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Academy
of Hawaiian Arts
Oakland,
California
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Born and raised in Aiea, O'ahu, Kumu Hula Mark Keali'i Ho'omalu's first professional
experience, at the age of 15, was dancing in lu'au shows for kumu hula John Pi'ilani
Watkins. Later he would immerse himself in the vigorous, warrior style of a new hālau,
Waimapuna, taught by renowned kumu hula Darrell 'Ihi'ihilauakea Lupenui, Thaddius
Wilson, O'Brien Eselu and John Ka'imikaua.
In 1979, Kumu Mark moved to California to begin teaching hula with Tiare Clifford of Tiare Otea in San
Francisco. Kumu Mark developed his distinct style of Kupaianahula (firm style) during these formative years. In 2003, he founded the Academy of Hawaiian Arts in Oakland, CA.
In his nearly 30-year career as a kumu hula in California, his dancers have repeatedly taken home honors
in major hula competitions on the West Coast and are among a select few mainland hālaus invited
to compete in the annual Merrie Monarch Hula Competition in Hilo, Hawai'i.
His current group of 12-15 kane dancers are a combination of fearless, comical, sexy, and brutal. Their
most recent accomplishment was 1st place Kahiko honors at the Iā 'Oe
E Ka Lā, as well as 4th place
'Auana at Merrie Monarch 2007.
Founder of the Ka Hula Hou challenge, Kumu Mark believes there should be room for more than one type of hula competition. "I want to see what happens when kumu hula, and the dancers, are challenged to best each other on the floor with just their dance." He cannot leave tradition alone and explains, "If you don't progress, you will lose the future."
Read about the other Ka
Hula Hou challengers
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Patricia
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Rox Landaker
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Vicki
Wong
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