BTS Arts Campus Connection Day at BYU: Penerosas Combine Music & Dance to Generate Cultural Awareness & Connections

By Camille Schirado, BYU ARTS Partnership Content Developer

The Sāmoan (S-ow-mo-an) Sāsā (sah-sah) can inspire educators to advocate for learning cultural dance in the classroom because it artfully and playfully tells stories through the involvement of the whole body and following the calls of a leader and the cues of a drum.

Music and dance educators alike had the blessed opportunity to learn from and be uplifted by Polynesian cultural artists Saumaniafaese and Rebecca Penerosa on Monday, September 25th, as part of the BTS ARTS Campus Connection Day. 

Greeting the educators with a “Talofa!” (“Hello” in Sāmoan), Saumaniafaese dove into the rich cultural background and history of the Sāsā, a “sitting percussion dance,” before proceeding to teach the actual dance and accompanying musical cues.

Culturally, music and dance are pillars of community and tradition in Sāmoa as they are the vessels in which stories are passed down; Saumaniafaese shared that “a lot of our storytelling is in the dancing.”

Following an informational presentation covering details of the Sāmoan islands and cultural traditions, the educators gathered outside to participate in learning the Sāsā. 

Dressed in ie lavalavas made from fabric imported from Sāmoa, they joined together in a unified group to receive the meaningful movements of the Sāsā and its connection to Sāmoan heritage from the Penerosas.

Instructed by Rebecca and led by the drumming and calling of Saumaniafaese, the educators began with a tōtō fa (clapping pattern) as they learned to gesture “Welcome to Sāmoa” with their bodies and with a loud;

“Talofa!”

Following the welcome, a sequence of movements was taught to reflect the making of fire and the story of the sun as the origin of fire. 

The educators then mimicked the husking of a coconut on a spike and milk harvesting with hand motions and focus changes.

Continuing the story with energy and excitement, the educators were led by the drum beat and the leader’s calls as they shifted facings and rowed their handmade boats through the water. 

The last piece of the story reflected transitional movements and a fa’umu (cheer) that allowed for the dancers to be set to begin again, this time double time! 

The Penerosa’s created an air of excitement, confidence, and encouragement to learn through the missteps as the educators laughed and danced together.

Traditionally, the storylines of the Sāsā would be repeated multiple times to create a twenty-minute-long performance that ended with the sequence being performed incredibly fast.

Before parting, Saumaniafaese impressed upon the group:

“Do not be afraid to share what we’ve shared with you today. Ask for help from the community; they’ll help!” 

Especially if anyone needed help sharing this cultural dance appropriately, the ultimate goal is for culture and tradition to be shared, not set aside to be forgotten. 

With the new knowledge of the Sāmoan Sāsā and the impetus to share it as imperfectly as it may be at first, the educators left the cultural session with the hope of imparting the gift of the Sāsā to their students.