Our People

Frana has been a board member since 2013. She is a litigation lawyer and the Managing Partner of Auckland law firm, Heaney & Partners.

Frana is passionate about the arts and loves helping the executive team create their vision for a thriving and sustainable circus scene, that wows audiences and tells beautiful stories, well into the future.

Joseph has been on the board since 2022 and has extensive community links across Tāmaki Makaurau from his time as community manager for Tāmaki Health, chair of Vaiola PI Budgeting Service Māngere and CEO of Ōtara Health Charitable Trust.

He is a former associate commissioner of the Commerce Commission (2019 - 2025) who has worked across fair trading, credit, competition and market regulation. Joseph has also been on the board of Consumer NZ, and he is deeply involved in the South Auckland community where he grew up and still lives. He has two awesome kids and a puppy from the pound named Boogie.

Jo Pilkington is a long-standing member of the New Zealand events industry and has worked with a wide variety of professional, community and voluntary organisations to raise their profile and share their kaupapa through the running of successful events, festivals and commemorations.

Jo has used her experience to assist organisations nationwide, in many cases on a voluntary basis, and has been particularly active in Auckland and Hawke’s Bay. She helped develop the events industry professionally by being instrumental in the design and implementation of the Diploma in Event Management for Auckland University of Technology (AUT) in 1999. She followed this by guest lecturing and mentoring Event Management students at AUT, Unitec and the Eastern Institute of Technology between 2005 and 2013.

She was a Board member of Creative Napier from 2006 to 2008, the Kingsland Business Society from 2010 to 2012 and Chair of the Northcote Intermediate School Parent Teacher Association from 2012 to 2014.

She has supported Auckland’s LGBTQI+ communities, as a Board member of the Auckland Pride Festival Trust from 2014 to 2016 and Event Producer for the Rainbow New Zealand Charitable Trust’s annual fundraising gala since 2018. Ms Pilkington became Co-Chair of the Rangitoto Island Historic Conservation Trust in 2020.

Alex joined the board in 2024 to contribute expertise in financial stewardship, risk management and reporting. He is passionate about the Dust Palace contribution to the community and youth development having children who have been attending our circus school for close to a decade.

Alex comes from a background in professional services and corporate controlling with over 20 years of experience in audit, advisory, financial management and quality. 

Kaye comes from a whānau steeped in the arts, so it’s natural for her to be involved in creative industries. She brings an innovative approach, with hands on experience developing systems and processes to support a range of organisations.

Kaye first crossed paths with Eve Gordon when working for Splore Festival, where she developed a deep respect and appreciation for the accomplishments of Dust Palace. She is excited to bring her passion and knowledge onto the board, as the organisation continues to evolve.

Glen joined the board in 2026 bringing more than two decades of experience in leadership roles across theatre, opera, festivals, major events, and cultural programming.

Currently, Glen is the Creative Partnerships & Programming Manager, Arts & Culture at Hastings District Council, where he leads creative partnerships, strategic programming, and cultural initiatives that enrich the Heretaunga community through the arts.

A passionate advocate for the creative sector, Glen has served on the committee of New Zealand Actors’ Equity, has held governance roles with the National Youth Drama School, Ngā Toi Creative Hawke’s Bay and is currently on the EVANZ board.

Eve, once called the ‘Beyoncé of NZ circus’, discovered physical storytelling at drama school. It very quickly became their vocation, passion and life’s drive. They graduated from UNITEC with a Bachelor of Acting in 2002 and have been working as a circus performer, actor, experimental filmmaker, costume-creator, and producer for the last 15 years.

Across the last decade Eve has also been a pou for the circus community, writing national guidelines in best practice and ethics and growing the national circus association.

Their most recent academic endeavor was co-authoring Te Tomo - Māori Circus Pedagogy with Tainui Tukiwaho. They also co-created and starred in Te Tangi a Te Tūī (The Cultch, Vancouver 2023 and Te Pou, Auckland Arts Festival, Auckland 2024)

Eve founded The Dust Palace in 2009. Since its inception they have co-created / directed 20 of its 22 full-length circus theatre works.

Geoff Gilson is a performer, combining circus, dance, theatre, and performance art. Since completing a degree in Contemporary Dance in 2002 (UNITEC) he has been working in performance in New Zealand and Internationally. In 2017 he graduated with an MA in Performance and Media Arts from AUT University, developing new sculpture/performance conceptual integrations.

He has worked as a company member and circus tutor for The Dust Palace since 2013 and is the Executive Director of the company. 

Geoff also works with Vospertron Performance Group, as well as working in New Zealand and Internationally for such choreographers and directors as Winning Productions, Michael Parmenter, Touch Compass Dance Company, Theatre Beating and Malia Johnston.

