'ōte'a

  Traditional dance from Tahiti characterized by a rapid hip-shaking motion to percussion accompaniment. The dancers, standing in several rows, may be further choreographed to execute different figures (including box, figure 8, circles, and half circles) while maintaining the hip-shaking.

The dance is with music only (drums) at a fast rhythm, and no singing. The drum can be one of the different types of the tōʻere, a lying log of wood with a longitudinal slit, which is struck by one or two sticks. Additional drum types accompanying the dance may include the pahu (the ancient Tahitian, standing drum covered with a shark skin and struck by the hands or with sticks) played at a slower rhythm, or the smaller faʻatētē drum.

The ʻōteʻa is one of the few dances which already existed in pre-European times as a male dance. Nowadays, however the ʻōteʻa can be danced by men (ʻōteʻa tāne), by women (ʻōteʻa vahine), or by both genders (ʻōteʻa ʻāmui = united ʻō.).

Gestures:
Dancers of the ʻōteʻa make gestures reenacting daily occupations of life.

Men: Themes from warfare or sailing, and then they may use spears or paddles.

Women: Relate to home or from nature: hand gestures suggesting combing their hair, or the flight of a butterfly.

Other: More elaborate themes have been adopted; for example one where the dancers end up in a map of Tahiti, highlighting important places. In a proper ʻōteʻa the story of the theme should pervade the whole dance.