MAUI: teaching youth life skills

An almost sold-out performance for Matariki is educating hundreds of Auckland school students about vulnerability and leadership, resilience and joy. Youth worker, choreographer and dancer Hadleigh Pouesi speaks with Kathryn about challenging troubled youth to turn from crime and live a better life by expressing themselves through dance as a physical expression of culture. Hadleigh's dance-theatre work MAUI is being presented with three shows at the Aotea Centre tomorrow, as part of the Matariki Festival and Pacific Dance Festival programme. Hadleigh is a performer in the show, also director and choreographer. He is in charge of, and part of a cast of over thirty performers. He is also a director with Freshmans Dance Crew, which is responsible for creating employment opportunities for over 100 young performers. As a day job, Hadleigh is a manager at Zeal West Auckland - a dedicated youth centre in Henderson supporting young people through networking, korero and upskilling.