Black Grace

Black Grace is New Zealand’s leading contemporary dance company. Motivated to provide a different perspective and a fresh voice in the dance scene, Neil Ieremia founded his own company, Black Grace, in 1995, with ten male dancers of Pacific, Māori and New Zealand heritage. Drawing from his Samoan and New Zealand roots to create innovative dance works that reach across social, cultural and generational barriers, Mr Ieremia has changed the face of contemporary dance in New Zealand and turned Black Grace into one of the most recognizable and iconic cultural brands.

His company tours the length and breadth of New Zealand developing new audiences and a new appreciation for dance. The work itself is highly physical, rich in the story telling traditions of the South Pacific and expressed with raw finesse, unique beauty and power. The Company features some of New Zealand’s finest dancers and has toured internationally to Australia, Canada, Europe, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan and New Caledonia. 

In 2004 Black Grace made its USA debut, performing a sold out season at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, with a subsequent return to the Festival in 2005. Since then, the Company has performed regularly throughout North America earning audience and critical acclaim. Among his many other achievements, Mr Ieremia has received a 2005 Arts Foundation of New Zealand Laureate Award, and the 2009 Paul D. Fleck Fellowship in the Arts from The Banff Centre, Canada. In 2015, Mr Ieremia received the Senior Pacific Artist Award from Creative New Zealand. In 2016, Mr Ieremia was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to dance, and in 2021 received a KEA World Class Award.