Nā Lei Hulu I Ka Wēkiu's acclaimed dance company presents hula as a full theatrical experience that blends traditional and contemporary forms of Hawaiian dance.

Founded in 1985 by Director/Kumu Hula Patrick Makuakāne, the company of 40 dancers is known for its unique contemporary style called hula mua, or "hula that evolves." The style blends traditional movements with non-Hawaiian music like opera, electronic, dance, alternative, and pop. Both hula mua and authentic, traditional pieces are showcased in the company's visually captivating stage productions.

Nā Lei Hulu has enjoyed tremendous national success, dazzling audiences and critics alike. Makuakāne has won extensive recognition and numerous awards for his choreography and direction, including several Isadora Duncan Dance Awards ("Izzies") and a lifetime achievement award from the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival.

The dance company holds its annual home season performances in October at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre in San Francisco, and has performed throughout California and in other locations including New York, New Orleans, Las Vegas, and Honolulu.

Check our calendar for upcoming performances and learn about new ones through our mailing list.

"The lasting aftereffect is something like having seen flowers that breathe and butterflies that think." — Los Angeles Times

"There is nothing quite like the lilting flow of it all." — New York Times

"Only the Bolshoi and Kirov Ballets have ensembles that can rival these women in their esprit de corps." — The Dance Insider

"This is 21st-century hula, ancient dance used to make a postmodern point. It is hula charged with poetic potency." — Honolulu Magazine

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