The hotel-restaurant "La Pirogue" is one of the rare places where evening animation is proposed nearly every day of the week. On top of that, it's live.

A musical journey across the islands of the Indian Ocean. It's one of the numerous formulas that La Pirogue, a hotel- restaurant on the west coast offers in order to embellish the evenings and to entertain its clients, as Mauritian nightlife is not rife, especially in the towns.

Thus, the hotel dancers, adorned with their multicoloured floaty dresses, twist and turn to the rhythm of the "traditional séga" played by the band. The evening's musical journey starts in Mauritius.

It is followed by a Rodriguan stop-over, with a plaintive tune of accordions and a quadrille of men topped off with straw hats. Then it's over to Réunion Island and the Seychelles before a detour via the Maldives and a tune that reminds one of Madagascar before heading towards Mayotte. The musical journey ends in Madagascar where the audience is welcomed by a frenzied choreography, supported by the "Salegy," a popular and typical musical style, from ‘the Large Island'.

This country-style show lasts about an hour. The audience then gradually invades the dance floor to join the dancers. Under the multicoloured projector lights, the dance floor begins to look like that of a nightclub and the musicians strike up with popular music.

"Most of the time, the dance floor is crowded" notes a manager. This evening, it happens to be calm with about twenty people dancing in the coolness of the evening. Thus, the musicians give way to the D.J.

"Our repertoire is fairly varied in order to give variety to the show. After this evening's musical island tour, there'll be the African drums tomorrow" underlines the event manager. Hence, each show is only repeated once a fortnight. Such a commitment to the evening's animations is only possible because the dancers and the musicians' band make up part of the hotel's staff. "Therefore, a tourist who spends ten to fifteen days at the hotel will never see the same show twice".

The show is exclusively for the hotel and restaurant guests. "People can refer to the evening program and make a booking for any show that takes their fancy" explains Mr Clyde Vacher, the Public Relations and Communications Officer of Sun Resorts, which includes La Pirogue.

Along the same lines as the musical animations, the hotel organises special evenings upon the guests' requests. It's time to enjoy the seldom-held live "sega" show.

Writer and photos: William Rasoanaivo - 2007