Utah dance teacher is working to spread the Polynesian culture

From hula dancing to chants from the six Polynesian tribes, a Magna woman and a Salt Lake County advocate program is trying to spread the Polynesian culture through dance.

Tani McNees, 35, a mother of five, who home-schools her children, wanted to get them involved in serving others by sharing their culture and learning about other cultures.

With the help of the Salt Lake Community Action Program, a 35-year-old, private nonprofit organization that attempts to meet the needs of the low-income population by co-sponsoring available volunteer programs, McNees is succeeding by teaching Polynesian dance. McNees will begin teaching Polynesian dance classes in January for home-schooled children that are sponsored by SLCAPs.

Sal Jansson, advocate for SLCAPs, said McNees has been a volunteer for many activities that directly impact the Pacific Islander community.

"Her commitment to education and the importance of parental involvement is visible in her actions," Jansson noted.

McNees will also help other dance teachers teach dance classes for an annual Polynesian folk art production held once a year co-sponsored by SLCAPs. In addition to these classes, McNees began co-teaching other community Polynesian dance classes in November that anyone can join.

This year marks the fifth year SLCAPs has sponsored the production. Jansson and McNees both agree the dance classes and the production is a way to allow all cultures to learn about the Polynesian culture through folk arts, dance, acting and music.

This year's production, "Six Tribes, One Vibe," will be held at Kingsbury Hall in June. The production is a love story of a Tongan princess, McNees explained. Some of the dances that will be used in the production will be taught in the classes in preparation for the production's auditions in March. Anyone is welcome to audition for the parts.

McNees added the production's music is being professionally written and will intermix singing and acting with a cast of leads and about 20 Polynesian dancers performing dances from all six Polynesian tribes and many children will participate.

"Anyone can (take the classes) and be in the play," McNees said, adding that last year was the first year the production was performed at Kingsbury Hall. It was quite an accomplishment to perform before a large group of people for many of the dancers who performed last year, she noted.