FEATURING KAUMAKAIWA KANAKA'OLE & SHAWN PIMENTAL
One night only! Join us for an extraordinary evening of live Hawaiian music and hula by Nā Lei Hulu i ka Wēkiu.
Kaumakaiwa Kanakaʻole is a riveting performer creating some of the most original work to emerge in contemporary Hawaiian music. Drawing from ancestral memory and deep hula practice, she transforms chant into melody with a vocal range spanning tenor to Hawaiian falsetto. A charismatic dancer and singer, she is a five-time Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award winner — Hawaiʻi's equivalent of the GRAMMY® — with three solo albums to her name.
Shawn Kekoa Pimental is the musical producer behind many of Hawaiʻi's top recording artists, including Kealiʻi Reichel, Nā Palapalai, and Nā Leo Pilimehana. His intuitive gift for blending traditional Hawaiian music with innovative production makes him one of the most sought-after collaborators in the industry — and a five-time Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award winner in his own right.
Kaumakaiwa and Shawn have forged a sound that is uniquely Hawaiian, while teetering on the edges of a contemporary vibe that is fresh and powerfully present. A perfect match for Nā Lei Hulu i ka Wēkiu.
“The synchronicity we experience with Kaumakaiwa and Shawn beckons us to create an adventurous level of hula and movement that syncs seamlessly with their dynamic contemporary sound rooted in tradition. This is a thrilling collaboration that raises the hula bar!”
— Kumu Patrick
ABOUT NĀ LEI HULU I KA WĒKIU
Founded in 1985 by Director/Kumu Hula Patrick Makuakāne, the dance company is known for its unique contemporary style called hula mua or “hula that evolves”. The style combines traditional hula, chants, and songs with a stylized aesthetic often delivered with irony, wit, and charm. It’s hula accompanied by a contemporary craftsmanship in music that can be extravagantly bold or delicately nuanced, a provocative treatment of tradition that leaps forward in surprising ways
Both hula mua and traditional pieces are showcased in the company’s striking stage productions, reflecting a blend of heritage and innovation. Their shows have captivated audiences throughout California and major cities like New York, New Orleans, Las Vegas, and Honolulu.
Nā Lei Hulu is a dance company and extended community — a cultural crusade committed to an authentic representation of Hawaiian culture through traditional and innovative means.
Makuakāne has earned numerous awards for his cultural and artistic impact. In 2023, he became the first Native Hawaiian to receive the MacArthur Fellowship. He is director and choreographer of the first major Hawaiian-language opera, Kamalehua: The Sheltering Tree, which recently debuted in Honolulu. Makuakāne is also the writer and choreographer of the musical, The Epic Tale of Hiʻiakaikapoliopele, premiering this fall in Hawaiʻi.
Mission
Nā Lei Hulu i ka Wēkiu is dedicated to exploring and preserving Hawaiian culture through hula.