Academy of Hawaiian Arts ENewsletter - Sept. 2005 - Makaha Sons - 'Alua - Hula

A Brief History of the Academy of Hawaiian Arts
	Since its inception in 2003, the Academy of Hawaiian Arts (AHA) has been carrying forward the vision of its founder, Kumu Hula Mark Keali'i Ho'omalu. With the support of AHA's kumu hula, instructors and many volunteers, AHA is able to carry out its mission to cultivate and evolve the cultural arts of Hawai'i, including dance, music, composition and language.
From left: Kumu Hula Renee Ku'uleinani Price and Kumu Hula Mark Keali'i Ho'omalu.
Kulia i Ka Nu'u (Strive for the Highest) Though the Academy of Hawaiian Arts is a young organization, it has roots going back to 1988, when Bea and Herb Hew Len turned over the directorship of their Oakland, California halau, Nā Mele Hula 'Ohana, to Kumu Hula Mark Keali'i Ho’omalu. Driven by Ho'omalu's distinct style of Kupaianahula (firm style), Nā Mele Hula 'Ohana set high standards in hula competitions along the West Coast and in Hawai'i, even entering the prestigious Merrie Monarch competition in Hilo from 1998-2000. Ho'omalu retired from Nā Mele Hula 'Ohana in early 2002.
Ke Kukui Nana i Luna (The Light Looked Up To) In 2003, Mark Keali’i Ho’omalu began anew by founding the Academy of Hawaiian Arts as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization in Oakland, California. With the Academy, Ho'omalu has continued his passion for excellence and innovation, developing powerful new dance styles using such hula implements as ipu heke (double gourds), pūniu (coconut drums) and even hoe wa'a (canoe paddles).
The Academy dancers made a dramatic competition debut in November 2003, when AHA took two first place awards at Iā 'Oe E Ka Lā, the oldest and largest international hula competition in the western U.S. Then, at the start of 2004, Kumu Ho'omalu featured AHA dancers in a powerful performance honoring the mythical shark god, Kamohoali'i, for the Monterey Bay Aquarium exhibit	Watch Video
entitled "Sharks: Myth and Mystery." The video of the specially commissioned chant and hula will run with the shark installation through September 2006.
Later in 2004, AHA dancers participated in Ke Ao Hou, a full-length show presented by MKH Productions. Audiences were treated to an "in-the-round" performance, featuring Ho'omalu's trademark dramatic choreography which took full advantage of the centrally-placed stage.
AHA dancers performed Kauila at Ke Ao Hou. Their perfomance of that mele would win them a perfect score at the Iā 'Oe E Ka Lā competition 6 weeks later.
Shortly thereafter AHA returned to the Iā 'Oe E Ka Lā competition, and was awarded a perfect score in the wahine kahiko division for the mele entitled "Kauila," a hula noho (seated hula) honoring the turtle goddess of Punalu'u, Hawai'i.
The Academy closed out the year with Ho'okahi, which featured performances by members of every class at the halau. In April of 2005, legendary Hawaiian chanter Charles Ka'upu invited Ho'omalu and AHA dancers to perform as part of his "Ke Aka" concert in Irvine, California. The highlight of AHA's performance was a dynamic paddle set honoring Kamehameha 'Ekahi, the first ali'i (chief) to unite the Hawaiian Islands.
In August 2005, AHA appeared at San Francisco's annual Aloha Festival. In dances honoring the islands of Kaua'i and Ni'ihau, AHA members utilized ipu heke they constructed themselves in a series of Academy workshops. The Academy performed as the festival's closing act, thus continuing a yearly tradition that Kumu Hula Mark Ho'omalu established during his years with Nā Mele Hula 'Ohana. Voyaging Onwards With every performance, Kumu Hula Mark Ho'omalu and AHA strive to top their previous efforts. Now, you are invited to join the Academy of Hawaiian Arts on the voyage, as AHA continues forward towards 'Alua, Iā 'Oe E Ka Lā 2005, and Merrie Monarch 2006! Learn more about what it means to "Take the Voyage" with AHA in the next newsletter...
- by Stephanie Gonsalves