RULES & REGULATIONS FOR ORI TAHITI LAS VEGAS 2026

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Solo ‘Ōte’a

This category allows a dancer an opportunity to represent themselves and their Pupu Ori as a soloist; displaying their talents and understanding of Ori Tahiti.

General Information:

● Each soloist must complete the Solo ‘Ōte’a Application and a Hold Harmless Agreement. Both must be submitted, along with payment, in order to be registered as a contestant in the Ori Tahiti Las Vegas competition.
● Each registered soloist will be assigned a contestant number, which will be given to them at the time of check-in. The contestant number grants the soloist access to the venue for the duration of the competition.
● Ra’atira (Group Leaders) for registered soloists will be contacted via email once registration is closed to confirm their dancers are in the correct division. If a response isn’t received, OTLV reserves the right to review and reassign a dancer to the appropriate division if necessary, to ensure fair competition. Any division reassignment will be communicated to the dancer’s Ra’atira (Group Leader) prior to the start of the competition.
● General Schedule:
○ Friday, September 11, 2026 - Early Check-In at the Silverton Hotel and Casino; Time TBD
○ Saturday, September 12, 2026 - Solo ‘Ōte’a Rounds 1 and 2, Solo Mehura/’Aparima Round
○ Sunday, September 13, 2026 - Solo ‘Ōte’a Finals Round, Overall Round, Group Category, and Masters Category (Order of events TBD)
● All questions or concerns regarding applications or registration should be directed to oritahitilv.registration@gmail.com. Allow our registration team 5-7 business days to respond.

Divisions:

The Beginner/Intermediate and Advanced divisions are intended to reflect the dancer’s experience and competition history.
● Beginner/Intermediate: This division is intended for dancers who have not placed in an Ori Tahiti solo competition.
○ Dancers with less than 2 years of Ori Tahiti dance experience AND/OR
○ Dancers who have not placed more than once in a Tahitian solo competition
● Advance: This division is intended for dancers who have previously placed in an Ori Tahiti solo competition.
○ Dancers with more than 2 years of Ori Tahiti dance experience OR
○ Dancers who have placed multiple times in a Tahitian solo competition
Misrepresentation/Sandbagging: To maintain fairness and integrity in the competition, dancers must accurately represent their experience and competition history when registering. If a dancer is found to have intentionally misrepresented their experience, placement history, or eligibility in order to compete in a lower division, OTLV reserves the right to disqualify the contestant or reassign them to the appropriate division. Decisions regarding eligibility and placement will be made at the discretion of OTLV staff.
Note: Soloists must compete in their respected age category based on their age during the time of competition. Ra’atira (Group Leaders) will verify age category and division with OTLV staff.

Costume Requirements:

● Soloists must wear a plain/solid colored rayon or cotton pareo for the 1st and 2nd round.
○ FEMALE Dancers - Tied pareos must fall no higher than 1 inch above the dancer’s knee. OTLV staff will check the length of pareos backstage. If a soloist’s pareo is still too short after a warning, they will not be allowed to compete.
○ MALE Dancers - Maro or Ti here style
● No hip belts or hand-held adornments are permitted.
● Contestant numbers are to be worn visibly on the front of the dancer's hip.
● Contestants advancing to the Finals round MUST wear a PRINTED pareo.

Music:

● House drumming will be provided for the solo competition.
● Drum beats will NOT be released prior to the competition. Basic beats will be played for the Beginner/Intermediate division and advanced beats for the Advance division.
● Solo performance time may range from 1:30-2:30 minutes.

Scoring:
● All competitors will dance a 1st and 2nd round. The combined scores from the 1st and 2nd round will determine the TOP 7 finalist.
○ Scores from the FINALS round ONLY will be used to determine the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place for that age category/division.
● If an age category has 7 or less competing soloists, all soloists in that category will automatically advance to Finals; they will not dance a 2nd round.
○ Ex. An age category with only 5 soloists will dance the 1st round ONLY. ALL 5 soloists will dance in the Finals round.
● Overall: All 1st Place winners from the ADVANCE division will compete for an Overall title based on the following bracket.
○ Overall award brackets:
■ JR Overall - Ages 5-13
■ SR Overall - Ages 14-35
■ Legacy Overall - Ages 36-50+

Tie-Breaking Procedure (Solo Category):
- In an event of a tie in scores, a dance off will be conducted to determine the advancing dancer or final placement. The dance-off will not receive numerical scores; instead, judges will evaluate the dancers based on overall performance, technique, musicality, and presentation. The advancing dancer will be determined by a unanimous decision of the judging panel following deliberation. All judges' decisions are final.

