Pacific artists, in its 12th edition in 2021), the Artist in Residence Programme (expanded to Samoa in 2023), Education Services for primary and secondary schools, the Transform Series digital content initiative, School Holiday Dance Programmes (delivered in partnership with Te Oro Arts & Music Centre), Dance OnScreen film events, and the annual Dance FONO industry forum delivered with Dance Aotearoa New Zealand (DANZ).

The organization serves three primary audiences: Pacific dance practitioners (dancers, choreographers, filmmakers, costume designers) seeking performance platforms and professional development; educational institutions (primary and secondary schools such as Sylvia Park Primary School, Pacific Advance Senior School, Whangarei Girls and Boys High Schools, and Manurewa High School) seeking culturally relevant dance curricula; and the general public, including Pacific diaspora communities, who access festival performances, free public workshops, and digital content. Geographic reach spans Auckland, Wellington, Masterton, and Whangarei within New Zealand, plus Samoa since 2023, and digital audiences in Europe, the USA, and Hawaii via the uscreen streaming channel.

The business model is grant-led, with Creative New Zealand and Sky City Community Trust as primary funders (multi-year grant funding observed in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024), supplemented by ticket sales for festival performances at venues such as Q Theatre and Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre, $5 annual digital subscriptions and pay-per-view access via uscreen, and small merchandise sales (coffee mugs, drink bottles) with proceeds supporting community programs. Festival programming mixes free entry events (school matinees, workshops, community programs) with paid ticketed showcases. Distribution spans venue-based live performances, the uscreen self-serve digital channel, direct school and community workshops, and cultural institution partnerships. Headcount is approximately 10 employees, indicating a lean operational footprint relative to program breadth.

Name

Pacific Dance New Zealand

Legal name

Pacific Dance New Zealand

Website

https://pacificdance.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Pacific Dance New Zealand is a not-for-profit development organization founded in 2010 in Auckland, delivering the annual Pacific Dance Festival, Choreographic Lab, Artist in Residence Programme, school education services, and digital content for Pacific dance practitioners, schools, and diaspora communities in Aotearoa and internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Grants and Funding: Primary revenue from Creative New Zealand and Sky City Community Trust funding for festival operations, artist residencies, and community programs.
2. Digital Subscriptions and Pay-Per-View: Festival content available via dedicated uscreen channel with $5 subscription fee and pay-per-view options for individual works.
3. Merchandise Sales: Branded merchandise including coffee mugs and drink bottles with proceeds supporting community programs.
4. Ticket Sales: Performance tickets sold for festival events at venues including Q Theatre and Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Pacific Dance New Zealand is a not-for-profit development organisation delivering a portfolio of services for the Pacific dance sector in Aotearoa. Its core offerings include an annual Pacific Dance Festival, a Choreographic Lab for artist development, an Artist in Residence programme, school-based dance education, school holiday workshops, digital streaming content via uscreen, and the Dance FONO industry forum. The organisation is governed by the Pacific Islands Dance Fono Trust and primarily operates in Auckland with regional and international outreach.

Product overview

Pacific Dance New Zealand is a development organisation delivering a wide range of services for the Pacific Dance sector of New Zealand. The organisation operates as a single unified offering portfolio rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Its core programs include the annual Pacific Dance Festival (the flagship event featuring live performances, films, and workshops), the Choreographic Lab (artist development program), the Artist in Residence Programme (residency opportunities), Education Services (school-based teaching), Digital Dance: The Transform Series (digital content), School Holiday Dance Programme, Dance OnScreen (film screenings), and the Dance FONO (industry networking forum). These programs collectively serve to foster, promote, and preserve Pacific dance in Aotearoa through performance opportunities, artist development, education, and community engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pacific Dance Festival
• Choreographic Lab
• Artist in Residence Programme
• Education Services
• Digital Dance: The Transform Series
• School Holiday Dance Programme
• Dance OnScreen
• Dance FONO
• MOANA Showcase
• Pacific Dance NZ Movement

Quantifiable outcome

• World record with 350+ online participants performing contemporary Meke during Fiji Language Week
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ASB PolyfestcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 March 2024Two-year partnership through Sky City Community funding providing access to exclusive Polyfest events from launch through VIP gatherings. Pacific Dance Fono Trust positioned as selected sponsor for the 50th anniversary celebrations.
• NZTriocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Groundbreaking collaboration for 2024 Pacific Dance Festival presenting classical music and dance fusion at Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre. First time classical music showcased at the festival, representing significant diversification of festival programming.
• Te Oro Arts & Music CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Annual partnership for school holiday dance programs. Te Oro hosts FREE summer holiday programs for children aged 7-15 teaching traditional and contemporary Pacific dance styles.
• Auckland War Memorial MuseumminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Venue partner for Te Po fashion show and Twilight Tuesdays events showcasing Pacific haute couture and dance at museum's Te Ao Marama South Atrium.
• Dance Aotearoa New Zealand (DANZ)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Annual Pacific Dance Fono delivered in partnership since 2006 as a forum for Pacific dance practitioners to gather, network, and discuss dance issues. Event encompasses choreographic labs, guest choreographer involvement, and dance classes.
• Tupumaiaga A Niue TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner2022 Artist in Residence program delivering 9-week schedule covering Niuean heritage arts, culture and dance with Niue masters. Collaboration includes virtual school holiday programme and school partnerships.
• PHAB (Pasifika)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration supporting inclusive dance opportunities for people with disabilities through PHAB Pacific branch and Nesian Productions, with Pacific Dance NZ providing mentorship.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Polynesian Cultural Center: Hawaii-based Pacific cultural attraction and live performance venue featuring multiple Pacific Island dance traditions. Comparable as a Pacific cultural performance and education organization with international audience reach.

Direct peers

• Pasifika Festival: Auckland's annual Pacific cultural festival showcasing Pacific dance, music, and food. Comparable as a Pacific-focused cultural festival drawing overlapping artist and audience communities in Tāmaki Makaurau.
• Atamira Dance Company: Māori contemporary dance company producing live performance and community programmes in Aotearoa. Comparable as an Indigenous-led NZ dance company combining professional performance with cultural and community development.
• Bangarra Dance Theatre: Australia's leading Indigenous contemporary dance company, producing live performances and education programmes. Comparable as an indigenous/Pacific-adjacent dance company with strong cultural-development mandate and international touring.
• Footnote New Zealand Dance: NZ contemporary dance company known for accessible community-based dance programming and education. Comparable in mission to deliver dance experiences to schools and communities with a national footprint.
• Royal New Zealand Ballet: New Zealand's national ballet company producing and touring live performances and education programmes. Comparable as a NZ-based dance producing organization with school outreach and ticketed performances.
• Black Grace: New Zealand contemporary dance company founded by Neil Ieremia, performing Pacific-anchored work internationally. Highly comparable as a Pacific-led NZ dance company combining live performance, education, and community engagement.

Broad incumbents

• Te Matatini: National biennial Māori performing arts competition in NZ. Comparable as a large-scale Indigenous performing arts competition/festival with cultural-development objectives and government arts council funding.
• Auckland Arts Festival: Large multi-disciplinary arts festival in Auckland featuring dance, theatre, and music. Comparable as a venue and programming partner in the Auckland dance ecosystem and a potential collaborator or competitor for festival audiences.

Others

• NZTrio: New Zealand classical music trio and a current strategic partner of Pacific Dance NZ. Comparable as a high-profile NZ performing-arts collaborator and venue/programming partner within the Auckland cultural ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pacific-dance-new-zealand

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pacific Dance New Zealand