Father and son creatives rekindle their show ‘Shapes In the Clouds’ for the Pacific Dance Festival and find more depth in their relationship
It’s more than just a show – it’s a memory etched in time.
Co-creators Tauveve Andy Tilo-Faiaoga and his son, Tofigaoleola Dallas Mitchell-Faiaoga have returned to the stage with their second instalment of Shapes in the Clouds – a heartfelt production weaving storytelling with movement, music, and poetry.
Initially performed at the 2022 Measina Festival, Shapes in the Clouds was recently showcased at the Mangere Arts Centre as part of the 2025 Pacific Dance Festival.
Tauveve says the creation of the production was inspired by his son.
“He wanted to be famous and then he said he wanted to be an artist,” Tauveve says.
“So, what better way to do it than everything I know to offer to him and guess that could be the best gift I could ever give him.”
The show’s title was inspired by shared moments spent watching and making images of clouds at the park. But at its heart, the show tells a more personal and powerful story.
“The story itself is basically about a father and son. The father having unfulfilled dreams and aspirations but as he gets older, he has to sacrifice and provide,” Tauveve says.
“And then having a son who always just sees the wonder, always just sees the wonder in the world; plays, understand that everything is a play thing, and just sees his imagination through everything.”
And through his imagination births a new world filled with aspirations and hope.
Dallas plays Robotz, a ‘quirky’ young boy who dreams of achieving so many things in life. At 11-years-old, he’s taken on the role of co-writer and co-choreographer alongside his father.
Dallas shares that it’s been really fun working with his dad.
“He’s been teaching me how to inspire other people,” he says.
“He’ll just help me like improve my writing or performing and he’ll just make it a lot better than what I think it is.”
For Tauveve, working with his son is his most personal project yet.
With a background in dance, theater and film, he continues to expand his portfolio as a seasoned performer.
His passion for the performing arts began at a young age during White Sunday practises and was deeply shaped by his mother’s talents.
“My mum heavily influenced me, she was really good at dance, and then I kind of fell into it,” Tauveve says.
“I went to school called Whitireia Performing Arts, studied for three years, got a degree and then was fortunate enough to join a company, and then been doing it ever since.”
His professional journey includes dancing with renowned New Zealand dance company, Black Grace, performing in theatre plays such as O le Pepelo, le Gaoi ma le Pala’ai, and acting in feature films like ‘Red, White & Brass’.
Pushing his artistry even further, Tauveve has also carved out a space for himself as a stuntman – a profession that not only demands physical precision, but highlights his versatility and fearless approach to performance.
His first stuntman role was on the set of ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’.
“I kinda got the job on the day. Someone got fired and then they needed someone to fill in,” Tauveve says.
“Garrett Warren who’s a legendary stunt co-ordinator asked if I could do it, I said ‘yes man, yup’. I didn’t know what it entailed. Did it on the first take and then yeah after that, my life changed.”
Since then, Tauveve’s career has catapulted to new horizons. He’s worked with Lee Cronin on Evil Dead Rise, James Wan on Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Taika Waititi on Time Bandits and Justin Chon on Chief of War.
But despite his many accomplishments and roles, he considers working with his son the most special.
“It has strengthened our relationship, not only that, just me understanding the different needs he has as a young male growing up and the wonder he wants,” Tauveve says.
“I’ve kind of seen different shades of him which is nice. More of a quirkier side of him, which is… a lot of it is in this work.”
In playing his character Miti – a father with unfulfilled dreams but longs to support his son in achieving his own – Tauveve steps into a role that reflects his own life and the journey that he is now living with Dallas.
“I see a lot of Pacific men, or men in general who you know, have all these dreams in high school, then they kind of hold it off because they either have kids or you know, they get into the job and it’s not what they expected it to be and it’s kind of unfulfilled,” Tauveve says.
“I think that’s the kind of thing that I have seen growing up because I was surrounded by a lot of sports, you know sports influences and I think it’s cool too to see different ways that, you know, we can try and get to our dreams.
“I’m fortunate enough to be still trying to live my dream and punch at it, even though it’s really, really hard at times, but yeah I think that’s what the characteristics that resonates with me in terms of how I play Miti.”
In this collaboration, Tauveve has learnt the importance of patience and seeing things from his son’s perspective.
“So with Dallas, ‘cause he’s written half of these things… so it’s up to me to try and make it come to life,” he says.
“There was a part in there like, where we had to dance for 20 minutes straight, I just told him, my body is… I’m too old to dance for 20 minutes straight. So I think just making him realise what was possible and what we could try and make come to life was kind of the bridge that we had.”
And bridging reality with his son’s vision meant Tauveve had to take a step back as a father, and step up as a creative partner.
“When we got cleared to put this up for Pacific Dance Festival, we had our first co-director, co-choreographer meeting and we came to a point where we had a disagreement,” Tauveve says.
“I was thinking in my head, I really had to see him as a human rather than my son, I had to see him as an artist.
“He’ll tell me things he doesn’t understand or he finds hard, and then I kind of take a step back or tell him to wait and then when we go home, it’s easier there to relay the information.”
Through their journey, the pair have bridged more than their creative differences – they’ve bridged the space between generations, learning from each others’ strengths, struggles and aspirations.
“One of the biggest things is connections. I think it’s good for the older generation to listen to the younger generation’s dreams, or your kids’ dreams and try and work together towards that dream, even if it changes,” Tauveve says.
“And it’s also good for the younger generation to hear the older generation’s dreams, or your parents’ dreams, not for you but for themselves because it kind of gives insight into their vulnerability.”
Shapes in the Clouds has proven to be more than just a theatre show, for Andy and Dallas, it’s a personal memoir for them to hold and pass on for generations to come.
“The first one is not to be scared to tell a story and to venture the world,” Tauveve says.
“Secondly is to, hopefully, if one day I go, he can say that he’s done something with his dad. And the third thing is, because he has a little brother now, maybe he can do the same for his little brother or for his kids.”
For Dallas, this collaboration taught him that dreams are like shapes in the clouds – the more you believe, the clearer they become. A lesson he hopes young kids can take on.
“To achieve their dreams and it’s alright to be a little weird sometimes, just not too weird,” Dallas says.
“Just do whatever you can before your parents go. Keep seeing the wonders of the world before you have to pay taxes.”
