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'ote'a
The ōtea (usually written as otea) is a traditional dance and accompanying music from Tahiti characterized by a rapid hip-shaking motion to percussion accompaniment. The dancers, standing in several
Modern and adoptive interpretation#
Interpretations of the ōtea are frequently included as part of larger Polynesian dance recitals presented at luaus and visitor-oriented live shows in the Hawaiian Islands and other Pacific-rim resorts outside Tahiti. Modern interpretations include costumes fashioned of contemporary man-made materials (polyester films such as mylar, or synthetic twines) substituting for plant-fiber or natural materials, and costume coloration such as fluorescent pinks and greens or mirror-reflective surfaces difficult to obtain or maintain from purely natural resources. Modern drum accompaniments may include drums of European or non-Pacific construction, improvised percussion instruments of modern materials (e.g. high-density polyethylene or metallic commercial food packaging), and the use of prerecorded drum reinforcement soundtracks.
See also#
- Polynesian culture
References#
*Patrick O’Reilly; La danse à Tahiti.
- Genre family
- Tahitian music