This Killeen dance group is spreading the aloha spirit

KILLEEN, Texas ( FOX 44 ) – You don’t have to be in Polynesia to experience the allure of the islands. This spirit is alive right here in Central Texas.

A dance group out of Killeen is making it their mission to spread the “Spirit of Aloha.” So what is the Spirit of Aloha and what does it mean?

“That is our hello, our goodbye, our love, our breath of life. It’s always aloha,” says dancer Tiani Siuai.

Tiani is the eldest of five daughters of the Siva Ori Polynesia dance group. Along with their mother, the Siuai sisters are the core of the troupe which was established in 2016.

“For us, it’s kind of hard to get away from dancing,” says Tiani. “We have an ongoing joke – if you’re in this family, you’re going to dance.”

They have now grown to a 40-member extended family, or “Ohana,” in Hawaiian. Now why is ohana so important in the Hawaiian culture?”

“If you need somebody to lean on, it’s going to always be your family. Forever and always,” Tiani explains.

This ohana brings the excitement of the islands right to the heart of Central Texas, gracing stages to showcase traditional dance styles from various parts of Polynesia.

Some of these styles include one from Samoa, the show-stopping “siva afi,” or fire knife dance. There is also the beautiful and delicate Hawaiian hula, where words are embodied with graceful hand gestures.

“We’re telling stories with our hands,” says Tiani. “I’m showing this flower, I’m showing the waves, I’m showing the wind blowing.”

The high-octane Tahitian style ‘ote’a brings a totally different vibe.

“You have drum beats, you have upbeat music,” Tiani says.

If you notice, it is less about the hands, but rather —

“We’re also telling a story with our hips now,” says Tiani.

If just watching these performances has made you mesmerized, you too can step into their shoes — or rather their bare feet — as they offer classes for all ages!

“We will take any person who is seasoned to the sun,” Tiani says.

I took them up on a lesson myself. But first — the ever-important attire!

“We call it a lei po’o,” Tiani says.

Tiani instructed me through an ‘ote’a alongside her mom and aunt, and it wasn’t easy. This ‘ote’a requires a lot of stamina and energy. But I did learn it’s more than just hitting your marks and perfecting these moves.

“Having a smile and it coming from your heart, that is the best performance that you could ever have,” says Tiani.

So I’m going to finish practicing this ‘ote’a with these ladies!

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