Top Fireknife Dancers Battle It Out at PCC, Laie

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Eighteen fireknife dancers from around the world lit up opening night of the 2016 World Fireknife Championships at the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) last night.

Competing in the elite Senior Division (ages 18 and older), the fireknife dancers came from  New Zealand; Japan; Tahiti; Samoa; Anchorage, (AK); Pittsburgh (PA); Orlando (FL); San Diego (CA); nevada (NV) and Hawai‘i (HI)

The competitors performed choreographed routines that combined bravery, strength, dexterity, stamina, and creativity as they twirled the fireknives at lightening-fast speed.

Six competitors including former world champion Mikaele Oloa, Falaniko Penesa from Samoa, Viceson Galeai of Laie, a former junior champion, Kinise Leiataua of San Diego and Matuni Vaiaoga of Orlando, Florida have advanced to the Senior Division semi-finals tonight.

The winners will be crowned tomorrow night,.

Also competing tonight are finalists in the  two Junior Divisions (ages 6-11, and 12-17) .

The World Fireknife Championships is the main attraction of the PCC’s, “We Are Samoa Festival,” Hawaii’s largest annual Samoan cultural celebration.

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