Nā Lei Hulu I Ka Wēkiu is a dynamic Hawaiian dance company
based in San Francisco. The company features hula as a full theatrical
experience that is visually captivating. Its performances are a rich
blend of traditional and contemporary forms of hula.
The company's trademark hula mua style pays homage to
tradition while bringing hula into a modern realm. This innovative
approach showcases hula as a living and evolving art form.
Nā Lei Hulu I Ka Wēkiu’s performances are given in a “talk-story”
format that incorporates narration and dance to provide a rich cultural
context in which to understand the hula.
Led by Kumu Hula Patrick Makuakāne, Na Lei Hulu
has enjoyed tremendous success in the Bay Area, garnering audience and
critical acclaim with its theatrical hula shows. Na Lei Hulu presents
its annual fall hula production at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre in
San Francisco, and routinely sells out its five performances to a total
of 5,000 audience members. The company has performed in locations
throughout California, and in Las Vegas, New Orleans and Honolulu.
Founded in 1985, Nā Lei Hulu I Ka Wēkiu (“the many feathered wreaths
at the summit, held in high esteem”) is committed to the preservation
and education of the Hawaiian culture through hula. It has a performance
group of about 40 dancers and offers classes to students in the
beginning and intermediate levels. The organization holds educational
workshops throughout the year in Hawaiian language, history, and arts
and crafts.
