Te Hau Nui School of Hula and Tahitian Dance Celebrates 15 Years

Teacher, choreographer and dance troupe director, Kumu Lorraine celebrates 15 years of teaching Hula and Tahitian dance at the Capitola Parks and Recreation Department! The celebration takes place March 10.

Kumu Kalei, as she is now known, approached the recreation department in 1998, less then a year after she began teaching, knowing she wanted to establish herself in the community as a way to share the sacred and festive beauty of these traditions and help perpetuate the culture.

Kumu Kalei grew up in Kailua Kaneohe on the windward side of O’ahu and was moved by the sacred landscape and joy of hula and Tahitian at an early age. By the time she was in high school, she had traveled the world as a dancer, performing with famous stars such as Don Ho, Hilo Hattie and Lawrence Welk.

After years of dancing and pursuing school as well as a career, Kumu Kalei was inspired to teach, both by her teachers as well as by the significance of the dances. What started as a small class over fifteen years ago has evolved into an integral part of the community with close to 100 dancers participating throughout the county, from Santa Cruz to Watsonville. These numbers also include students in Europe where she teaches every year.

In 2009, Kumu Kalei was nominated for the Gail Rich Award. Three years ago Kumu Kalei, along with another hula sister and teacher from Santa Cruz, was honored to be one of ten teachers in California selected to undergo a three year training program funded by the Administration of Native Americans to formally train and ‘uniki or graduate as a kumu hula, or teacher of hula. Her pride and joy are her students, many of whom began in the Capitola class years ago.

Her dancers have given thousands of hours to the community in countless performances throughout the region. Te Hau Nui can be found at a range of venues — celebrating at the Capitola Begonia Festival, welcoming dignitaries at the Pacific Rim Film Festival, performing with blues legend Taj Mahal at the Rio Theatre, or simply sharing the floor with other dancers on a Friday night at Pono Hawaiian Grill in Santa Cruz.

On Sunday, March 10, 2013 at the Aptos High School Performing Arts Center, the dedicated wahine, teenagers and children of Te Hau Nui, invite you to join them as they celebrate fifteen years of dance! Not only is the fabulous Ho’omana Band headlining the event, but the performance will include live Tahitian drumming, stunning costumes, and much more!

Show times are 1-3 pm and 5-7 pm and tickets are $22. Come join the festivities, and become a part of what makes Te Hau Nui School of Hula and Tahitian Dance a leader in the Polynesian Dance community.

Please visit www.tehaunuidance.com, visit them on Facebook or email tehaunui@cruzio.com for more information about the anniversary celebration or upcoming classes!