The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is gearing up to bring dancers and cultural enthusiasts together for the 2024 Asia Pacific Dance Festival, set to take place from August 5 to 10, a celebration of hula and its attendant cultural practices. According to an announcement by KHON2, the festival will be led by prominent Kumu Hula Maelia Loebenstein Carter and Kawaikapuokalani Hewett, with activities including workshops, classes, field trips, and culminating performances designed to deepen participants' understanding of the dance's cultural significance.
Looking back, the 2022 workshop iteration set a precedent, expanding awareness of not just Hawaiian culture, but also those of Cambodia and Palau, the islands' dance forms and cultural background witnessed high regard for this approach, drawing attendees into a holistic understanding beyond mere performance, as per details shared by the University of Hawaiʻi. Attendees had the opportunity to learn directly from native practitioners, participate in field excursions, and enjoy performances, such as 'Local Motion!' and 'Ike Hana I' and II, while being encouraged to engage directly with these cultures in place-based educational experiences.
The upcoming festival's schedule is packed with rich, educational content – workshops ranging from traditional hula practices to field trips retracing historical journeys and visits to the Bishop Museum to explore Hawaiian artifacts. Notable evening events throughout the week, free to the public, will offer further immersion into hula traditions through performances and talk story sessions, shedding light on ancestral knowledge, language, and the importance of caring for the land.
Moreover, the culminating performance on August 10 at the UH Mānoa Kennedy Theatre promises an impressive display of what participants have taken from their week-long dive into hula culture, the Kumu hula alongside their hālau will bring forth on stage the richness of their practice and learning. Workshop passes vary in cost, with day passes at $60 and full week passes at $175; these include a variety of benefits like lunch, transportation, and museum admission, to ensure attendees get the most out of the festival experience.
For anyone looking to attend, performance tickets start from $12 to $30, allowing for an accessible range of prices for the broader community to witness the grandeur of this cultural event. Interested participants and spectators can find registration information and more details about the festival by clicking the link provided in the KHON2 article.
