Members of the Tahitian Student Association at BYU–Hawaii are burning calories and dancing hard in preparation for this year’s Culture Night.
Jeremy De Guzman, a junior from Texas majoring in exercise sport science, said he has learned many of the Tahitian arts and would like to build on what he already knows. Although De Guzman has attended BYUH in previous years, he explained that this will be his first year participating in a performance alongside friends. De Guzman said he is looking forward to enjoying another year of diverse dances and most of all, having fun.
According to the BYUH website, Culture Night is an annual event. The many evenings of preparation, along with the final event itself, provide students relief from the stressful demands of schoolwork. Culture Night showcases the rich cultural diversity that distinguishes BYUH from other institutions.
Dennis Tetuanui, a sophomore majoring in math from Tahiti, explained last year the Tahitian Association practiced twice per week from 9 to 11 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays. He says chapter members plan on practicing the same amount of time this year, as well.
“Not everyone is Tahitian, so it takes time to learn the basics of Tahitian dance. That’s really hard because, for the girls, it’s really fast, so they have to learn to go slow and then move a little bit faster. For the boys, it’s an interesting dance; it’s different than what we see outside, and they need time to learn the basics before going fast.”
Joyce Hauata, a senior from Tahiti majoring in international cultural studies, described their coming performance. “Our motions, bits, and costumes will portray the ocean and its variances.”
Hauata is currently serving as president of the BYUH Tahitian Association. She emphasized the importance of teamwork while practicing. “Something I have learned from this experience is to delegate as much as you can and to just trust them,” she said.
Hauata has distributed responsibilities in the association by assigning coordinators who are in charge of teaching dances. Some direct the girls, and others direct the boys. She also assigned people to manage the music. “So far, they are doing a really good job. I guess the purpose of leadership is to train others to be leaders, as well,” she said.
Lily Hafoka, a freshman majoring in political science from Minnesota, isn’t new to the hip-rotating, rapid-fire dance style. She said, “I’ve done this type of dance before, and I’ve grown up doing it.” Although she noted the Tahitian dance styles for the boys and girls are different, she counters they’re both hard because everyone gets a leg workout.
Hafoka said she likes dancing with the Tahiti Association because it’s fun, an exercise, and she gets to meet lots of people who speak different languages. She added Tahitian dance, unlike Hawaiian dance, doesn’t need to be done gracefully.
Hafoka concluded, “It’s hard if you’re learning it when you’re older, but I think if you grew up doing it, it’s not that hard. For the people who are new, I think it’s challenging, but I don’t think it’s impossible.”