Pre Spring Break Vacay, But Not Really

This past week my family rented a beach house in La'ie because my brothers had spring break and they didn't care that I had school (just kidding). It was really nice. I love that side of the island. It's the real Hawai'i- away from the city and traffic, surrounded by greenery and the ocean. It was a bummer not being able to enjoy it as much as I wanted to. The whole week there, I'd wake up early to study,  go to school, then go to work, and by the time I got back to the house it's almost midnight. It was really hard to focus when the beach was right there calling my name and my family all around having a good time. It was probably a bad idea to go. But I did appreciate the little time I did have to spend with my family and at the beach.

 Work flow!

 What I was missing out on this past week! :(

Maui Nui Rain

This past Friday me and three other dancers from Oahu went to Maui to cast assist at Tihati's Sheraton Maui Nui Luau show. I've been going every Friday for the past month because there hasn't been enough dancers in Maui on Fridays because Tihati has three production shows going on. And every single time I've gone, it rains! Even the Maui crew says that we bring the rain with us. It kind of sucks, but it's good at the same time. If it doesn't rain then we do the whole show and we usually don't leave till almost 9pm, so we get onto the 1054 flight back home and arrive at almost 1130pm. But when it rains, which it has been for the past month, we only do certain dances of the show and end early so we get to go home early. And it helps because I have class the next morning. Ugh! I know, who goes to school on a Saturday?! And to end the week, I'm now sick probably from dancing in the rain.

The girls and I soaking wet after our aparima number, which is a Tahitian and Cook island dance that focuses on the hand motions more so than the hip shaking. At this part of the show, it started to pour on us! It was pretty of fun!

Te Moana Nui: Tales of the Pacific

Tihati has opened up a new "luau" show (although it's not luau style- it's in doors and they serve ono Hawaiian food!) at the Grand Ballroom of the Pacific Beach Hotel. It's a great production show and I highly encourage everyone to see it!

 Before you enter the showroom you'll be greeted with a lei, followed by a photo with two of our dancers. Inside the showroom we have interactive booths including, kapa printing for you to take home, Polynesian tattoos done by our male dancers (who are very artistic), and lei making. There are also people selling Polynesian goods such as tiki carvings, Polynesian jewelry, hula implements, poi balls, lauhala woven products, etc. As guests are coming they're entertained by the Tihati Serenaders and a hula dancer for about an hour until you are excused to go and eat the delicious Hawaiian and  local food including Kalua pig and cabbage, lomi salmon, chicken long rice, sweet potato, haupia, Portuguese bean soup, pipikaula, and much more. Dinner is then followed by our spectacular show, which is about an hour. We have dances coming from Hawaii, Tonga (only show in Waikiki that has a female Tongan number), Tahiti, Fiji, Aotearoa (New Zealand), and Samoa, including the crowds favorite- the fire knife dance, done by a four time champion of the fire knife competition. It may be a little pricey, but I think it's worth it.

After the closure of our long time running show, Creation: A Polynesian Journey, at the Sheraton Princess Ka'iulani Hotel we quickly and efficiently got our company together and worked very hard for weeks straight to create this new, amazing show. Of all the production shows we have throughout the state, including outer island, I personally think that Te Moana Nui is the best show we have.

If you are interested or know anyone that would be interested in watching the show then you can call to make reservations at (808) 735-0292 or you can go to our website for more information about our company and see what other shows we have at www.tihati.com.

Photos taken by Tesia Melani Worley