A Trip To Remember:
Academy of Hawaiian Arts at Merrie Monarch 2006

As most of you know, the Academy took part in this year's Merrie Monarch competition, which is a dream for any hula dancer and truly played out as one. From the day we touched ground in the sleepy town of Hilo, haze seemed to fall over everyone's mindset. Part of us was stuck in awe that we had made it, and the other part was probably jetlagged. From the airport, we all jumped into our caravan of Dodge Caravans and headed to Kilauea Military Camp, which was to be our home for the next week.

The KMC proved to be an excellent place to stay. The girls, numbering 23, were split amongst 4 dorm rooms (bunk beds and all) which were quite modest, but much nicer than you would expect. The boys, with only 9, stayed in rooms a little more accommodating with amenities such as television and in-room showers. I admit, we girls were quite jealous at first, until we found out that the boys had to share beds. After that, bunk beds were looking pretty good!

Our daily routine at the camp consisted of waking at about 6:30am in order to make it to the buffet-style breakfast by 8:00am. After breakfast, we would meet in front of the main lodging area, and get our task list for the day. Usually, we were told what to bring along with us for the excursions ahead. Sneakers for volcanoes, swim suits for warm springs, or pa'ū skirts and water for practice. That said and done, we climbed into the vans and were off for the day.

Our second day on the Big Island was a chance to take in the grandeur of the Edith Kananka'ole Stadium. As we pulled up into the parking lot, many of us couldn't stop grinning. We were finally there! Our minds were racing with all the questions we'd been asking ourselves. Was it going to be huge inside? Would the stage be as beautiful as it looks on television? Am I going to be completely overwhelmed?

All the dancers got out to stretch and take a look around the outside until we got our final approval to go inside. While we waited, we took pictures and talked, anxious to see where we would be dancing. As we finally approached the double-wide gate, the first thing in sight was a small glimpse of the stage. That moment hit us in the face like a ton of bricks. We really were going to compete in Merrie Monarch.

After getting over our initial shock, we began to draw similarities between where we were and where we had performed and familiar stages like the ones at  Iā 'Oe e Ka Lā. The beautiful stage that we had seen on TV was nothing more than plywood and duct tape. The enormous audience was to sit in stadium bleachers and folding chairs. For me personally, that helped a great deal in calming my nerves. We got on stage and did our runs as usual, or so we thought. Read how our practice went from one reporter's point of view (starting from the 3rd paragraph).

We had our run, saw the stage and dressing room, and were ready to hit the floor two days. In the meantime, we did what hula dancers do -- braid hair, iron costumes, prepare implements, and freak out. For the girls, a calming trip to Punalu'u was planned so that we could actually experience the place we were going to represent in just a couple of days. It is so important as hula dancers to know what we are portraying, so that we can get the right imagery across to our audience, and to pay our respects, all in preperation for…

Kahiko Night - Friday, April 21

Next up, the Wahine team with the beautiful "Kauila". Pūniu in hand and smiles on face we walked on stage. It was our turn now. The Kane blew the crowd away with their fierceness, and it was our chance to complement that with grace and poise. Surprisingly, many of us didn't feel nerves onstage at all; instead a sense of pride to be there and a sense of relief that we were finally doing it. One of the most puzzling things to receive from the audience is silence. Performers are left to wonder if it is awe or possible boredom. We felt the silence from the audience during our dance, but it was a great, warm feeling, as if they were sending us love from their seats. Our dance went by in an instant too, and we were done. Time to get ready to do it again tomorrow.

'Auana Night - Saturday, April 22

Girls turn once again: this time, "Piano Ahiahi". We approached the floor with a trio of voices singing "Ano'ai" in the most ethereal way. As they began to move after their song, the rest of the dancers made their entrance. As always, movements were graceful and pristine. We managed to captivate once again, not by fancy line changes or gimmicks, but by beautiful dancing. On this our final meeting with this stage, we gave it all we had and produced something we could all be proud of.

Although we did not receive any awards, we did receive a great deal of recognition and congratulations from everyone, from store clerks to folks walking down the street. Most had watched on television from home, a few actually attended, but they all agreed that we did a great job. It seemed that every place we went after the competition, we were recognized, and praised. This, by far, had more of an effect on us than an award would; to simply know we are supported by so many is a great feeling. Thank you to all who supported- physically, mentally, financially, and otherwise, you helped make our trip the trip of a lifetime.

And as for Merrie Monarch 2007 (drum roll...)