The ʻōteʻa (usually written as otea) is a traditional dance from Tahiti characterized by a rapid hip-shaking motion to percussion accompaniment.
The dancers, standing in several rows, may be further choreographed to execute different figures (including tamau, varu, otamu, ami, and fa'arapu[1]) while maintaining the hip-shaking.
The costumes are extremely elaborate, typically incorporating long plant fiber ("grass") skirts, belting with tassels that accentuate the hip-motion, may further include decorated headpieces, and may be color-coordinated across the dancers of the company.
Interpretations of the ʻōteʻa are frequently included as part of larger Polynesian dance recitals presented at luaus and visitor-oriented live shows in the Hawaiian Islands and other Pacific-rim resorts outside Tahiti.
Modern interpretations include costumes fashioned of contemporary man-made materials (polyester films such as mylar, or synthetic twines) substituting for plant-fiber or natural materials, and costume coloration such as fluorescent pinks and greens or mirror-reflective surfaces difficult to obtain or maintain from purely natural resources.