Kauai Polynesian Festival on track for Memorial Day weekend

It's going to be very busy for Tahitian dance events come this Memorial Day weekend. Four events are taking place. Tahiti Taurua Nui I Las Vegas (Las Vegas, NV), Tarena Tahiti and Te Arenui O Tahiti (San Bruno, CA), Heiva 'Ai 'Ai (Honolulu, HI), and the Kauai Polynesian Festival (Kapa'a, HI) are all taking place on that same weekend.

If you are heading to Kauai, the 4-day event will kick off with a Polynesian Grand Luau on May 27 at the Grand Hyatt Kauai, followed by the Festival on May 28-30 at the Vidinha Stadium soccer field featuring Tahitian, Maori, Samoan and Hawaiian entertainment, Polynesian arts and crafts, solo and group dance competitions, food booths, workshops, and much more.

Tickets may be purchased online at the event website or at the gate.

Established in 1994, the Kamanawa Foundation is a Kauai-based non-profit organization. Its mission is to preserve, promote and perpetuate the Native Hawaiian culture, including the language, social values, arts, crafts and music, primarily through the study of hula. The Kamanawa Foundation hosts three annual events that highlight hula and Polynesian performing arts including the Kauai Polynesian Festival, Holiday Hula Celebration, and Kauai Hula Exhibition. The Kamanawa Foundation is led by Kapu Kinimaka-Alquiza, Kumu hula of Halau Na Hula o Kaohikukapulani.

More updates about this event and others coming shortly.

Soloists beat

With Heiva i Honolulu starting today, soloists will be vying for this years' overall award. All age groups are eligible. But if you aren't able to compete, there are several other events coming up throughout the year.

In fact, if you want to really get in tune and sync with the beat, check out Tahiti Taurua Nui i Las Vegas' website. They have the soloist beat online so you can download, listen and practice your routine over and over. Add it to your iPod. There may be some slight variations at the actual event, but you should be able to practice and anticipate timing. There are many who are very creative and this would allow even more planning on their part.

So if you are planning on participating in the event, this is a must. Tahiti Taurua Nui i Las Vegas takes place May 29-30, 2010 at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tickets are $20 per person per day (children’s tickets ages 2-12 $15 each) available at the UNLV Ticket Call Center (702) 739-FANS (3267) or (866) 388-FANS (3267).

8th Annual Tahiti Taurua Nui I Las Vegas

Dates for the 8th Annual Tahiti Taurua Nui I Las Vegas have been announced by event organizers KP & Tetua Ioana. Event activities will take place over Memorial Day weekend - May 29-30, 2010 at the Cox Pavilion (UNLV) in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The event features both solo and group competition as well as a Mr. and Ms. Tahiti Taurua Nui I Las Vegas pageant. Gates open at 10 am and close at 6 pm both days. Tickets are $20 per person per day (children 2-12 $15 each) and may be purchased at the box office, calling (702) 739-FANS (3267) or (866) 388-FANS (3267) or online at unlvtickets.com

Applications are also available online for downloading. Visit the official event website to download.

Tahiti Taurua Nui i Las Vegas 2009

Tahitian dance, or Ori Tahiti, will again be highlighted on Memorial Day weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada. KP and Tetua Ioane, producers of the Tahiti Taurua Nui i Las Vegas, have just confirmed the dates and location for their annual event now in its 7th year. Once again UNLV's Cox Pavilion will host activities on Sunday and Monday, May 24-25, 2009.

The event includes both solo and group competitions. More details and information will be forthcoming on their official website.

Tahiti Taurua Nui I Las Vegas 2009

Mark your calendar. Las Vegas will once again host a premiere Tahitian dance event next year. Tahiti Taurua Nui I Las Vegas, organized by KP and Tetua Ioane, have announced that May 30-31, 2009 will be the dates for next years event. Activities will once again take place at the Cox Pavilion on the UNLV campus. This will mark the 7th year of the heiva.

This years event had Lokelani's Rhythm of the Islands, Tepanie O Patitifa and Na Pua Ilima O Kehaulani take top group honors. Soloists came from a number of different dance groups throughout the Western US.

Not only do KP and Tetua Ioane run the Tahiti Tuarua Nui I Las Vegas, they also organize a Lei Day festival in May every year as well. In addition, they also run their own dance group Tamaeva Arii. The noncompeting group holds dance classes on Saturdays and Sundays for ages 5 and older.

Tahiti Taurua Nui i Las Vegas solo and group results

Here's the results of the recent Tahiti Taurua Nui i Las Vegas which took place at the UNLV campus Cox Pavilion. Visit the official website for more information.

