through generations
Night Show lead says she is inpired by her parents and great-grandmother who also danced at the PCC BY XYRON LEVI CORPUZ
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ancing at the Polynesian Cultural Center since she was 4 years old, Indigo Tetuaapua now plays the lead role of Lani in the Center’s evening show, Hā: Breath of Life. As both her parents and even her great-grandmother performed at the Center, Tetuaapua said her life revolves around the PCC.
Where it all started Tetuaapua, a sophomore from Laie, Hawaii, majoring in political science, said she started performing the Tahitian and Hula dances at the PCC when she was child. She said she continued to dance when her family moved to Tahiti when she was 5. However, when she moved back to Hawaii at the age of 8, she stopped dancing and focused on doing other things like gymnastics and playing a piano. She shared her desire to dance was revived when she visited some family members in Tahiti in the summer of 2015. During the visit, they watched part of a Tahitian competition called the Heiva. Watching the show, she said, triggered some memories of how much she used to love dancing.
Tetuaapua commented, “When I came back to Hawaii, I started to look for places where I could practice and eventually there was a job opening for a dancer position at the PCC.” She said she now performs at the PCC’s evening show, Hā: Breath of Life, and dances at the Luau once a week. Before the pandemic, she also worked at the Tahitian Village and the Huki canoe show.
Dancing in Hā: Breath of Life At work, before the Night Show starts,Tetuaapua said they would review their line-up for each section of the show. “With COVID-19 going on, everybody needs to be there because if someone’s not there, then we are short. We don’t have anyone to fill in, so it’s really important people are there.” She said after they go over their line-ups, they are given a little break to pre-set their costumes backstage. At 7 p.m., she said, the manager, supervisors, and even sometimes the PCC president, share how they can improve the show and what they look forward to. The show officially starts at 7:27 p.m., she added. Graphics by Katie Mower.
50 KE AL AK A‘I 2021
