You may have noticed that for the last few weeks I've been blogging about older stories and general thoughts, not what I'm up to here on Tahiti. The reason for this is that I've been dancing - sometimes up to 20 hours a week - preparing for a huge show I'm going to perform in this Saturday, May 15th. This is my first year taking Tahitian dance classes but by a mix of circumstances I have now committed to dance in five acts of a huge show at To'ata Amphitheater, Tahiti's biggest and best venue; everyone from UB40 to the dancers at the massive Heiva I Tahiti festival perform here. I've been so wrapped up in wood percussion rhythms, graceful ukulele and making my five costumes out of leaves, shells and beautiful Tahitian fabrics, that I've hardly had time to eat.
The good news is that you'll all be able to catch up on the story soon. I have a three-part series that's going to be run by a venerable, soon-to-be-named travel site in the coming weeks and I'll make an announcement here when the first story is up. Till then, here's a video I filmed at last Saturday's all-day practice session. It's just a teaser. Enjoy!
How lucky you are to have the opportunity to do this! I watched these young teenage girls on the video and couldn't help thinking about girls in the US hanging out at the mall on weekends spending their time texting and eating greasy fast food.
ReplyDeleteOkay, that is a generalization. Don't stone me. But one of the fun things about living in foreign countries is to learn to do new things or to participate in events that you wouldn't in your home country.
20 hours a week??? That's as long as I spend at my p/t dayjob.
ReplyDeleteBut then I watched the video, and I understood why. Looks terrific fun.
Also, the idea of hundreds of women lined up, gyrating wildly and shaking their thang....
Maeva! Manava!
*looks wild-eyed - then gets control again*
Ahem. Sorry. Need to go and have a cup of tea. *fans face*
Don't worry Mike, it has that effect on everyone :-P
ReplyDeletetanx for dat real-life clip. just fanning da desire for me ... tis one of my dreams to arrive in Tahiti (with or without any of my 4 children) and stay long enuff to dance.. and .. dare i dream it perform !?!
ReplyDeletetis a long way from Ireland tho...
stil i can dream! goodluck... xx