Kahurangi ready to dance in India

Four years ago, Arona Maui swapped the Bay of Plenty for Hawke's Bay in pursuit of a career in performing arts.
It's a decision he has never regretted as this week he notches up another international trip with Hastings' Kahurangi Maori Dance Theatre.
Mr Maui will be among eight others from the dance theatre who will perform at the 2011 New Delhi International Folklore Festival next week.
"It's not just about performing," he said. "You end up being an ambassador for Hawke's Bay and, of course, New Zealand.
"When we go overseas, a lot of people want to know about New Zealand, where it is, where you live and how you get there.
"Some think it is part of Australia! They also want to know about Maori language, how we are able to speak it and what we've done to keep it."
The former Whakatane man has performed with Kahurangi around the world, at festivals and events in Canada, the US, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and Dubai.
The two-week trip to India will offer unique opportunities to put Polynesian culture centre stage. Kahurangi will be the only group from New Zealand performing at the festival.
"There are going to be about 20 groups from around the world at the festival and we will be presenting performances which represent very much the Polynesian triangle," Mr Maui said.
"It will include Maori culture but also dances from around the Pacific Islands, from Hawaii, Tahiti and Samoa."
The 25-year-old said training for the event had been physically and mentally challenging over the past few months.
"We have a few new members in the group and the thing I am looking forward to the most is seeing the reaction of those people, the culture shock of performing and visiting a new country, and seeing what they get out of the trip."
This week the group had dress rehearsals at the Kahurangi Dance Company's head office in Hastings, in front of the company's summer school.
"It's a good chance for us to show the young ones in the summer school what's involved in our performances," Mr Maui said.
He also hoped to use his experience to show children the career possibilities in Maori performing arts.
"I basically came down here from my home in Whakatane for employment in the performing arts. It's been a lot of hard work with plenty of rewards, experiences, lifetime memories to share, and it's been very exciting.
"There's a lot of work involved and lots to learn. There's lighting, sound production, television, managing and supervising. One day I'd like to be a tour manager. There's a whole lot of avenues open up."
The group to tour India includes Arona Maui, Michelle Huata, Warena Wainohu, Sarah Matchitt, Lance Waapu, Cheval Morrell, Justin Warena, Amokura Hutana and Leilani Naera.
It will be headed by tour manager Ellison Huata and is the theatre's first major outing of the year.
Kahurangi was formed by its executive director, Tama Huata, 28 years ago in Hastings.