Traditional food and dance abounded Saturday night at the Pacific Pride and Island Heart’s annual lu’au.

After a buffet-style dinner featuring dishes such as lomi lomi salmon, a traditional Hawaiian dish of raw salmon with tomatoes and onions, teriyaki chicken, cake and lemonade, about 30 dancers ages 4 to 24 performed traditional dances from Hawaii, Tahiti, New Zealand, Samoa, Guam and Fiji.

The show lasted two hours and included both first time dancers and many who have been performing since they were children.

“I love it,” said Leilani Toloa, 14, who has been dancing with Pacific Pride and Island Heart for seven years. “But I get really nervous even though I’ve done it so many times.”

The event sold out last year and had more than 600 attendees, but this year turnout was a bit lower, with about 500 showing up.

According to head dancing instructor Charlene Maneafaiga, the organization spent a large portion of its funds on fire relief and wasn’t able to promote the event as much. Most people bought tickets at the door, explaining that they had heard about the lu’au at the last minute or didn’t know where to purchase tickets.

“I think they had a hard time getting the word out,” said Lydia Nuñez, who was attending the lu’au for her second time with friend Tiffany Haugh. “It was standing room only last year.”

Pacific Pride was started in 1996 as a primarily Micronesian and Chamorro — that is, the people of the Mariana Islands, which include Guam — group, but Maneafaiga says that it now encompasses more cultures.

“It has grown to include various islands of the Pacific, where our kids learn about the islands of Polynesia, Melanesia, and Micronesia,” Maneafaiga said.

The organization aims to pass on the language, dance and culture of the Pacific Islands. It has about 50 members and meets monthly. Saturday’s event was its 16th annual lu’au.

“We’re a family group,” Maneafaiga said. “We’re practicing our culture in order to be able to (pass it onto) our children. It’s open to anyone, but for most part it’s parents and grandparents of island descent.”

When the first group of dancers took the stage, it was to whooping and yells of approval.

The show included explanations on the meaning behind dances and which island they come from.

“My parents are Puerto Rican, so it’s always nice to know about other islands,” Lydia Nuñez said.

“A lot of people who have never been to the islands don’t know (about the culture),” said Toni Toala.

“That’s why we’re here: they bring Hawaii here. They bring Samoa here, Fiji, New Zealand.”

According to data from the US Census, in 2010 Colorado Springs had 1,290 residents who identified as “Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders,” making up .3% of the population.

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Contact Lauren Fellers: 636-0198.