He has worked with Opera Australia, Jerome Bel (France), Tino Seghal (Germany), The Body Cartography project (USA), PAiN (Sweden) Janis Claxton (UK), Woest (Netherlands/Belgium), Johanna Klaus/ Te Hononga Collective (Switzerland), Xaris Finland (Finland) and Carnival Cruise Lines (U.S.A and Mexico).

https://www.facebook.com/geoff.m.gilson

Rachael is a theatre-maker, producer and facilitator from Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland. Rachael has a Bachelor of Performing Arts from UNITEC (2004) and has been producing and performing theatre ever since. In her early career she worked with Massive, Tim Bray, Potent Pause and Auckland Theatre Company and co-founded the Peripeteia players.

She moved to Melbourne in 2007 and presented shows in Melbourne and Brisbane Festivals. She joined Melbourne Playback Theatre Company in 2010 and spent 11 years as an actor, facilitator and eventually Artistic Director.

In Melbourne she also toured her show TWO MORTALS to La Mama, regional Victoria and Circa, Wellington. She has been a Teaching Artist for The Song Room and is a facilitator for professionals in teamwork, storytelling and presentation skills. 

Rachael returned to Aotearoa in 2021 and joined The Dust Palace as Producer in 2023. With The Dust Palace she has produced Canadian and Aotearoa tours of Te Tangi a Te Tūī, HAUS of YOLO and The Ice Cream is Melting! She is also Project Manager of kaupapa Māori circus school, Te Kura Maninirau, founded in partnership with Te Pou Theatre.

Natasha is a mover, maker and instigator currently working as the School Manager and kaiako at Te Kura Maninirau. Since graduating from UNITEC with a Bachelor of Performing Arts, she can be found teaching, freelancing, and producing across Aotearoa.

She responds to social and political issues primarily through movement and is passionate about facilitating spaces that open the performing arts to people of all ages, backgrounds and experiences with the hope to unite communities through shared experiences. Currently, Natasha seeks to make space for indigenous storytelling through her own work and to support others to tell theirs.

In performance:

After some time at Elam School of Fine Art, and a stint on the movie Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence, Geoff began teaching drama at Taranaki Performing Arts. He started Devonport Drama in 2002, writing and directing scripts for rangatahi.

He’s worked in most areas of showbiz from: Theatresports, Playback, Improv, Mask and Clown, (training the performers at Rainbows End in street theatre) to TV and film.

In writing:

Geoff graduated from Whitireia Writing school in 2000, while doing night shoots on LOTRs. His 2012 Mrs Van Gogh made NZ Herald Plays of 2012.

In 2016 he collaborated with the NZ Navy to create Sister Anzac, a play about Gallipoli nurses. 2018 Fairies of Down Under & Other Pākehā Fairytales, (short stories) was published by Mākaro Press.

In 2022, with the support of Ngāti Uru, he wrote and directed Amazing Love, about the first Methodist Missionaries to Kaeo.

In being a Kaiwhakahaere:

Geoff established Pitt St Theatre in 2018 and is still Kaiwhakahaere there. Between 2021 – 2025 he was Operations Manager at The Rose Centre.

He’s a member of Te Hau Kapua – kapa haka. (Devonport area)

While acting at Te Pou Theatre, he started learning te reo Māori (still learning) and is a graduate of Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi. 2016 – 2019

Ko Pākehā te iwi, Nō Tāmaki ki te Uru au. Ko Amelia Thompson, te waka i taenga atu ki Taranaki, 1841. Ko Ingarangi te whenua o ōku tīpuna. Ko Peter rāua Thelma Allen ōku mātua.

Tihei mauri ora!

Luis was born in Brazil and has Indigenous and African genealogical connections, and has been living in Aotearoa for the last 13 years, after living in Australia, the UK, and the USA. He is passionate about Governance, Human Rights, supporting Indigenous and Queer communities, and the performing arts - particularly circus.

His training began in Brazil with samba and capoeira, and in Aotearoa, he has performed with The Brazilian Divas Performance Company. From there he went skywards and began aerial circus training, and in the last 7 years has performed in several shows with The Dust Palace Circus Theatre Company. In 2023 and 2025 he performed as a core member of the cast of HAUS of YOLO - touring to Splore and Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival, Vancouver and Edmonton, as well as part of Te Tangi a te Tūī, a Māori Circus Theatre show that has toured Canada and New Zealand.

Jaine Mieka is a powerhouse circus artist specializing in dynamic aerial silks, straps, and hula hoop.

Performing across Aotearoa and internationally, they have built a reputation for technical skill, seamless precision, and bold, distinctive movement quality. Jaine crafts work that blends raw physicality with an offbeat theatrical edge, a deep love for the audience, and more than a hint of weirdness.

They have starred in shows with subject matter ranging from speed sewing to sci-fi and were recently awarded a scholarship to the American Aerial Dance Festival. 

