Festival fusion of Maori and Cuban culture through dance

Kate Maguire, left, and Greydis Montero Liranza have been entertaining Rotorua crowds this week. Photo / Stephen Parker

Rotorua's Maori culture will be fused with Cuban dance at this weekend's New Zealand Cuban Festival.

You may have seen the community workshops around the city this past week to bring the Latino culture to more people but this weekend it's all about celebrating Maori and Cuban culture through dance.

Tomorrow Maori-Cuban contemporary dance will be brought to life by Israel Ortiz Castellanos and Greydis Montero Liranza.

"It was born out of a personal feeling and a want to honour the people of the land," said Ms Montero Liranza, an award-winning dancer originally from Havana, Cuba.

"It is the perfect combination of two cultures which have so much in common - coming together through the beautiful story of Hinemoa and Tutanekai - a story based on love."

She learned of the story from Rotorua dancer Lisa Kohunui.

"Both Israel and I were very moved by the story and wanted to connect our feelings to the story by fusing the two different cultures through a contemporary dance piece."

The dance will be one of the attractions at tomorrow's showcase, which follows a full day of Cuban dance-based workshops.

Dancers and instructors from around the world are in Rotorua for the festival, which starts officially tonight. This week there have been a range of community sessions.

Also attending for the second year is the Cuban Ambassador to New Zealand, Ms Maria del Carmen Herrera Caseiro and her husband Mr Manuel.