LIHUE — Kumu Hula Leinaala Pavao Jardin had one word for her keiki hula dancers — amazing. “They were absolutely amazing,” Pavao Jardin said while being swarmed by parents and friends Sunday at the Lihue Airport. Ka Lei Mokihana O
LIHUE — Kumu Hula Leinaala Pavao Jardin had one word for her keiki hula dancers — amazing.
“They were absolutely amazing,” Pavao Jardin said while being swarmed by parents and friends Sunday at the Lihue Airport.
Ka Lei Mokihana O Leinaala returned home to a large and enthusiastic audience of greeters and well-wishers after sweeping the Queen Liliuokalani Keiki Hula Competition on Oahu over the weekend.
“The keiki must have love, dedication and commitment in their hearts to do what they did,” said Jenny Balisacan, an alakai for the Kalaheo-based halau.
On Thursday, the first day of competition, Ka Lei Mokihana O Leinaala captured the Miss Keiki Hula solo competition behind the performance of Jeslie Ann Vidinha-Pavao and the Master Keiki Hula solo competition by Luke Hunadi.
With solo titles in hand, the halau went on to capture top honors for both kaikamahine and kane divisions in the Hula Kahiko competition Friday and the Hula Auana competition Saturday.
The top finishes in the three nights of competition led to the halau being awarded the overall trophies in both kaikamahine and kane divisions.
“I was praying to God to keep everybody in unison,” Balisacan said, noting she could only follow the group’s competition from a small screen backstage. “To watch the groups pull together the months of practice and execute the moves brings joy to my heart. To see these keiki work through practice after practice and watch them pull together as one is a feeling I can’t even begin to describe.”
A parent waiting on the group to deplane said they couldn’t remember when a halau captured so many top performances at the Kalihi-Palama Culture and Arts Society competition, which has been held for 37 years.
“This is it,” Hunadi, the Master Kane Hula, said. “I kept telling myself, ‘OK, this is it. This is your first solo.’ I was nervous as I took my first step. I kept repeating to myself, ‘OK, this is it. One step. The next step.’ By the second verse of the entrance, it got easier and I started dancing.”
Balisacan, who described her position as halau alakai as “Kumu’s second brain,” said they had a big kuleana heading to the competition.
“Our job is not done until we land,” Balisacan said. “We have other people’s love in our hearts. Parents entrust us with their children and we must see that they are well-cared for.”
Balisacan said Ka Lei Mokihana O Leinaala earned almost all of the top awards from this year’s competition except for the Hawaiian language awards.
The Mary Kawena Pukui perpetual trophy for Hawaiian Language was awarded to Halau Kekuaokalaaualailiahi of Maui, which finished second to Kauai’s halau in the Keiki Kane Kahiko competition.
Hula Hui O Kapunahala O Nuuanu YMCA earned the Malia Craver award.
• Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
