NZDFT Leadership

Aaron Huata is a kaitiaki of the New Zealand Dance Festival Trust, working in service to the dance and arts community of Aotearoa. As Executive Director, he holds space for artists, audiences, and the wider creative sector to flourish—guiding NZDFT and Tempo Dance Festival with a focus on legacy, integrity, and collective uplift.

In 2024, Aaron led the successful return of Tempo Dance Festival, delivered in collaboration with guest curator Moss Patterson (New Zealand Dance Company). Centred around Whenua Wāhi—stories of land and place—the programme honoured the deep relationship between people and whenua, offering audiences a moving tribute to identity, connection, and belonging. Under Aaron’s strategic leadership, the festival reclaimed its presence in Aotearoa’s cultural landscape and laid enduring foundations for its 25th anniversary in 2026.

With roots in music composition, film, digital media, and cultural strategy, Aaron blends visionary thinking with grounded leadership. He founded Te Waka Huata Creative Ltd and Ramaroa Digital—a kaupapa Māori‑led innovation space where ancestral wisdom meets emerging technology. Through this movement he empowers communities to shape their digital futures with self‑determination, guided by whakapapa and ancestral insight.

Holding a Master of Technological Futures from AcademyEx, Aaron’s work is anchored in mana motuhake, future‑making, and systems transformation. His stewardship across diverse creative sectors centres on enabling artists and organisations to navigate change with clarity, courage, and care.

In this chapter of NZDFT’s voyage, Aaron stands not just as a director but as a guardian of whakapapa, vision, and possibility—ensuring the Trust remains a living vessel for artistic expression and cultural advancement.