Easter Island dances shows
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General information
Although it may seem cliché, it’s strongly recommended that you view the Easter Island music and dances displayed in several shows in Hanga Roa. This way you can dig a little deeper into the Rapa Nui culture.
The dances performed are really authentic; and although they are aimed at the tourists, they are intended also as a way to preserve the ancient culture and make young islanders know and love their heritage.
The dances depict scenes of everyday life, both of love and war. So in many of them you can see a great display of strength by the dancers, which never cease to amaze the spectators.
There are several dance groups on the island that are presented throughout the week, so it’s possible to find at least one show every day. One of the most known groups is the Kari Kari Cultural Ballet, which has a studio on the main street and performs three times a week. Another important group is the Ra’ai who offers you a dinner with traditional curanto before the show and finally there is the Maori Tupuna-Vai Te Mihi group at Policarpio Toro (coast), fusing traditional instruments of the island with modern instruments.
The entrance fee to the shows is around $20 USD, though it varies if you choose to include a traditional dinner. The hotels always have up to date information on the days and times that each group performs, and in many cases they organize transport to the shows for their guests.
Traditional dances at Anakena
Occasionally, there are dance performances on the Anakena beach, especially during the Tapati Festival. Watching the dancers below the palm trees in this beautiful landscape offers an additional touch of authenticity, and it allows us to imagine how this celebration could have been like in the past.
Main dance shows at Easter Island
Ballet Cultural Kari Kari
The Cultural Ballet Kari Kari is the most experienced cultural group of Easter Island, with over 18 years of existence. Our main objective is to rescue and to value the traditional dances and songs of our ancestors. Read more »
Te Ra’ai
In Te Ra’ai we invite you to live a traditional Rapa Nui experience through the cuisine “Umu Pae” (Curanto) and perform an ancestral journey with our cultural group “Haha Varua”. Read more »
Varua Ora
Varua Ora was born in March 2010 as a small academy for learning Rapa Nui and Polynesian culture with special emphasis on the field of dance and its varied rhythms and songs. Read more »
Puku Rangi Tea
The Puku Rangi Tea Cultural Ballet is the only one on Easter Island that features 100% Rapanui songs and dances. Through our show we want to show the public some of the most important artistic expressions for our island. Read more »
Maori Tupuna
The Maori Tupuna is a Rapa Nui music and dance group that specializes in the maintenance of the ancestral roots of the Rapa Nui cultural heritage, through the interpretation of the oral tradition. Read more »