Registration Fees:
● Early Bird Registration Fee: $65 (March 17th - April 30th)
● General Solo Registration Fee: $75 (May 1st - July 31st)
● Late Solo Registration Fee: $85 (August 1st - September 1st)
Please note: All payments are final. There will be no refunds and fees are non-transferable.

Applications must be completed and submitted with payment by September 1st, 2026.

Any submissions after this date will not be accepted.

Solo Mehura / ‘Aparima

This category allows dancers to represent themselves and their Pupu Ori as soloists, displaying their talent and understanding of Ori Tahiti through their interpretation of a Tahitian song.

General Information:

- Each soloist must complete the Solo Mehura/‘Aparima Application and a Hold Harmless Agreement. Both must be submitted, along with payment, in order to be registered as a contestant in the Ori Tahiti Las Vegas competition.
- Each registered soloist will be assigned a contestant number, which will be given to them at the time of check-in.
  - The contestant number grants the soloists access to the venue for the duration of the competition.
  - If the dancer is also competing in the Solo ‘Ōte’a category, the contestant number will remain the same.
- General Schedule:
  - Friday, September 11, 2026 - Early Check-In at the Silverton Hotel and Casino; Time TBD
  - Saturday, September 12, 2026 - Solo ‘Ōte’a Rounds 1 and 2, Solo Mehura/’Aparima Round
  - Sunday, September 13, 2026 - Solo ‘Ōte’a Finals Round, Overall Round, Group Category, and Masters Category (Order of events TBD)
All questions or concerns regarding applications or registration should be directed to oritahiti.registration@gmail.com. Allow our registration team 5-7 business days to respond.

MEHURA Soloist Divisions and Age Categories:

JUNIOR (Male/Female)
- Ages 5-13 yrs
SENIOR (Male/Female)
- Ages 14 - 35 yrs
LEGACY (Male/Female)
- Ages 36+ yrs

Competition Requirements:

- Dancers will perform to 1 of 3 tracks chosen to represent this year’s OTLV tumu parau (theme): Te Māhina - The Moon.
  - All 3 tracks will be made public for soloists to prepare their
  - Once the dancer is staged, one of the three tracks will be randomly selected and revealed for the dancer to perform.
- Soloists will perform and be scored on 1 round
- Costume and presentation must align with the tumu parau (theme) and music

Tie-Breaking Procedure (Solo Mehura/‘Aparima Category):

- In an event of a tie in scores, a dance off will be conducted to determine the advancing dancer or final placement. The dance-off will not receive numerical scores; instead, judges will evaluate the dancers based on overall performance, technique, musicality, and presentation. The advancing dancer will be determined by a unanimous decision of the judging panel following deliberation. All judges' decisions are final.

Registration Fees:

- Early Bird Registration Fee: $65 (March 17, 2026 - April 30, 2026)
- General Solo Registration Fee: $75 (May 1st - July 31st)
- Late Solo Registration Fee: $85 (August 1st - September 1st)

Please note: All payments are final. There will be no refunds and fees are non-transferable.

Applications must be completed and submitted with payment by September 1st, 2026. Any submissions after this date will not be accepted.

Masters

This category allows for a Ra’atira (Group Leader) to nominate dancers to represent their Pupu Ori.

General Information:

Each Masters competitor must complete the Masters Application and a Hold Harmless Agreement (included in the application). Both must be submitted, along with the registration fee, in order to be registered as a contestant in the Ori Tahiti Las Vegas
Each Masters competitor and their drummers/musicians must check in with OTLV registration staff to receive their wristbands for their participation in the An email will be sent with further instructions regarding check in.
General Schedule:
- Friday, September 11, 2026 - Early Check-In at the Silverton Hotel and Casino; Time TBD
- Saturday, September 12, 2026 - Solo ‘Ōte’a Rounds 1 and 2, Solo Mehura/’Aparima Round
  - MASTERS contestants will have the opportunity to run through staging and music in the venue Saturday evening; they will be allotted a 10-15 min time slot.
- Sunday, September 13, 2026 - Solo ‘Ōte’a Finals Round, Overall Round, Group Category, and Masters Category (Order of events TBD)
All questions or concerns regarding applications or registration should be directed to oritahitilv.registration@gmail.com. Allow our registration team 5-7 business days to respond.