Beyond the stage, Jaine is a dedicated circus educator. They have developed curriculum and training resources that set a high standard for safe, inclusive, and progressive circus training. As an instructor at leading studios in Tāmaki Makaurau they are passionate about sharing high level technique and fostering creativity.

Anthony Is a Māori dance artist, born and raised in the northern landscapes of Awanui. Anthony developed his passion for dance through his college years and later pursued dance picking up teaching jobs, attending classes, and eventually enrolling at Unitec and completing his Bachelor of Screen and Performing Arts, Contemporary Dance Major.

Since graduating, he has been involved in works that have immersed him into his cultural identity as a Māori Tane which has magnified his creative lens, and empowered his Wairua. Anthony is currently based in Remuera, working as a Kaiako at Te Kura Maninirau, a Kaupapa Māori circus school that thrives on instilling a sense of cultural pride into generations to come.

Anthony is driven to liberate indigenous thinking within the community and unveil enriching processes to create stories that showcase the richness of Māori tradition.

Jodi has been performing for most of her life, beginning with a passion for dance from age 3! This allowed her the opportunity to be involved in many different experiences including live shows, TV, Film, Music Videos and tours around NZ, Australia, India and on Cruise Ships. While in the UK, she fell in love with aerial arts & began teaching when she arrived back home in 2012.

In this circus arena, she is a 'Jodi of all trades' and as such enjoys exploring many different apparatus at various studios around Tamaki Makaurau. She loves sharing her knowledge & seeing the confidence grow in her students as they progress.

André is a versatile circus artist specialising in duo trapeze, adagio, and toss-the-flyer. He discovered his passion for circus arts in 2016, and began performing with The Dust Palace in 2019.

A trained mechatronics engineer, André’s analytical mindset blends seamlessly with his artistic practice, allowing him to approach each performance with technical finesse and creative flair. His performances have graced The Dust Palace shows shows Dawn, Ithaca, and The Elves Are AWOL.

André thrives on the sense of pride that comes from mastering complex skills, as well as the unique blend of trust, teamwork, and focus that circus arts require. For him, every performance is an opportunity to grow, connect with fellow artists, and deliver something truly spectacular to the audience.

Chloe joined circus school when she was 12 years old, immediately falling in love with the art form and community.

 She spent the first years of her training in youth performance troupes before becoming a tutor/kaiako for The Dust Palace school and Te Kura Māninirau. 

Chloe has performed aerial circus locally and internationally for the last 8 years. competing in the Australian circus festival and the Aotearoa youth aerial championships, as well as a tour of the South Island and multiple performances across the wider Auckland region. 

“My goal as a tutor and performer is to spread as much joy and light as I can through my art form”

Mary Angela Rose Piggin (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Te Ata) is a circus theatre performer and tutor based in Tāmaki Makaurau. She began circus aged 14 and fell in love with aerial straps/rope/silks and handstands. She started out performing with the HighJinx Youth Company while finishing high school.

At 17 she performed the lead character in DAWN (2019) for The Dust Palace theatre company. She’s since then performed in a wide range of shows for Dust Palace. This includes Ithaca (2020), The Ice Cream Is Melting! (2021 - 2024), Haus of Yolo (Splore 2023) and Top of the Heap (2023) . She performed in north Europe onboard the AIDAmar cruise ship for the remainder of 2023. Upon arriving home Mary joined the cast of Te Tangi a Te Tūī, (2024 and 2025 seasons) and most recently toured Kua Rewa Te Aihikirīmi (2025) with Dust Palace and Te Pou Theatre.

Earlier that same year she co-created and performed an experimental circus show, The Itinerary, shown at The Factory Theatre. Mary has been teaching classes for 6 years at a variety of circus organisations across Tāmaki. 

Ariellé has been putting on a show for as long as she can remember. Drawn to entertaining, high-energy, dramatic, adrenaline-fueled movement, she works across a range of disciplines including partner acro, dynamic toss, lyra, straps, contortion, fire, and floorwork.

She loves creating characters and telling stories through movement, sharing the joy and expression, magic, and close-knit energy that define circus. Since catching the circus bug, she has performed and competed across multiple styles.

Beyond The Dust Palace, her background also includes competitive gymnastics, professional cheering for NZ sports teams, and earning placements in bodybuilding competitions - experiences that add power, precision, and stage presence to her work.

Away from the stage, Ariellé trades sequins for tools as a mechanic and car lover, and is fortunate enough to also share knowledge and guide fellow movers.

Still, the circus spark never leaves her side. Driven by curiosity and a desire to understand the “why” and “how” behind everything she does, she continues expanding her passion for the art, merging strength, fluidity, and a shimmer of organised chaos into performances she’s proud to share.