Friday, November 15, 2013

The PCC at The UCCC

In July, I heard from my friend Amy that a group from the Polynesian Cultural Center (located in Laie, HI) was going to be in Salt Lake and putting on a couple shows at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center, located in West Valley. And that tickets were only about $10!  Going to the night show at the PCC costs around $50, I believe, and this ended up being nearly the same show, minus some of the animated videos they display on the backdrop at the PCC show, and with perhaps a few fewer dancers, which worked out well since the stage area was probably quite a bit smaller than what they have back home.

I asked Natalie and Ben if they wanted to come with us, and in the end Amy's friends didn't want to sit where we had picked out spot when we got there, so I only saw Amy for a couple minutes.  Ben suggested a good place to eat beforehand might be Mo Betta Steaks, and it was definitely some good Hawaiian BBQ at a reasonable price.

PCC @ UCCC 003
George's bishop (Steve Laulu) was the MC and started the night out giving out T-shirts for correct answers to a variety of PCC-related trivia questions. We knew some of the answers but were sitting far enough back that we generally weren't going to be able to be heard.

The show ("Ha: The Breath of Life") kind of tells the story of a family in the islands, but mostly serves to provide opportunities to show off dances from the various island groups represented at the PCC.  To be honest I sometimes have a hard time remembering which is which.

PCC @ UCCC 005
Hawaiian?

PCC @ UCCC 023
This Haka dance is, I think, from New Zealand, or Aotearoa, as the Maori call it

PCC @ UCCC 035
Tahitian maybe? or Samoan? I'm just saying names of the islands now.

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One of the islands has a dance that involves fire on the ground and dancing over it and sitting on it

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I think this is when they got married or something (note to self: don't wait 3.5 months before blogging about stuff)

The highlight of the night show at the PCC and of this show as well is the fireknife performance. I was really pleased with the photos I was able to get of this part of the show.

PCC @ UCCC 076

PCC @ UCCC 082

PCC @ UCCC 084

PCC @ UCCC 088

PCC @ UCCC 089

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Two at once!

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I think the other guy was a little more skilled, but since this guy was the main character he got to do the finale

PCC @ UCCC 097
HA!



1 comment:

Kimberli said...

Especially love the fireknife pics! Crossing my fingers they come to UT again!