West Hawaii Today News Article
Tahitian Dance Showmanship, strength, endurance
by Karen Anderson
Special To West Hawaii Today
Sunday, March 9, 2008 7:38 AM HST
With its lavish costumes, sensuous movements and driving rhythms, Tahitian dance is among the most spectacular dances of Polynesia and a highlight of many luau shows in Hawaii.
It also is physically demanding, said Mahealani Lee, a lifelong dancer, performer and teacher whose Kona-based entertainment company, Polynesian Paradise, showcases the dances of the Polynesian archipelago.
"There are some hula dancers who can't dance Tahitian to save their life, but it can be easily learned if you start with the basics," Lee said. "It requires showmanship, strength and endurance."
The most recognized and popular form of Tahitian dance is the "otea," characterized by rapid hip shaking performed to the syncopated rhythm of the wooden toere and other types of drums. For male dancers, the scissoring of the legs, "paoti," also is characteristic of the otea and is considered equally as vigorous.
High-energy performances, colorful headdresses and flowing skirts made of raffia have come to symbolize the otea, which like all dances of Tahiti usually incorporates a cultural theme or storyline.
"There are many different styles of Tahitian dance, but otea is the official dance custom for greeting royalty or guests of honor," Lee said. "The movements might be depicting the volcanic rumbling of the land, for example, marking an era in time. The drumbeats might be talking about roaring tides or thunder and lightning.
"Sometimes the drums are softer, suggesting the serenity of a certain place. In any case, Tahitian dance is a sensual dance. Sensuality is the foundation of the dance," she added.
With sensuality comes taboo. Dance was strictly prohibited in Tahiti when the missionaries arrived there in the early 1800s. It wasn't until the turn of the 20th century that dancing was authorized to celebrate Bastille Day, a French holiday celebrated throughout French Polynesia.
In 1956, Tahitian dance pioneer Madeleine Moua created her renowned dance group, Heiva Tahiti, and went on to organize events and competitions, establishing guidelines still followed to this day. Today, competitions are held throughout the world, including on the Big Island at the annual Tahiti Fete Hilo, held in October.
Among the forms of Tahitian dance, the ori pahu is a competition between drummer and dancer. The dancer anticipates the beat and tries to match the hip movements exactly, while the drummer tries to throw off the dancer. The aparima is a fast dance performed to ukulele music, with dancers wearing sarongs.
Tahitian dancing can be seen at several luau shows in West Hawaii, including the Kona Village Resort, where Maoli Entertainment presents its Polynesian review every Wednesday and Friday evenings at the island's longest running luau.
"The Tahitian dance is a craft that is very challenging," said Kelei Baldau, co-owner of Maoli Entertainment. "It's prestigious to be able to do all the moves properly and quickly, with beauty. When you become a Tahitian dancer, that's what you are trying to achieve."
A choreographer, Baldau noted that the otea presented at the Kona Village Resort tells the story about migration from one island to another. Unlike the hula, which communicates a storyline though hand movements, Tahitian otea tells a story through hip movements and costuming.
"It could be a love story or it could be a story about a gathering place like a lagoon," she said. "Costuming should match the story. We try to use as many natural elements as possible, like reed, feathers or shells. The skirts are generally made of raffia."
A dancer in Baldau's company, Pumehana Adams, 28, enjoys the workout aspect of Tahitian dance.
"It's how I keep in shape," she said. "I practice three days a week and dance in the show two times a week. It's physical because you're using your hips, and that's the only part of your body that should be moving. Your shoulders should be fixed and your feet should be flat on the ground. It takes a lot of practice and commitment."
Adams, who also is Lee's niece, credits Lee as her mentor. Tracing her genealogy to Tahiti, Lee was raised in a drum and dance family. Her father, singer/composer Kui Lee, opened one of the longest running Polynesian shows at the Lexington in New York City, where he met her mother, a dancer in the company. Lee herself performed for years with the famous Tavana Polynesian Spectacular at the Moana Surfrider in Waikiki. She was among the first of Tavana's original students to join his show.
"Tahitian beats are complex, and I don't understand everything there is to know about it," Lee said. "But it's my favorite of all, the drums of Tahiti. I try to swallow up everything I can about it. I love Tahitian dance."