Tamarii Tamahine 5-8yrs
1. KENNEDY DRAGON of Le Polynesia
2. ALII ZAMORA of Lokelani's Rhythm of the Islands
3. KIRSTEN WONG of Lokelani's Rhythm of the Islands

Tamarii Tamaroa 5-8 yrs
1. PALANI WILLINGHAM of Tevakanui

Tamarii Tamahine 9-12 yrs
1. ABIGAIL CAMACHO of Tevakanui
2. MELIA BERNAL of Lokelani's Rhythm of the Islands
3. NANI KITASHIMA of Tevakanui

Tamarii Tamaroa 9-12 yrs
1. CHAZ WALTER of Tevakanui

Tamahine 13-17 yrs
1. LYDIA DAVILA of Te Pura O Te Rahura'a
2. HEU TAUMOEFOLAU of Tevakanui
3. ALEX JOHNSON of Hitia O Te Ra

Tamaroa 13-17 yrs
1. THOMAS TAPUSOA of Tevakanui

Vahine Taurearea 18-24 yrs
1. VICTORIA ABATAY of Tupua
2. KRYSTLE COCADIZ of Hitia O Te Ra
3. MAHALENE DULAY of Hitia O Te Ra

Tane Taurearea 18-24 yrs
1. CHRIS CASELLA of Hitia O Te Ra

Vahine Ui Api 25-34 yrs
1. COLIE BERBANO of Tevakanui
2. MAKO SAKO of Le Polynesia
3. ANNA MALLARI of Tupua

Vahine Paari 34+ yrs
1. SHEILA KEIKILANI WALSTEAD of Le Polynesia
2. PINKY WRIGHT of Halau 'O Na Ali'i
3. MICHELLE SWANSON of Puahi's Polynesian Dancers

Vahine Paari Ora Toa Tahi
1. NORMA CHEEK of Puahi's Polynesian Dancers

Pupu Otea Amui
1. TEPANIE O PATITIFA

Pupu Otea Tamarii Api
1. LOKELANI'S RHYTHM OF THE ISLANDS of Huntington Beach, CA

Pupu Taurearea Otea
1. NA PUA ILIMA O KEHAULANI of Chula Vista, CA

Pupu Aparima Tamarii Api
1. LOKELANI'S RHYTHM OF THE ISLANDS of Huntington Beach, CA

Tahiti Taurua Nui i Las Vegas 2008

Tahiti Taurua Nui i Las Vegas is coming May 24-25. Now in its sixth year, the event, produced by Tetua Ioane features both solo and group competitions. At least 24 groups or soloists representing Tahitian dance groups throughout the nation are scheduled to perform.

Tickets are $17 per day ($12 for children ages 2-12) and can be purchased by calling UNLV Ticket Call Center at (702) 739-FANS (3267) or (866) 388-FANS (3267). You can also order online at www.UNLVtickets.com

Event information, group applications and questions can be referred to
Tetua Ioane
Tamaeva Arii, Inc.
P.O. Box 70988
Las Vegas, NV 89170 U.S.A.

Tele: (702) 251-5793
Fax: (702) 220-9308

Visit the event website for more details.

2008 Tahiti Taurua Nui I Las Vegas

Tamaeva Arii, Inc. recently announced that the 2008 Tahiti Taurua Nui I Las Vegas will be offering a thrilling weekend of dance competition in the Entertainment Capital of the World - Las Vegas! Participating dance groups will be competing in group, solo, drumming, couples, and himene (singing) categories.

The fifth annual Tahiti Taurua Nui I Las Vegas will be held on Saturday and Sunday, May 24th & 25th, 2008 (Memorial Day weekend) at the COX Pavilion at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).

Kauai & Las Vegas Tahitian Dance Competitions

Ia Orana and the pulsating drums of Tahiti could be heard across the oceans and in the desert. Not one, but two Tahitian dance competitions occurred this past holiday weekend. In Kauai, the 7th Annual Kauai Polynesian Festival took the island by storm. Even the crafters got involved as evident from a news article in the local paper, Kauai - The Garden Island. The event is organized by the Kamanawa Foundation, and is led by Kapu Kinimaka-Alquiza, Kumu hula of Halau Na Hula o Kaohikukapulani. Activities took place on the grounds of the Hilton Kauai Beach Resort.

On the mainland, in Las Vegas, Nevada, a second Tahitian dance competition brought crowd pleasing performances to the Cox Pavilion at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV). Photos of the solo, aparima, otea and ahuroa competitions can be found here.

Dance groups announced for 2007 Tahiti Taurua Nui i Las Vegas

Dance groups participating in the 2007 Tahiti Taurua Nui i Las Vegas announced. The event will take place May 26-27 at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas.

Apatoerau (Seattle, WA)
Fano Maohi (Salt Lake City, UT)
Ha'awi (Modesto, CA)
Halau 'O Na Ali'i (San Diego, CA)
Ho'okupu 'O Hawaii
Hula Halau I Ka Wa I Hala
Kaimikahu Hale O' Hula (Scottsdale, AZ)
Kaleo Onalani (San Diego, CA)
Keiki O' Mokiao (Las Vegas, NV)
Lei Oleander Dancers
LeiIsa (San Diego, CA)
Lokelani's Rhythm of the Islands (Huntington Beach, CA)
Mai Polynesia (Fountain Valley, CA)
Marama Te Mafatu Nui (San Bruno, CA)
Merahi O Tehani (Union City, CA)
Na Kamalii O ke Akua
Na Pua Ilima 'O Kehaulani (Chula Vista, CA)
Ninth Island Productions (Las Vegas, NV)
No Te Here Ote Hiroa (Fresno, CA)
Polynesian Paradise (Santa Fe Springs, CA)
Polynesian Rhythms
Puahi's Polynesian Dancers (Temecula, CA)
Tago Le Pasefika
Tamali'i (Hayward, CA)
Te Fare O Tamatoa
Te Mau Ta'ata Anuanua (Merced, CA)
Te Pura O Te Rahuraa (Pacifica, CA)
Te Tiare Patitifa (Lahaina, HI)
Tevakanui (Las Vegas, NV)

Please be aware that this list is tentative and subject to change.