Competition Requirements:

Masters contestants must present an original piece based on the tumu parau (theme) chosen for the current year’s competition. For this year’s tumu parau (theme), Ori Tahiti Las Vegas has chosen: Te Māhina - The Moon; Just like the moon moves the tides, it also moves the rhythm of our dance.

Ra’atira (Group Leaders) may nominate One (1) Vahine and/or One (1) Tane, to represent their Pupu Ori.
Competitor(s) must be the age of 14 years or older on the day of the
- Note: Competitors are not excluded from participating in Solo and Group Competition. If competing in Solo Category, the Masters contestant can only compete in the Advanced Division. Masters contestants are not permitted to compete in the Beginner/Intermediate Division.
All presentations must align with the OLTV 2026 tumu parau (theme): Te Māhina - The Moon.
- - A presentation packet is The packet must include the following: Masters Contestant name, Name of Pupu Ori, Name of Ra’atira, an introduction of your presentation that will also be read by the Emcee, lyrics to any and all chants and songs in your presentation accompanied with translation from Reo Tahiti to English, and a brief description and explanation of costumes and props used in your presentation. Contestants must provide a packet for each judge and for the Emcee.
  - All judges will receive a copy of your
  - Please refrain from including any information that is not pertinent to your

Costume Requirements:

- - Costumes should represent the tumu parau (theme) and the dancer’s
  - If pareos are to be used, the pareo must fall no higher than 1 inch above the dancer’s knee. OTLV staff will check the length of pareos If a dancer’s pareo is still too short after a warning, they will not be allowed to compete.
  - Props are allowed as a part of the Must get approval from OTLV staff.
  - Special effects requiring permits (such as open flames, pyrotechnics, smoke machines, or other regulated effects) are not permitted.

Music Requirements:

Competitors must provide their own Both live drumming or an audio recording may be accepted.
- If using live music, the maximum number of drummers/musicians is 10. Each drummer must pay a $40 fee, which grants them particiapation and admission into the event.
  - Fees must be paid along with the MASTERS application registration
  - If a drummer/musician is participating in another category, they only need to pay a 1 time fee for their participation.
- If submitting an audio recording, it must be sent to oritahitilv@gmail.com by September 1st, 2026.
- Time limit : No more than 5 minutes

Registration Fees:

General MASTERS Registration Fee: $100
Drummer/musician fee: $40 per drummer/musician
All fees must be submitted with a MASTERS
Registration closes on September 1st, Please note: All payments are final. There are no refunds and fees are non-transferable.

Group

This category allows a Ra’atira (Group Leader) to nominate a group of dancers to represent their Pupu Ori.

General Information:

Ra’atira (Group Leader) must complete the Group Application and Hold Harmless Agreement (included in the application). Both must be submitted, along with the registration fee, in order to register as a Group contestant in the Ori Tahiti Las Vegas
GROUP competitors and their drummers/musicians must check in with OTLV registration staff to receive their wristbands for their participation in the An email will be sent with further instructions regarding check in.
General Schedule:
- Friday, September 11, 2026 - Early Check-In at the Silverton Hotel and Casino; Time TBD
- Saturday, September 12, 2026 - Solo ‘Ōte’a Rounds 1 and 2, Solo Mehura/’Aparima Round
  - Group competitors will have the opportunity to do a run-through and sound check in the venue Saturday evening; you will be allotted a 15-20 min time slot.
- Sunday, September 13, 2026 - Solo ‘Ōte’a Finals Round, Overall Round, Group Category, and Masters Category (Order of events TBD)
All questions or concerns regarding applications or registration should be directed to oritahiti.registration@gmail.com. Allow our registration team 5-7 business days to respond.

Competition Requirements:

Group competitors must present an original piece based on the tumu parau (theme) chosen for the current year’s competition. For the 2026 competition, Ori Tahiti Las Vegas has chosen the tumu parau (theme): Te Māhina - The Moon. Just as the moon moves the tides, it also moves the rhythm of our dance.

