New Zealand Dancers Perform for Students

The heritage of New Zealand’s native Maori people came to life for Woodlake Avenue Elementary School students on Monday through a performance of tribal music and dance and a display of handcrafted costumes.

Students watched in interest as seven dancers shared the traditions of the Maori and those of other Polynesian cultures.

“We read about different countries and lands, but performances like this bring it to life for the students,” said first-grade teacher Rissa Bernstein. “It’s important for children to have a better understanding of different cultures, so they can see how similar we really are.”

Students saw a spectrum of Polynesian dances, from the quick and upbeat moves of Tahiti to the more mellow hula of Hawaii.

Four female dancers also performed a Friendship Dance from the Cook Islands, holding coconut shells and swaying their hips to the music.

“I really liked it when they were dancing really fast,” said first-grader Cierra Howard, 7.

The show was presented by the Kahurangi Maori Dance Theatre of New Zealand and the Music Center on Tour program, an educational and outreach arm of the Music Center of Los Angeles County. The Woodlake Avenue Elementary PTA received a $2,000 grant from the office of Los Angeles Unified School District board member Valerie Fields to pay for the performance.

Woodlake Avenue Elementary was the last Southern California stop for the Maori dance troupe before it heads east to perform at Niagara Falls. The dancers visited about 30 area schools during the past two weeks, including ones in Compton, Ventura County and the Valley.

“Many of the students we visit may never get out of their state because of economic situations,” said Maori dancer Joeanna Walters. “This gives them a chance to see a bigger world out there.”