LIHU‘E — Breeze Ann Kalehuaonalani Pavao will be in the crowd today when the solo competition of the 35th annual Queen Lili‘uokalani Keiki Hula Competition takes the stage on O‘ahu. Breeze Ann Pavao is the 2009 title holder of the
LIHU‘E — Breeze Ann Kalehuaonalani Pavao will be in the crowd today when the solo competition of the 35th annual Queen Lili‘uokalani Keiki Hula Competition takes the stage on O‘ahu.
Breeze Ann Pavao is the 2009 title holder of the Miss Keiki Hula solo competition and will be watching as Jaedyn Pavao makes a bid for the 2010 title.
Both dancers are part of hula halau Na Lei Mokihana o Leina‘ala which will be defending its 2009 title at the O‘ahu competition.
Tammy Pu‘u, one of the halau parents and dancer, said this year, kumu hula Leina‘ala Pavao Jardin will have her kane dancers compete.
Reygan Agcaoili will take the stage Thursday in a bid for the Master Keiki Hula title which was taken in 2009 by Ho‘okena Cockett of Maui.
Kaua‘i residents had an opportunity to preview the halau during the 21st Annual Kaua‘i Hospice “Concert in the Sky” event, Sunday at the North Vidinha fields when the Kalaheo halau performed a number that helped it win the 2009 title.
Agcaoili joined his hula brothers in a kane number, and was introduced as this year’s kane soloist.
Twenty-five halau from around the state will gather at the Neil Blaisdell Center in Honolulu for the competition which will feature the Miss and Master Keiki hula competition starting at 6 p.m. today.
Friday night, the halau take the floor for the group hula kahiko competition starting at 6 p.m., and on Saturday the group hula ‘auana competition starts at 1 p.m.
The annual competition was organized by the Kalihi-Palama Culture and Arts Society in September, 1976 to honor Hawai‘i’s last reigning monarch, states the Queen Lili‘uokalani Keiki Hula website.
The first event was a day long event held at A‘ala Park on O‘ahu and featured dance performances, Hawaiian craft demonstrations, a pageant of Hawai‘i’s mo‘i wahine and the first keiki hula competition.
The keiki hula competition was designed for children between 6 through 12 years old as a way they could share their achievements in hula while learning about Queen Lili‘uokalani, her ‘ohana, and Hawai‘i’s history.
When the first competition took place, six halau took the stage in an ‘auana-only competition.
Since then, the annual event has grown to become a three-day event being held at the Blaisdell Center Arena since 1993.
The competition will be broadcast by KITV 4 starting at 7 p.m., July 25 and 26.
Visit kpcahawaii.com, or kitv.com for more information.
