The 4 types of dances
• The ote'a is the more
codified of the Tahitian traditional dances. Originally it was reserved to men
only but today it is also danced by women and is characterized by wide and
abrupt moves and a quick and jerky rhythm. Moreover, the huge number of dancers
and their geometric disposition on the scene allow group movements that are
really impressive for spectators, but does not leave much room for creation. Videos
• The aparima is the dance of gestures par excellence : hands describe a story thanks to a large scale of symbolic gestures (the sea, birds flight, voice…). Accompanied or not by singing dancers, the aparima can be danced with a vegetal costume in a daily life descriptive scene, or with beautiful cloth dresses that let you guess the vahine's curves. Videos
• The hivinau is the easiest and technically the less demanding of the Tahitian dances although not the less visually impressive. Actually, dancers stand on two concentric circles -commonly a circle of women and the other of men- and turn round in two opposite directions. These crossings allow to illustrate great daily life and sea life scenes. Thus, hivanau can be mixed with the pa'o'a.
• The pa'o'a is a dance traditionally linked to tapa fabrication : sat on the ground, women used to beat bark in time and to accompany themselves with singings in order to break the monotony or to give themselves courage. One of them sometimes got up and started to make simply a few steps or to dance a complete solo. Nowadays, the pa'o'a -only accompanied by the rhythmic of the percussions- is interpreted by a group of dancers sitting on the ground and slapping their thighs with energy and by a solo dancer or a couple of dancers
• The aparima is the dance of gestures par excellence : hands describe a story thanks to a large scale of symbolic gestures (the sea, birds flight, voice…). Accompanied or not by singing dancers, the aparima can be danced with a vegetal costume in a daily life descriptive scene, or with beautiful cloth dresses that let you guess the vahine's curves. Videos
• The hivinau is the easiest and technically the less demanding of the Tahitian dances although not the less visually impressive. Actually, dancers stand on two concentric circles -commonly a circle of women and the other of men- and turn round in two opposite directions. These crossings allow to illustrate great daily life and sea life scenes. Thus, hivanau can be mixed with the pa'o'a.
• The pa'o'a is a dance traditionally linked to tapa fabrication : sat on the ground, women used to beat bark in time and to accompany themselves with singings in order to break the monotony or to give themselves courage. One of them sometimes got up and started to make simply a few steps or to dance a complete solo. Nowadays, the pa'o'a -only accompanied by the rhythmic of the percussions- is interpreted by a group of dancers sitting on the ground and slapping their thighs with energy and by a solo dancer or a couple of dancers