Polynesian Dance Productions

New York Outrigger is pleased to announce Polynesian Dance Productions on the Hawaiian Airlines Stage at the 2016 Hawaiian Airlines Liberty Challenge on Saturday, June 11.

Polynesian Dance Productions’ mission is to share the beauty, joy, and origins of authentic Polynesian dance with a diverse range of audiences in the U.S and abroad. The group seeks to honor and spread the knowledge of Polynesian culture through interactive shows and classes that embody the aloha spirit. All its dancers are classically trained in Tahitian and Hawaiian dance techniques, and have performed individually in professional shows for over 15 years.

Founders May Cacal and Malia Scala created PDP in January 2007, their paths having crossed through a bit of serendipity and shared love of Polynesian dance. They first met in Tokyo in 2003 when May’s Sounds of Hawai’i tour group spent several weeks performing throughout Japan, collaborating with other Hawaiian dancers like Malia, who was the lead performer for Tokyo Disneyland’s Polynesian Paradise show at the time. Both natives of Hawai’i, they connected over their similar background and lifelong passion for dancing.

When their paths crossed again in New York City the following year, they conceived the idea of creating a Polynesian dance group that would center around the authentic dance techniques and culture of the islands. Their organization would be unique in that their dancers would be experienced and elite, raised and trained extensively in Hawai’i by renowned kumus, or master teachers. With this mission in mind, they invited several excellent dancers to join their group, tirelessly creating and practicing original choreography before they debuted in 2007.

Some of PDP’s first clients included Bette Midler, who wanted dynamic hula dancers for her Hulaween party, and Christina Aguilera, who surprised her husband with a Polynesian dance performance for his 30th birthday. All its clients have been extremely pleased and impressed by the authentic Polynesian dance experience that PDP brings to every performance, a standard that PDP continues to uphold by training and performing periodically with their kumus in Hawai’i and Tahiti.

www.polynesiandp.com