In this class, you’ll learn the fundamental hand gestures used in ‘ōte’a (percussion-led dance). We’ll finish with a short fa’arapu discovery sequence, something we’ll dive deeper in week 5.

In ‘aparima, there are endless ways to express a theme, a word, or an emotion through gestures. So instead of trying to cover every possible gesture, I want to give you something more useful: the tools to create clean, graceful lines with your arms and hands. In this week’s lessons, I’ll demonstrate a few key gestures, break them down step by step, and then we’ll practice them together.

Your assignment this week is to try an ‘OTF session. And the key word here is try. You can do the whole class or stop at any water break. You’re not performing, comparing, or judging yourself. Just allow yourself to explore the movements, feel the rhythm, and be part of the group. Part 1 (before the first water break) is where we warm up, build hip mobility, and develop coordination. It should feel a little challenging, but not overwhelming. And if it does feel overwhelming, that’s perfectly okay. Take a step back and spend more time with the previous classes. In Part 2, we increase the rhythm and push the combinations a little further. Part 3 is the finish line. This is where we experience dancing while the body is slightly tired. And something magical starts to happen there: your muscles begin to relax and naturally search for the most efficient, energy-saving way to perform the movement.