Hoppers Crossing teenager Kaya Tahana is a keen actor. 69786 Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI
By Alesha Capone
WYNDHAM teenager Kaya Tahana is well on his way to a career as an actor, just like his idol Chris Lilley.
The 16-year-old, who studies at the ATA acting classes in Hoppers Crossing, is already an accomplished performer.
“Mostly I like doing improvisation and making up stuff on the spot,” he said.
“I’d like to be an actor when I’m older. I’d like to be in TV shows, like Chris Lilley.
“I just love entertaining and making people laugh.”
The Year 9 Hoppers Crossing Secondary College student is also a member of a Kapa Haka performance troupe, has belonged to a hip hop dance group and played the bass drum for a Cook Island Hula group.
Earlier this year, along with around 40 others from the Te Roopu Poipiripi Maori Performing Arts group, he took part in the Te Matatini O Te Ra – National Maori Performing Arts Competition in New Zealand.
As part of the Te Roopu Poipiripi group, Kaya and his fellow dancers also came second in the Australian Nationals for Kapa Haka, a traditional Maori dance, which qualified them to compete in the New Zealand contest.
“We did a lot of training and rehearsals for six months,” Kaya said.
With the Maori group, he has also performed at a match between the Melbourne Storm and Auckland Warriors at AAMI stadium and at the Vibes Festival.
As well as performing, he plays rugby league with the Altona Roosters and films comedic skits with his cousins, which they plan to put on YouTube.
But Kaya is not the only talented member of his family – his nine-year-old sister Leilani joined the ATA classes after seeing their end-of-term showcase.
“I like acting because I pretend to be other people and it’s fun,” the Grade 4 pupil said.
“The hardest thing is to have to try and memorise the script.”
