Pasifika beat to celebrate week

The celebration of dance in Hawaii and Tahiti is to fuel Pasifika Week at Kuranui College starting next Monday.

The week-long event aims to give Kuranui College students and the wider community a chance to celebrate the cultural diversity of New Zealand, says college dance teacher Sharyne Lewis.

Six out of 10 Pacific people are today New Zealand-born and Pacific New Zealanders make up a mounting number of New Zealand school students, she said.

Kuranui College students will be involved in a number of trips through Pasifika Week, including travel to Wellington to see a performance from the New Zealand Dance Company, a visit to Stonehenge Aotearoa, an overnight stay at Papawai Marae and several dance workshops.

Event organisers are also inviting members of the public to join in, Ms Lewis said.

A Pasifika evening will take place in the college auditorium on June 13 from 7pm, featuring Hawaiian and Tahitian dance performances from entertainers Amo Ieriko and Maile Giffin from Auckland-based Polynesian Entertainers.

The evening will showcase Pacific dance, drama, music, art and food, and entry is $5.

On June 15, there is an opportunity for the community to "have a go" at either Hawaiian or Tahitian dancing in two beginners' Adult Community Dance workshops.

The Hawaiian dance workshop and Tahitian dance workshop run from 10am to 11.30am and 12pm to 1.30pm respectively.

The cost of each workshop is $15, but book both workshops before Monday and it will only cost $20 for the two events.

"The students will learn how to use different traditional styles of Pacific music and dance to tell today's modern stories. It's an exciting opportunity for them to learn how to express themselves using these styles, Ms Lewis said.

"They will also be able to sample Samoan sasa and drumming, Tahitian Ori, Hawaiian Hula and Samoan fire dancing."

To register a place on the Community Dance workshops, please contact Amo Ieriko on amo@polynesianentertainers.com or 021 023 00 599 or visit www.polynesianentertainers.com