About Apetahi
Our Story: The Apetahi Flower
Apetahi is the rare, five-petaled flower that blooms only at dawn on the cliffs of Tahiti.
It opens with a soft "pop" — a sound of quiet strength as the flower rise with the light of dawn.
That same spirit inspired Apetahi in 2018:
to support 'Ori Tahiti dancers with costumes and provide resources that help them shine — and to mentor young dancers to dance with love and rise into their own light.
From a small costume studio in San Francisco and Kona, Hawaiʻi, we’ve grown into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, weaving joy into every stitch, step, and lesson. We create competition costumes that command the stage. We mentor youth through movement and creation. We teach traditional workshops in both dance and costume-making —
passing down traditional 'Ori Tahiti steps and Polynesian costume making techniques so dancers learn to move and create with love for the culture.
Our Three Pillars
EMPOWERING DANCERS
CULTURAL PRESERVATION AND LEARNING
CULTURAL PRESERVATION AND LEARNING
Creating custom costumes for dancers - soloists and groups — from local showcases to international stages.
Mentoring young dancers in confidence, resilience, and self-expression through traditional 'Ori Tahiti dance and costume-making workshops.
Providing the village support system to uplift dancers in the journey.
CULTURAL PRESERVATION AND LEARNING
CULTURAL PRESERVATION AND LEARNING
CULTURAL PRESERVATION AND LEARNING
Teaching authentic 'Ori Tahiti and aparima and costume making techniques — in direct collaboration with Tahitian masters from Islands of Tahiti.
We remain under the mentorship of these cultural guardians to ensure every step, stitch, and tradition is rooted in ancestral tradition.
Preserving Tahitian arts through hands-on workshops in da
Teaching authentic 'Ori Tahiti and aparima and costume making techniques — in direct collaboration with Tahitian masters from Islands of Tahiti.
We remain under the mentorship of these cultural guardians to ensure every step, stitch, and tradition is rooted in ancestral tradition.
Preserving Tahitian arts through hands-on workshops in dance and costume making, instruction, and educational resources.
COMMUNITY
CULTURAL PRESERVATION AND LEARNING
COMMUNITY
Building community and connections through collaborative events, performances, and partnerships.
Uplifting dancers, families, and schools with opportunities to learn, create, and shine TOGETHER.