tarawa's tidal rhythm: a dancer's disjointed diary

okay, so i'm in tarawa. or rather, i'm staring at a map that says 15.14891,176.2140294, which is apparently somewhere in the pacific, but my feet are on tarawa's dusty ground. the weather here is a mind game: 17.62 degrees celsius, but it feels like 16.43, humidity 38%, pressure 1017-like the atmosphere is holding its breath. ground level 952? whatever that means for my sore toes.



i came here to teach a workshop, but the local dance scene is more ghost than groove. someone told me that the traditional 'te mwaie' is only performed by elders now, and the young'uns would rather watch tiktok. i heard on a tripadvisor forum that the cultural center is 'basic but authentic' this tripadvisor thread. another rumor on yelp: the best coconut water is from a stand near the maneaba, but it's only open when the owner feels like it this yelp search.

the neighbors? if you get bored, the marshall islands are a boat hop away, but good luck finding a boat that runs on schedule. i've been told that the next real city with a movie theater is in majuro, but that's a three-day sail if the waves cooperate.

this place is messing with my sense of rhythm. the tides dictate everything here. at high tide, the causeway disappears, and you're stuck on one side. i learned that from a local who warned me: 'don't get caught on the wrong side when the water rises.' he also said the dance moves mimic the waves-slow, then sudden, then slow again.

i practiced on the beach this morning, and a kid came up and showed me a step his grandfather taught him. it was simple, but it felt ancient. that's the thing about tarawa: you think there's nothing, but then you find these threads of history in the sand.

overheard at the cafe: 'the only nightlife is karaoke at the hotel, and it's terrible.' but i went anyway, and it was beautiful in its awfulness. people singing off-key, but with hearts full. this facebook event.

the weather is holding, but i can feel the humidity climbing even though it's 38% dry. maybe it's the sea level pressure-1017, ground 952-like the island is breathing. my skin's cracking, but i don't mind. it's a reminder i'm not in a studio with AC.

i've been reading local boards, and there's talk of a dance revival. someone posted that a group from fiji is coming next month this event page. i hope it's true. until then, i'll dance with the manta rays at dusk.

so yeah, tarawa. it's not on any map you'd trust, but it's real. and if you come, bring your own water, your own moves, and leave your expectations at the airport.