Healing the Impacts of Colonization with Toni Pasion and Amelia Butler
WACD | Noon, Kaufman Hall
Toni Pasion is a second generation Pilipinx with lineages from Laoag, Antipolo, and Pampanga, Philippines. Toni is the founder and director of A Stage of Our Own Philippine and Pacific art collective, as well as a choreographer, educator, and researcher. Toni utilizes chant, auto-ethnography, body mechanics, hula, Philippine, and indigenous contemporary dance to inform her movement research. Toni holds a Masters of Arts degree in Dance with an emphasis in Culture and Performance Studies from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and degrees in Asian American Studies and Women’s Studies from the University of California, Riverside. Toni pays homage to her teachers and directors of dance, hula, and ʻoli: Kumu Mikilani Young, Kumu Kealiʻi Ceballos (Tongva lands), Kumu Tony Conjugacion (Oʻahu), Kumu Aulii Mitchell (Aotearoa), Jack Gray, Wayne Mendoza, Global Motions World Dance Company, and Kayamanan Ng Lahi.
Amelia Butler is an indigenous performer, dancer and choreographer. She has been teaching dance and performing for over 20 years in New Zealand, Australia, the UK and the USA. Amelia moved to America in 2008 and worked as a professional dancer in LA’s entertainment industry. Māori from New Zealand, Amelia is a cultural ambassador for her indigenous culture in the USA. Amelia grew up in Auckland and had a strong interest in her culture from an early age. After studying the Māori language at school and leading her school’s Kapahaka group. Amelia attended the University of Auckland where she majored in the Māori Language, Culture and Performance. Amelia graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Māori and Bachelor of Law in Māori land law. She also achieved a Certificate in Contemporary Māori Performing Arts from Auckland University of Technology. Amelia founded and leads Los Angeles based traditional Māori performance group, Nga Anahera Māori. She also teaches the Māori language via video chat to Kiwis living abroad who desire a deeper connection to their New Zealand heritage through her company, Learn Māori Abroad. Amelia’s tribal affiliations are Ngatiwai, Ngapuhi and Ngatiawa. She is proud to share her culture here in the US.
This event is presented by the UCLA Department of World Arts and Cultures/Dance.
Event Date: Thursday, Feb. 21, Noon
Venue: Kaufman Hall, Room 208
Price: Free
Kaufman Hall is located in North Campus off of Sunset Boulevard.
Parking is available in lot 4.
Stay engaged. Use #UCLAarts to stay connected.
