Tahiti Festival Judging | Polynesian Cultural Center

Raymond Mariteragi
Polynesian Cultural Center
Director of Cultural Islands
and Tahiti Islands
Cultural Specialist

Judges: 2011 | 2010 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005

Judging Criteria

The organizing committee, led by Raymond Mariteragi, is committed to providing the best and fair criteria available for judging. The selection of judges is a critical and essential part of the competition and is taken into very careful consideration.

Competition Rules & Regulations

Solo Rules (downloadable PDF)
Group Rules (downloadable PDF)

2011 Judges

		Chief Judge Rose Mapuhi Perreira, a sought-after Tahitian dance educator who has over 20 years experience in teaching and judging, was born and raised in Tahiti and started dancing at the age of 4. She moved to Laie in December 1974 to attend BYU–Hawaii and soon became the Polynesian Cultural Center’s featured Tahitian dancer and a favorite subject of posters, post cards and calendars. She has since travelled all over the world, appeared in movies, television and video, and puts on Tahitian dance workshops in Japan.
		Manarii Gauthier, who was born and raised in Tahiti, was immersed in Tahitian dance from birth. He danced in the 2004 Heiva I Tahiti with Tamariki Poerani, and in 2005 represented Teva I Tai in Heiva I Tahiti’s best dancer competition. That same year Gauthier won the title of Tane Polynesia on Kauai, and he moved to Oahu to attend the University of Hawaii. After graduating he married a local dancer and shares his culture by teaching, choreographing, performing and competing with local groups. He has also been performing at Magic of Polynesia since 2007.
		Jeanne Mou'a Larsen has helped judge the PCC's Te Mahana Hiro'a o Tahiti competition for a number of years. She also regularly judges the Heiva i Honolulu and the San Jose Tahiti Fête. Larsen is the niece of the "legendary Madeleine Mou'a" who was responsible for reviving the traditional dances of Tahiti. She has traveled all over the world as a representative of Tahitian culture, and in 1988 won the prestigious Mrs. Tahiti title in the Mrs. Woman of the World pageant. She has also served as a board member of the French Alliance in Hawaii.

2010 Judges

		Chief judge Heremoana Maamaatuaiiahutapu, Director of Te Fare Tauhiti Nui (House of Culture) in Papeete, former director of the office and staff of the Minister of Culture as well as master and special research agent in the Museum of Tahiti, and a special Tahitian cultural advisor to Raymond Mariteragi, PCC’s Tahitian specialist. He is the former leader of the famous Temaeva cultural dancing group, founded the Toareva group, earned a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of Bordeaux in France; and, unusual for one of his generation, he is also highly regarded for his abilities in orero or Tahitian oratory.
		Mahana Mo'o Pulotu, who was born on Hikueru atoll in the Tuamotus of French Polynesia, first came to Hawaii in 1961 to attend Church College of Hawaii (which became BYU-Hawaii in 1974). She became one of the original dancers when the Polynesian Cultural Center opened in 1963 and is currently assistant manager of the PCC's Tahitian village. In addition to the PCC competition, Pulotu — who is married to master carver and "living treasure" Tui'one Pulotu — has judged competitions in Honolulu, Kauai and California.
		Jeanne Mou'a Larsen has helped judge the PCC's Te Mahana Hiro'a o Tahiti competition for a number of years. She also regularly judges the Heiva i Honolulu and the San Jose Tahiti Fête. Larsen is the niece of the "legendary Madeleine Mou'a" who was responsible for reviving the traditional dances of Tahiti. She has traveled all over the world as a representative of Tahitian culture, and in 1988 won the prestigious Mrs. Tahiti title in the Mrs. Woman of the World pageant. She has also served as a board member of the French Alliance in Hawaii.

2008 Judges
		Chief judge Hatota Tehiva , a former PCC Tahitian dancer judging here for the first time. Originally from Hikueru, Tuamotus, Tehiva married a Hawaiian woman and now lives in Hana, Maui, where he regularly teaches at the high school but is also involved in teaching Tahitian dance as well as survival techniques.