Groups may compete in either the ‘ŌTE’A category, MEHURA/’APARIMA category, or
- If a group chooses to compete in BOTH categories, separate applications and registration fees must be submitted for each category.
Groups must contain a minimum of 5
- Dancers may be male, female, or
- All dancers and musicians participating in the presentation must be listed on the application

All presentations must align with the OLTV 2026 tumu parau (theme): Te Māhina - The Moon.
- A presentation packet is required. The packet must include the following: Name of Pupu Ori, name of Ra’atira, An introduction of your presentation that will also be read by the Emcee, lyrics to all and any chants and songs in the presentation accompanied with translation from Reo Tahiti to English, and a brief description and explanation of costumes and props that will be used in your All judges will receive a copy to review. Please refrain from including any information that is not pertinent to your presentation. Ra’atira (Group Leader) must provide a packet for each judge and the emcee.

Note: Previously created choreography may be presented, provided it aligns with the competition tumu parau (theme).

Dancers and musicians participating in the group category, may also compete in other categories within the competition

Costume Requirements:

Costumes should represent the tumu parau (theme) and the group’s
If pareos are worn as part of the costume, they must fall no more than 1 inch above the dancer’s knee.
Props are allowed as a part of the
Special effects requiring permits (such as open flames, pyrotechnics, smoke machines, or other regulated effects) are not permitted.

Music Requirements:

Groups must provide their own Both live drumming/music or an audio recording may be accepted.
- If using live music, the maximum number of drummers/musicians is 10. Each musician must pay a $40 fee, which grants them participation and admission for the entire event.
  - Musician fees must be paid along with the GROUP application registration fee.
  - Musicians performing for multiple groups and/or Masters category contestants are required to pay the musician participation fee one time only. The fee covers their participation for the entire event and does not need to be paid separately for each group or contestant they
- If submitting an audio recording, it must be sent to oritahitilv@gmail.com by September 1st, 2026.
The presentation is limited to 10 minutes total, not including staging/setup. Timing will start once the MC finishes reading the introduction.

Scoring/Awards:

Trophies are awarded to the top 3 highest scores; 1st place (highest score), 2nd place (second highest score), and 3rd place (third highest score).
Scoring for group competition will be on Choreography, Costumes, Musicality, Interpretation and execution of the competition theme.
Cash prizes will only be awarded if three (3) or more groups are registered to

Tie Breaking Procedure (Group Category):

- In the event of a tie, the judges will determine the winner based on the groups interpretation and execution of the competition tumu parau (theme). This includes, but is not limited to, choreography, musical interpretation, costuming, and overall presentation. If a tie still remains, the judges will deliberate and make a final decision. All judges' decisions are final.

Registration Fees:

General GROUP Registration Fee: $250 until July 31, 2026
Late GROUP Registration Fee: $300 August 1 - September 1, 2026
GROUP Registration CLOSES September 1, 2026
Musician fee: $40 per musician
All fees must be submitted with GROUP

Please note: All payments are final. There are no refunds and fees are non-transferable.

Hold Harmless Agreement

By participating in Ori Tahiti Las Vegas, the participant agrees to the following terms:

1. Hold Harmless & Liability
The participant agrees to release, indemnify, and hold harmless Ori Tahiti Las Vegas, its organizers, staff, volunteers, and affiliates from any liability, claims, damages, or injuries that may occur as a result of participation in the event.
This includes, but is not limited to:
• Personal injury or property damage caused by the participant or anyone associated with them (students, employees, assistants, volunteers, etc.).
• Any incidents that occur at the competition venue, host hotels, workshops, rehearsals, or any official event-related location.
• The participant’s use of music, choreography, costumes, cultural protocols, or other materials during their performance.

2. Media Release
Participants grant Ori Tahiti Las Vegas permission to photograph, film, and record their participation and performance.
These images or recordings may be used for:
• Event promotion
• Social media
• Websites
• Marketing materials
• Event archives
3. Authority to Sign
The individual signing this agreement confirms they have the legal authority to sign and agree to these terms on behalf of themselves or their group.
4. Agreement Modifications
Any changes or modifications to this agreement must be made in writing and signed by both parties.
5. Legal Fees
If legal action arises from a violation of this agreement, the prevailing party may recover reasonable legal fees and associated costs.
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Acknowledgment
By signing below, I confirm that I have read, understood, and agree to the terms of this Hold Harmless & Liability Agreement.

Solo ‘Ōte’a