For the first time, University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo will take the national stage at the 2025 American College Dance Association Festival in Washington, D.C.
Sixteen dance students and two faculty members were selected to perform Haliʻa Aloha No Kaimū, a powerful tribute to Hawaiian ancestry and place. Their piece was one of only three chosen from 40 performances at the High-Desert Regional Conference in Wyoming this March. It marked UH Hilo’s first appearance at a regional—and now, a national—festival.
Choreographed by dance instructor Kea Kapahua, the work honors her family’s roots in Kaimū and Kalapana. Both were towns in the Puna district of Hawaiʻi Island buried by Kīlauea lava flows in 1990.
“My intent was to capture the feeling of a moment in time of a people group, in a special place,” said Kapahua. “The piece speaks of our ancestors, and that we are not alone.”
Uplifting Kaimū
The piece weaves chant, hula, oli and visuals. It includes audio of Kapahua’s 91-year-old aunty describing life in the now-lost village of Kaimū, along with ocean footage from the area. Dancers used ʻili ʻili stones and performed traditional songs like Aloha Kaimū and Hōlei.
Unexpected lessons
For the UH Hilo students, it’s been a transformative journey.
“Being chosen to perform at Nationals, is such an honor not only for my school, my community, and my home, but for my ʻohana who lived in Kalapana, the Kalehuloa/Sweezey family,” said dancer Loreal Gonzales.
Student Milia Dela Cruz added, “This past year opened my eyes to a new world of movement and expression. Not only did I get to share my passion for hula in a meaningful way, but I also formed unexpected friendships and pushed beyond my comfort zone.”
Kapahua says the moment is bigger than the award.
“Only three dance works from each region were chosen to move on to the National Festival. It is an incredible honor for UH Hilo to be represented like this.”
