Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 19, Number 12, 1 December 2002 — Avant garde meets tradition in Hänau ka Moku production [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Avant garde meets tradition in Hänau ka Moku production

Bv Manu Boyd As a divine island is bom on the oeean floor south east of Ka'ū, a dance genre that pushes the envelope in hula, and gives grounding to modern dance takes form. On the heels of their successful debut on VIaui in September, the combined forces of Hālau o Kekuhi and the Tau Dance Theater will again present " Hānau ka Moku, an īsland is Born ," a dance epie celebrating the birth of Hawai'i's newest island. Blending eontemporaiy and traditional through dramatic costuming, staging and lighting, the production breathes new life into the age-old mo'olelo of birthing land. "We honor the female procreative forces of Haumea (mother earth) by creating a new kind of dance genre," said Pualani Kanahele who leads Hālau o Kekuhi as kumu hula along with her sister Nālani Kanaka'ole. Hālau o Kekuhi's previous productions of " Holo Mai Pele " and " Kamehameha Pai'ea "

received critical aeelaim, though more traditional in interpretation. " Hānau ka Moku'" weaves contemporary flair throughout, more typical of Espiritu's Tau Dance Theatre. But like the forces of nature that create new life, potentially chaotic and colliding energies blend in high pitch to form something unique and extraordinary. Pualani Kanahele describes both hula and modern dance forms of movements. "We get our hula movements from what we see around us in nature. Vlodem dance is driven by rhythms. For this production, we created motions that were not typical of our hula, but the footwork is maintained," she said. The coming together of the two entities may seem unlikely, but, according to Espiritu, Hālau o Kekuhi has performed in a eouple of Tau Dance Theater productions: "Ladies Night Ou P and " Men Dancing '1 wanted to get to know Aunty them, and their See HANAU KA MOKU on page 16

Hanana Kuīkawa

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Eye-catching costuming is among many highlights in Hānau Ka Vloku, the dance drama celebrating Kama'ehu, in Hilo in January, and Honolulu in March.

HĀNAU KA MOKU from page 10 work," said Espiritu, who already conceptualized the idea of focusing on Lō'ihi. "Aunty Pua and Nālani eame to an anniversaiy concertin Waimea at Kahilu Theatre, and after the performance, Aunty Pua said, 'you know that collaborationyou talked about? Let's do it'. That was the begin~ ning," he said. In the production, the name given to the newly forming island south east of Ka'ū is "Kama'ehu" orred child. Itwas dubbed "Lō'ihi" by scientists years ago because the submerged mountain appeared long (lō'ihi) like Mauna Loa. "We believe 'Kama'ehu' is a more fitting name. After the Mlaui performance, we were told that

there is a way to make that name change official — through the Geological Society. We have some friends who are helping us with that," said Kanahele. The rigid, technical requirements of both dance forms are executed by both the hālau and the dance company. Espiritu, himself, performs anoli (chant), and Hālau o Kekuhi twists and turns in non-hula movarnents that illustrate the flexibility and creative this production boasts. Hilo performances of " Hānau ka Mokif are scheduled for Sat. and Sun., Jan. 1 1 and 12, at the U.H. HiloTheater. On Mlarch 29 at 7:30 p.m., the performance will erupt on stage at the Hawai'i Theatre in Honolulu. A nahonal tour is being planned for 2004.

Loeal and nahonal support was generously given by the following: Baciu Fund of the Hawai'i Community Foundation; Oooke Foundation, Ltd.; Jean Rowles; The Atherton Family Foundation; Xerox Hawai'i; The Rockefeller Foundation; The Charles Englehard Foundation; the Doris Duke Fund for Dance of the Nahonal Dance Project; the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Philip Mlorris Companies ine. "I mostly want people to eome the show not expecting one thing or another. Don't eome think~ ing you're going to see something of what we've done before. Come with an open mind. Just see it and be surprised," said Kanahele. ■

pahpona ,

Kumu Hula Pualani Kanahele, daughter Kekuhi Kanahele~Frias and Peter~Rockford Espiritu weie among collaborators in choreography and overall design.