THE STAGE – HAKA FUSION
HOST
Kimo Houltham
No stranger to hosting on New Zealand television, I AM TV and
HAA presenter Kimo Houltham is adding The Stage – Haka
Fusion to his list of television achievements.
Born and raised in Rotorua, Kimo is a product of Kura Kaupapa
Maori o Te Koutu. He is fluent in Māori and also skilled in
Spanish dance and language.
Despite growing up in Rotorua, his turanga waewae is
Tauranga Moana, Ko Ngaiterangi te iwi. His Grandmother was
from the Cook Islands.
He has hosted and performed in Kapahaka competitions at a
regional, national and international level since he was able to
swing his first taiaha. He also plays the guitar and is an avid rugby league and touch player.
In his first acting role, Kimo was cast as as Trolius in the award winning Te Reo adaptation of
Shakespearian tragedy Troilus and Cressida, which was performed by Ngakau Toa at the New
Zealand International Arts Festival in Wellington and London’s Globe Theatre. He has recently
bought his acting talents to the large and small screen, having appeared as a warrior in NZ feature
film The Deadlands and a role in the new series for Maori Television, This is Piki currently screening
on Maori Television.
Kimo sees the role of hosting The Stage – Haka Fusion as an exciting opportunity to add to his
growing multitude of artistic disciplines.
"E rikarika ana i runga i te möhio he akoranga kei ngä mahi katoa."
THE STAGE – HAKA FUSION
JUDGE: DANCE
Stephen Grey
Head Judge of Street Dance NZ Nationals, a
member of Hip Hop Internationals Judging Panel
since 2010 and International Elite Judge at the
2015 World Championships – Stephen Grey is an
expert in all things dance. Stephen is also founder
and Director of Fusion Dance Company, and
creator and member of 2011 National champions
Vogue Dance Crew.
A strong background in myriad of dance styles
including ballroom, contemporary, jazz, hip hop
and street dance, Stephen is knowledgeable and
loves to work across all genres and forms. His
favourite genre is street dance, where he displays his professional skills and a true passion for
performance.
“As an International dance judge, the opportunity to be involved with such an innovative concept as
The Stage – Haka Fusion is truly an exciting proposition. The idea is to integrate our own cultural
elements with other dance forms and performing arts genres with no limitation for creative flare.”
“It’s going to be a journey no-one will want to miss watching unfold. For me, The Stage – Haka
Fusion will differ from judging a world hip hop dance championship due to the differing dance styles
which this competition may present. It will challenge both myself and the rest of the viewing NZ
audience as to what Haka Fusion should look like, and determine the future of a new art style unique
to Aotearoa”.
THE STAGE – HAKA FUSION
JUDGE: TE REO ME NGA TIKANGA
Jeff Ruha
i te taha o tōku pāpa
Ko Tāwhitinui te maunga
Ko Tauranga te awa
Ko Te Whānau-ā-Pararaki te hāpu
Ko Tauira-mai-tāwhiti te waka
Ko Te Whānau-ā-Apanui te iwi
Ki te taha o tōku māma
Ko Pātangata te maunga
Ko Wharekahika te awa
Ko Te Whānau-ā-Tūwhakairiora te hāpu
Ko Ngāti Pōrou te iwi
Ko Horouta te waka
Ko Jeffrey Ruha tōku ingoa.
Jeff’s background is one entrenched
with a love of whanau, kapa haka,
education, whakairo, korero, oratory me
nga tikanga Maori.
Jeff was raised on a farm in a small place called Wharekāhika near Ngāti Porou on the Te Whānau a
Apanui boundary. Growing up his passion has always been kapa haka, involved in national
competition from a young age inspiring a love for performing arts.
Jeff was chosen by his whanau to enrol at the Rotorua Te Wānanga Whakairo (Rotorua Maori Arts &
Crafts Institute) where he learned the traditions of carving. In addition to his commitment to carving,
Jeff pursued a degree in education. Jeff earned a degree in both oratory whakakapapa karakia and
carving, and is currently working as a teacher at Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Kotuku in Ranui, West
Auckland.
“It’s an amazing experience working on The Stage – Haka Fusion. Giving back to my people is one
thing but giving people an opportunity to excel in things of greatness, that is upre beauty. I am
humbled to be a part of this kaupapa as kapa haka is my life and this is an opportunity to take kapa
haka to another level. The name "Haka Fusion" and how people interpret that brief is what I am
looking forward to discovering the most. He Maori ahau, e noho maori nei ki toku ao maori.”