		Hutia Tekurio Kaanapu, also a former Polynesian Cultural Center Tahitian dancer originally from Takaroa, Tuamotus, returned to her alma mater for the first time as a judge this year, although she has judged other competitions. Kaanapu has taught Polynesian dancing professionally in Florida, Ohio, Hawaii and Utah.

		Jeanne Mou'a Larsen has helped judge the PCC's Te Mahana Hiro'a o Tahiti competition for a number of years. She also regularly judges the Heiva i Honolulu and the San Jose Tahiti Fête. Larsen is the niece of the "legendary Madeleine Mou'a" who was responsible for reviving the traditional dances of Tahiti. She has traveled all over the world as a representative of Tahitian culture, and in 1988 won the prestigious Mrs. Tahiti title in the Mrs. Woman of the World pageant. She has also served as a board member of the French Alliance in Hawaii.

2007 Judges

Four judges, who have all previously helped evaluate the Polynesian Cultural Center Children's Tahitian Dance Competition, worked especially hard this year ranking 177 solo entrants and 11 group performances. They are:

Jeanne Mou’a Larsen, also a judge from 2005-2006, 2008 and 2010. Her description is listed under the 2010 judges.

Chief judge Moanaura Teheiura: a teacher of French, English and Tahitian in the Technical School of Faaa, Tahiti. He is the Choreographer of the premier dancing group "O Tahiti E."

Teheiura has been dancing professionally for more than 25 years for Heiva award-winning ote'a groups such as Heikuranui and O Tahitii E, During those times he also traveled throughout the world sharing Tahitian culture.

Moanarua has an extensive background in judging, including all events held at the Conservatoire in Papeete, and helped establish the rules and judged the Heiva in Tahiti.

Roiti Tahauri Sylva, born in Tuamotu island of Takaroa, danced for the legendary Madeleine Mou'a, among other notable Tahitian dance instructors in Tahiti. She came to Hawaii in 1959 before statehood and was a featured Tahitian dancer in Waikiki.

Her experience also includes choreography and dancing in Hawaii under the direction of Teri'i Rua and Tavana. She has taught and danced in Japan, runs a competition in Florida called Heiva i Orlando, and has judged many other festivals throughout the United States. Sylva also teaches Tahitian language at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Etua Tahauri, who is a judge at almost all the Tahitian dance competitions in the United States, was born and raised in Tahiti, attended high school at Liahona in Tonga, graduated in art from BYU-Hawaii and is a former student dancer at the Polynesian Cultural Center.

He is well known as a master carver who specializes in making Hawaiian and Tahitian drums, and is a regular sponsor of the Merry Monarch, Keiki Hula and other PCC dance competitions. Tahauri also serves as Chairman of the Board of Tahiti Nui International.

2006 judges

The three judges for the PCC's sixth annual Te Mahana Hiro'a o Tahiti children's competition, who each have decades of experience, were all invited to judge again in 2007. See their biographical information above under 2007 judges.

2005 judges

A panel of five judges ranked the competition in the PCC's fifth annual children's Tahitian dance competition, including:

Jeanne Mou’a Larsen, also a judge from 2005-2006, 2008 and 2010. Her description is listed under the 2010 judges.

Etua Tahauri, who was also a judge in 2006 and 2007. See his bio info under the 2007 judges.

		Karl Brillant was born in New Caledonia and raised in Paea, Tahiti, where he now teaches traditional dance to boys and girls ages 5-18. Brillant started his own dance career under the direction of the premier ra'atira pupu Coco Hotahota in 1992. He also danced with the group Toa Reva, eventually becoming their choreographer, and has traveled the world sharing Tahitian culture. Brillant is married to the Tahitian recording star, Sabrina.

		Iona 'Papi' Teriipaia — who is originally from Bora Bora and raised in Taha'a and Ra'iatea by his adoptive father, the late, revered Tahitian culture authority Manutahi Ma'o — came to Hawaii in 1969 on a Latter-day Saint mission to serve as chief of the Polynesian Cultural Center's Tahitian village. He is a skilled carver, musician, drummer, dance teacher, choreographer and competition judge. He has been a cultural specialist with Tihati Productions since 1973 and is also currently Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors of Tahiti Nui International, an organization that he and three others helped to establish.