Taiaroa Royal is one of New Zealand's most versatile and celebrated dancers, choreographers and artistic directors.

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A graduate of the New Zealand School of Dance (1984), his career spans founding membership of Black Grace, and work with the Royal New Zealand Ballet, Limbs Dance Company, Douglas Wright Dance Company and Atamira Dance Company.

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In 2007 he co-founded Ōkāreka Dance Company with Taane Mete, whose work has toured to Europe, Australia, the United States and Asia. His awards include the Te Tohu Toi Ke – Te Waka Toi Award for Making a Difference in Contemporary Dance (2010), the Koowhiti Lifetime Achievement Award for services to Māori contemporary dance (2011), and the Arts Foundation Toi Kō Iriiri Queer Arts Award (2023).

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Taiaroa continues to create, perform and direct locally, nationally and internationally, while holding kaitiakitanga over his family farm in Rotorua.

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