Dress rehearsal

Dress rehearsal

24/9/18

Trotting through the curtains I made it to the stage.  Everyone was already cheering and clapping like no one was there.  Pushing past the final curtain people were staring, eyeing us down.  The feeling I had just had no description.

Making the stage instantaneously made sickness in my guts.  Jimmy, Jake and Seu began their speeches. “Afio mai, welcome to the senior pacific group,” said Jake. After the speeches the school waiata began.  “Heretaunga Ararau, Heretaunga Hukanui,” everyone sang in unison. My guts had unravelled just to knot themself back up again ready for the slap dance.  After making the decision not to do the slap dance I quickly found myself performing on the dance.

Tasi, Lua, Tolu, Fa,” shouted Isaac setting the rest of the dance in motion.  We all began from the beginning and off to the meer end. “Heeee,” we shouted as the crowd began cheering, “WOOOOOOOO *clapping*.”  Beginning to jog on the spot the drum started playing. Making our way slowly back my heel whacked against the step and “ah!” “Sssshhhhh,” everyone began trying to hush the noise but just amplified it.  Moving on back still everyone finally hushed and the girls created a barrier from us to the audience. Music filled the room room breaking mass silence. “Aue aue, Nuku I mua and when it’s time to find home we know the way,” began the song.  Throughout the dance there was chatter from both sides mainly the stage side. Coming to an end on the girls dance it was the boys dance, Lomi lomi. I dreaded this moment hoping it wouldn’t come but …

Music was playing you get the idea, awkward.  We basically had to pretend to wash each other is the dance in a nutshell, just awkward.  “Huh disco fever!” shouted some little 6 year olds out in the crowd. After the final claps we finished off the dance, coming to the end of the performance, it was only minutes away.  Dudududududududu, the drum had made a return and the sasa was seconds from beginning. “Lalo,” Jeff shouted putting the group on the ground ready for motion. “Tulolo, Nofo, Tulolo Nofo.”  We were off and prepared to finish the pacific performance. “John cena, YOU CAN’T SEE ME, Lue. 1,2,3,4,1,2,3,4,1,2,3,4 everyone had stuck in their heads for timing. We finally neared the absolute end and that was it.  Finally the Sasa ended an, “ewatangie, e tangi tangi tangi e ewatangie,” we all began and the dress rehearsal was over.