/Dance
Wai Ola: ʻAukele and the Waters of Life
Event WebsiteAbout
Hula Kiʻi is a critically endangered tradition of Hawaiʻi which features the use of carved or crafted images in the story telling and movements of hula. Due to Western intervention in the 19th Century, the hula kiʻi and other indigenous traditions were suppressed almost out of existence. The Mahea Uchiyama Center for International Dance (MUCID), in association with Kumu Hula Kiʻi Mauli Ola Cook (holder of the lineal tradition of Kumu Nona Beamer and hula haumana of Kumu Hula Victoria Holt Takamine) and Kumu Hula Maile Loo of the Hula Preservation Society, introduce this unique art form in the Bay Area through a project sponsored by the 2021 Choreography Award granted by the Gerbode Foundation. The project encompasses the research of classical themes, the construction of hula puppets, and the development of a dedicated hula ki’i practice within MUCID’s resident hālau.
SF/Arts Curator Insight
The Māhea Uchiyama Center for International Dance (MUCID) is marking an impressive and significant milestone in 2023 - thirty years as a leading cultural institution for multi-ethnic dance and music! Family-friendly workshops, classes and community gatherings unfold throughout the year, and in March, a very special event takes center stage at Rhythmix Cultural Works in Alameda. For one-night only, MUCID welcomes masters of Hula Ki’i from Hawaii, who will share hula with live performers and hand-made puppets.
Heather Desaulniers
Contributing Writer
The Mahea Uchiyama Center for International Dance
The Mahea Uchiyama Center for International Dance is an organization where the world comes to dance. We approach dance as a manifestation of the human spirit, rather than merely a collection of movements. Our students are encouraged to explore and celebrate their cultural differences and common humanity.
The Mahea Uchiyama Center for International Dance is an organization where the world comes to dance. We approach dance as a manifestation of the human spirit, rather than merely a collection of movements. Our students are encouraged to explore and celebrate their cultural differences and common humanity.