Xavier Breed

A people person by nature, Xavier has always been guided by his family, cultural values, and the drive to serve his community. Growing up in a big and loving Sāmoan family, his multi- generational home was always bustling with extended family members. At school, it was also the subjects that enabled him to communicate with other people and express himself that he enjoyed the most, such as Japanese, geography and of course, dance.

So when it came to pursuing higher education, choosing to study dance felt right. “My final year of high school had me asking the questions: What career do I want? How do I make an impact within the community and world through my work? When I received news that I was placed first in New Zealand for the NCEA Dance Scholarship, it became clear that studying dance is what I could do well in and enjoy! My parents were so supportive and told me to go with that passion I had for dance and use it as a tool to do anything I wanted in life, dance or non-dance related.”

But with the many possible paths that Xavier could choose, the decision did not come without a short moment of hesitation, before realising the importance of playing to personal strengths and passions. “I've always had more than a creative mindset and thought that maybe if I wanted to be an entrepreneur, or work in policy for the public sector, that it may be difficult with a dance degree, but knew it wasn't impossible. I was keen to prove that dancers could be anything we wanted, and our qualifications are a tool to help get us there! Studying dance would be my strong suit and unique point of difference, especially if I did it alongside extracurricular projects and took on opportunities outside of the arts.”

Determined to be himself and pave his own path, Xavier has since graduated with a Bachelor of Dance Studies, Postgraduate Diploma of Dance Studies and Master of Dance Studies. While still a dancer and tutor, Xavier is also working as a Pacific Policy Adviser at Universities New Zealand Te Pōkai Tara. Guided by the Alaga’upu Sāmoa (Sāmoan proverb)
‘O le ala I le pule, o le tautua’ - the pathway to leadership is through service - Xavier contributes to various community organisations as a board of trustees member for the New Zealand Dance Company and advisory board member for the Asia New Zealand Foundation’s Leadership Network.

“I looked to the University of Auckland because I wanted to meet people of various backgrounds and disciplines. I also hoped to utilise the international opportunities and networks of the University to explore the world, learn things outside of my comfort zone, and challenge my thinking as well as my body.”

“My lecturers at university were caring, understanding and had so much patience for a student like me who loved to push the boundaries! The experiences and wisdom amongst the teachers at the Dance Studies programme makes me now realise how lucky I was to learn with them.”

“The ability to collaborate, empathise and work with bodies in a space through performance, choreography and education in dance strengthened my ability to adapt to the different social, cultural and work environments I’m constantly moving between – whether it’s the policy space or the teaching space.”

“My tertiary studies and extracurricular activities helped me to gain work as the Pacific Policy Adviser at Universities New Zealand Te Pōkai Tara, alongside my role as a Contemporary Dance Tutor. I am also able to serve the wider community as an Advisory Board Member for the New Zealand Dance Company and the Asia New Zealand Foundation Leadership Network. It is my urge to understand what it means to be a leader who initiates institutional and grass-roots improvements, particularly for Pasifika, Māori and minority communities in Aotearoa New Zealand.”

“The most important highlight within my tertiary education was gaining my new university family and the ‘villages’ such as the Equity Office and Schools Partnership Office which helped to strengthen me during my journey.”

“The other highlight during my university degree was being able to make global connections through studying, training, teaching, and performing on tours abroad. Through the University of Auckland, I was able to spend time in Shanghai, Seoul, Macau and Taipei. This opened my mind to new experiences and meeting people from different cultures and backgrounds within and beyond the dance world. It reaffirmed my purpose to provide international opportunities for young people, particularly Pasifika and Māori in the arts, as part of my career journey.”

“Having been given these opportunities, it was important for me to ‘pay it forward’. While still studying, I started MANU Collective to enable other emerging Pasifika and Māori dancers the chance to choreograph and perform original work by showcasing our culture through dance to international audiences. It was also a way to develop my broader communications and entrepreneurial skillset while providing for fellow creatives.”

“Study what you’re passionate about! Doing a dance degree will give you the skillset that is valuable for a career in the arts and transferrable to careers beyond the arts. Think of a degree in Dance Studies as investing in yourself; building up your confidence, knowledge, networks and skills in order to find a fulfilling career that can benefit you, your ‘aiga/whānau and society.”

“The nature of studying dance provided opportunities to connect and collaborate with others as an integral part of my learning. Another ‘village’ that played an imperative part in my artistic, cultural, leadership and educational journey was working with a group of Māori and Pasifika undergraduate dance students at the University of Auckland to create the work ‘Pou’. The work ‘Pou’ used the metaphor of the pillars that hold up a Sāmoan Fale, Māori Marae and other traditional houses of the Pacific to represent the different aspects of our lives that hold us up as peoples. Without pillars such as family and culture within our lives - we stand weak, we stand unsupported, and we quiver or fall. Through collaborating with my talented Pou aiga/whānau and putting indigenous practices at the centre of our process, we created a work that won ‘Judge’s Choice Award’ at the Short+Sweet Dance Festival in 2017, developed for the Pacific Dance Festival in 2018, was performed in Hawai’i for the Asia Pacific Dance Festival and was toured to the World Youth Forum in Sharm El Sheik, Egypt. The original collaborators of Pou were a strong pillar and foundation for me during my university education and are still a part of my village in my personal life – transcending the dance studio and performance stage, like a true family.”