About us
Dance is an expression of your passion Through Ori Tahiti, Te Rahiti Nui promotes culture, history, artistry, pageantry, discipline and passion. We strongly believe in the power of mana
(positive energy), and we encourage all our dancers to find their mana within. Aunty Janice leads our dancers not just in technique, but in character, presence, and cultural grounding. It is our honor to share our love of dance to all of you.
Janice Minabe
Our Ra'atira | Pupu 'Ori Director
Te Rahiti Nui's fearless leader. She is known internationally for her award-winning costumes, production quality, and attention to detail. The driving force that gets our pupu 'ori on the stage. From organizing and hosting cultural workshops, to booking venues, to selecting and editing music, to teaching students the skills to bring her designs to life, to fine-tuning each number on the floor — she works tirelessly to ensure every number is exactly right before we step into the spotlight. Her costumes are consistently innovative, inspiring trends across the competitive world long before they become commonplace. She leads with dignity, professionalism, and deep reverence for those who passed this knowledge to her — honoring the lineage while continuing to push the art form forward.
Meet Our Team
Assistants | Administrators | Leads
Kalea Minabe
Assistant Teacher, Soloist Trainer, Choreographer, An international award winning soloist and elite performer, Kalea has been racking up her experience since she was 4 years old. Now, with the training of not only TRN, but also of masters such as Les Grand Ballets de Tahiti and Hitireva, she stands strong as our most decorated dancer.
Kaleena Lavergne
Assistant Teacher, Soloist Trainer, Choreographer, Our Sunshine, Kaleena an experienced and award-winning dancer. She is versitile and innovative with a Bachelor's Degree in Dance. You can count on her to bring new ideas and good energy to her pieces, practices, and classes.
Lani Kapono
Assistant Teacher, Soloist Trainer, Choreographer, Training since 2017, under the direction of TRN, Lani was crowned Miss Heiva San Diego in 2019 and has gone on to receive several soloist awards. Under the instruction of Aunty Janice, her skillsets with costume-making, choreography, design work, and showmanship have grown into important additions to the team.
Elijah Martos
Teaching Assistant, Soloist Trainer An experienced dancer and award winning soloist, Elijah is known for her strength and versatility. Competing as a soloist and in group competitions with TRN since she was young, our style and technique have become second nature.
Karla Servillon
Administrator Teaching Assistant One of our OGs, an experienced dancer, musician, and our main POC, Karla is who you'll meet first when you register. Under Aunty Janice's instruction, she handles our memos, new-comers, and trial classes and ensures our dancers know what to expect and where to go.
Reyna Cardenas
Social Media Manager Our content creator and beauty queen, Reyna manages our social media output and advertising. She and her husband Mario make a beautiful team and grant us many of the gorgeous pictures we use regularly.
Joy Lavergne
Administrator From dress rehearsal to the stage, Joy has every step mapped out and ensures no one is lost. She will break down the FAQs and need-to-knows for dress-rehearsals and shows to make sure everyone is on the same page and things go as smoothly as possible.
Ken Lavergne
Music Lead The host of TRN's musicians nights, Ken organizes and leads our house drummers for practice and performance. He is a source of encouragement and good energy while they build on their ever-improving skillset.