THE STAGE – HAKA FUSION
JUDGE: KAPA HAKA
Tiria Waitai
Ko Maungapōhatu te maunga
Ko Whakatāne te awa
Ko Mataatua te Marae
Ko Te Urewera me Ngāti Tāwhaki ngā hapū
Ko Tuhoe te iwi
Ko Manawarū te maunga
Ko Te Ārai te awa
Ko Manutūkē te marae
Ko Ngai Tāwhiri me Ngāti Kaipoho ngā hapū
Ko Rongowhakaata te iwi
Ko Tiria Waitai tōku ingoa.
Tiria is a mother of five, Senior Leadership Team member at Tai
Wānanga (Secondary School), Teacher of Science and Biology,
and has recently returned as a kaihaka to Te Waka Huia.
Tiria Waitai (nee Te Kurapa) was brought up in the small village
of Manutuke, Turanganui-a-Kiwa. Tiria’s passion for Kapa Haka began with the Waihirere juniors – a
group was mostly made up of her own cousins. Hooked on the whanaungatanga and the thrill of
entertaining people, Tiria persevered as a mere 14 year old and successfully made the Waihirere
Senior team who performed at the Hawera Nationals in 1994.
She went on to perform a further three more Nationals with the acclaimed Waihirere Maori Club,
claiming the national title in 1998 at the Whanganui-a-Tara Nationals. As a young university student
studying Biological Sciences at Waikato University, she was encouraged by a friend to attend a Te
Waka Huia practice. This was a childhood dream and life changing experience. She flourished under
the guidance of Ngapo and Pimia Wehi, performing three Te Matatini Nationals with Te Waka Huia,
narrowly placing second each time. Tiria also met the love of her life, her now husband Dan Waitai.
Tiria has traveled the country and the world sharing her culture. She has featured on local TV show
‘Te Kapa’ and is privileged to be involved in the new interactive digital documentary, Poi360. Tiria
and her husband are currently co-tutoring their kura to prepare them for the 2016 Secondary School
Nationals in July.
Tiria shares the role of kapa haka Judge with Jeff Ruha. She will focus on the groups’ correct
application of facial expressions, and that their execution and actions of poi, a-ringa and weaponry
have been fused organically within the discipline. She will be looking closely at each group to see
which group has the Kapa Haka X-factor.
“I hope that my background in kapa haka will help to nurture and grow the understanding,
appreciation and love of kapa haka in these talented modern dancers of this competition, so that
they can competently move between the realm of dance and kapa haka, fusing the best of both.
THE STAGE – HAKA FUSION
JUDGE: ENTERTAINMENT
Luke Bird
Luke Bird, aka the Birdman, is a trained comedic actor, opera
singer and a fearless entertainer. As the Entertainment Judge for
The Stage – Haka Fusion he is always looking for wow!
Luke has a Bachelor Degree in Performing Arts and his diversity,
passion and flare for entertaining has seen him take on a variety of
roles from the exuberant Widow Twankey in Aladdin, to singing
alongside New Zealand’s finest with Opera North and a guest artist
spot at the exclusive Hainan Film Festival in China. He has worked
with some of NZ’s greatest talents on both stage and screen,
including Dame Malvina Major, Jennifer Ward Lealand and Keisha
Castle- Hughes and on screen has appeared on Shortland Street,
Power Rangers and Beyond The Darklands.
Whether it’s television, a cruise ship or musicals, Luke is in his
element when an audience is present. Luke loves performing so
much he produced his own stage show about himself, The Luke
Bird Experience, described by the NZ Herald as “NZ’s very own
Graham Norton meets the Royal Variety Show”. Additionally
blessed with a sense of snappy style, Luke is also a 'WORLDman'
for WORLD fashion, and finds the time to run his own company, Luke Bird Entertainment.
Luke is thrilled to be selected as a judge on the show. His extensive kapa haka / Super 12
performance background gives him the knowledge required for those who are fusing different
genres and styles with the more traditional elements of kapa haka.
“Being the Entertainment Judge is going to be interesting and it's going to be a fun-filled, amazeballs experience. I'm super chuffed to be involved, and to share my own experiences with others is
always a bonus.”
“Entertainment is what I do, it's what I know and it's what I live by. Having the experience in both
Kapa Haka and theatre, I've found that entertainment is found in all shapes, sizes, colours and
personalities. The backyard talent that most people forget about is where the future of performance
art is at right now. It's up to me to discover these layers and munch at it! I'm looking for excitement
from our performers but overall the story is what needs to be told.”