Meriki is a proud Birpai, Dunghutti & Gumbayngirr man from Port Macquarie on the Mid North Coast. Meriki is currently in his third year at NAISDA, studying for his Diploma of Professional Dance Performance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. Since commencing his studies, Meriki has completed industry collaboration workshops with Sydney Dance Company, Karul Projects, GOM Circus, Circa Cairns, Bangarra Dance Company, Legs On The Wall, Melanie Lane, Feras Shaheen and Azzam Mohamed in Street Dance and Alvin Rangle (Alvin Ailey School). He also performed in the 2024 NAISDA End of Year Show, The Tree’s have Voices, the Feet have Ears, performing as an ensemble cast member for Henrietta Baird’s pieces Fire and Smoke along with choreographic pieces created by Vicki Van-Hout as well as the 2025 NAISDA End of Year Show, Echoing the Future, performing as a male lead and ensemble member for Neville William-Boney’s piece Thigarilla Gunni and an ensemble member for Charles Koroneho’s piece He Taura Whakapaka.
Professionally, Meriki aspires to share his cultural and dance knowledge with his community and future generations as a member of a professional dance company such as Bangarra Dance Theatre, Australian Dance Theatre (ADT), Marrugeku, Karul Projects or Legs On The Wall. Meriki also has a heart for fundraising and hopefully aspires to create a foundation that will financially support other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to study Dance at NAISDA.