Tip-Off
World Fire Knife Dance Competition slated

Advertiser Staff

The Ninth annual World Fire Knife Dance Competition will be held in May as part of the Polynesian Cultural Center's "We Are Samoa" festivities May 14-19 at the La'ie attraction.

Finals in the Junior Fire Knife Competition will be held May 16.

The main event will be held May 19 at the Pacific Theater, with preliminaries set for 6:30 p.m. on May 17 and semifinals for 6:30 p.m. on May 18 in the Hale Aloha Theatre.

The finals will be held during intermission of the Horizons night shows, which start at 6 and 8 p.m. on May 19.

Another showcase event is the High School Arts Festival May 19, with festivities from 9:30 a.m. in the Pacific Theatre.

Contestants don lavalava wrap-arounds and engage in acrobatic twists and twirls with flaming knives.

They are judged on dexterity, perfection and stamina.

Tickets: $7 for preliminary events at Hale Aloha; $7 for all-day High School Arts Festival; $26 (adults) and $16 (children) for Horizons show, which include the fire dance finals; kama'aina rate, $15.

Reservations: 293-3333.