Iaorana!
Let the exotic drumbeats, sensual songs and beautiful dancers guide you to the colourful islands of the South Pacific. This enjoyable experience is offered to you by Taurua dance group.
Taurua can make your business meeting, birthday party, luau or any other event unforgettable and fun. The show can last from ten to thirty minutes and include a number where the audience has a chance to participate in the program.
The dances tell about life in Polynesia - from everyday chores to festive rituals, from the beauty of nature to the island legends - and thus are an essential part in preserving the cultural heritage for future generations.
The kaparimas are action songs in which graceful hand movements act out the story. There are two types of kaparimas; ones' that are slow and sensual, others that are faster and rhythmic like drum dances with lyrics.
The costumes in kaparimas include colourful pareos (wrap-around cloth) leis of flowers, ferns or shells, and often ferns or some kiri'au fibre made into a titi or belt to emphasize the hips.
The Hawaiian hula is also a kaparima-type dance form. Because of the isolation of the Hawaiian islands, the dance-culture has evolved into it's own, unique style in which two quite different forms can be recognized. The Hula Kahiko is an ancient, ritual-like form of hula whereas the Hula 'Auana represents a younger tradition. Hula Hapa Haole is a westernized style of hula, where hip movements are greatly emphasized and the lyrics are mostly in English.
The Cook islands' 'ura pa'u and the Tahitian 'ote'a are the world famous drum dances that have excited many sea farers both in the past and in the present. They are quite similar in style, but some differences do occur, like the hip movements that are circular in the 'ote'a, but from side to side in the 'ura pa'u. Various hip isolations include f .ex. double hits and squares of which in 'ote'a some may be performed standing on the toes. The hand gestures in the drum dances are symbolic and abstract and are relatively stiffer in the Tahitian 'ote'a
The 'grass' skirt or pareu kiri'au often worn in drum dances is actually made of the inner bark of a native citrus hibiscus tree called Kiri'au. The kiri'au fibre is also used in decorating and adding weight to the titi or belt and in the i'is or hand tassels that are used in some dances. Although a rather young invention, coconut bras are usually worn both in kaparimas and in drum dances.