Dance company Siva Pasefika brings the spirit of Aloha to Draper Amphitheater
Sep 10, 2024 12:27PM ● By Katherine Weinstein
The Polynesian dance company, Siva Pasefika, performs in this photograph from 2023. (Photo courtesy April Te’o Keil/Siva Pasefika)
Enthusiastic Draper residents inspired the St. George-based Polynesian dance company, Siva Pasefika, to perform this month at Draper Amphitheater. The company will present “Origins,” an evening of music, dance and storytelling showcasing “The Spirit of Polynesia” on Sept. 7.
Siva Pasefika founder, April Te’o Keil explained, “We have quite a few people from Draper who come to our studio and take a dance class.” Over the years, Keil received so much encouragement from members of the community to bring Siva Pasefika to Draper, she was determined to make it happen. “My first time working with Draper City has been amazing,” she said. “I hope they will have us back.”
Keil described “Origins” as a “very energetic show” featuring live music, hula, fire dancing, haka, storytelling and sand art. Traditional dances from Hawaii, Samoa, New Zealand, Tonga, Fiji and Tahiti are all represented. “Musicians will serenade the audience for an hour before the show,” she added. Music from all of Polynesia will be performed.
“The beauty of it is to see the dances from all the islands,” she said. “This show is produced from our heart and soul, hard work and sweat. We do it because it’s a responsibility of ours to share the culture and perpetuate it.”
Perpetuating Polynesian culture was the main impetus behind the founding of Siva Pasefika back in 2006. When Keil moved her family from Samoa to Utah, she wanted her children to be grounded in the Samoan culture.
“Growing up in Samoa, dance is part of everyday life,” she said. The name of the company means “Dance Pacific” in the Samoan language. “You grow up singing and dancing,” Keil said. “It’s part of the school curriculum. Everyone finds their own harmony, it’s an innate thing.”
Keil began teaching traditional Polynesian songs and dances to her own children then opened the classes to the public. Siva Pasefika currently operates out of its own studio. The company performs regularly at Tuacahn in addition to other Utah locations.
Dancer and instructor Aisake Vuikadavu was born and raised in Fiji where he learned the traditional dances. He has performed all over the world including the opening ceremonies for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City as a member of the BYU Living Legends. He moved to St. George in 2009. “I’ve been in Siva Pasefika ever since,” he said. Vuikadavu performs all of the Polynesian dances in the company’s repertoire.
“When I first started, it was like a backyard luau,” he said. “Now it’s a whole different experience. It’s a feeling, more than entertaining.”
“A lot of us are spiritual people,” Keil said. She explained that the show is called “Origins” because it tells the story of the origins of the Polynesian people through song, dance and art. “There is a deep meaning of what we do and why we do it,” she said.
Keil hopes that audience members will be inspired to reflect on their own origins and what they can pass down to their children and grandchildren. “We want people to walk away with an understanding of where we come from and where we will go,” she said.
Vuikadavu elaborated on what inspires him to keep dancing as a member of Siva Pasefika. “For me, it’s an opportunity to share our culture and to touch peoples’ hearts,” he said.
Siva Pasefika will present “Origins” at Draper Amphitheater at 8 p.m. Sept. 7. The gates open one hour earlier. Tickets must be purchased online as there will be no on-site box office. Prices range from $24 to $31. Draper Amphitheater is located at 944 Vestry Road. For more information and the link to purchase tickets, visit www.draperutah.gov/events-programs/draper-amphitheater/origins-spirit-of-polynesia.λ