San Francisco Bay Area Aloha Festival

Kumu Mark Keali’i Ho’omalu’s Bio: Mark Kealii Hoomalu is of Hawaiian ancestry and was born and raised in Aiea, Oahu. He is the Kumu Hula, founder and Artistic Director of the Academy of Hawaiian Arts -a cultural and educational institution dedicated to sustaining time-honored and contemporary Hawaiian arts. He is also the Director of MKH Productions a publishing company for his music and dance production projects. Mark began dancing hula at the age of 15; a time when wo...men were dancing the contemporary style of auana hula basically dominated the art form. He was fortunate to study under Kumu Hula Darrell Ihiihilauakea Lupenui, who is credited for the re-introduction of a warrior-style hula in the classical tradition, kahiko. Most notably Mark was part of a time in the contemporary history of hula when the power of men's dances forged a path for them to return to the floor. Mark took his place with the Men of Waimapuna, where he trained as aolapa (dancer) and hoopaa (chanter). His training included the study of Hawaiian history and cultural practices. In 1979 with his Kumu’s blessing to go do your best, and do your own, Mark moved to California, which marked the beginning of his career as a kumu hula. In 2003 Markestablished the Academy of Hawaiian Arts andMKH Productions. Since then, Mark’s work hasgrown in reputation among his peers,and mounting success with national and international shows and tours. Under his leadership, AHA’s is now on its eighth year at Merrie Monarch Hula Festival. Among Mark’sother achievements is being nominated for the2002 Annie Award for Music in anAnimated Feature Production for Lilo and Stitch and for Best Original Song for Hawaiian Rollercoaster Ride that he wrote for Disney Pictures’ Academy Award-nominated feature film,Lilo & Stitch. When asked what inspires and influences his work, Mark will respond with, Being Hawaiian. Being alive. When I’m chanting, I can hear my heart beating, and I can hear the sound in my body; when I think of wind, you can’t contain it, you don’t stop it, you don’t block it it just moves. Everything dances. Everything. Ocean dances, the trees dance, the dust dances, and it has this flow to it. And when I’m singing, that’s what comes out. I’ve been criticized that my rhythms, my sound, is not traditional, but it doesn’t sound different to me. It just is what it is. Academy of Hawaiian Arts and Kumu Mark Keali’i Ho’omalu present A COMBINATION HULA WORKSHOP Saturday, August 10th, 2019 Pre Registration by August 9th, 2019 - $75.00 #1 - HULA KAHIKO WORKSHOP #2 - HULA ’AUANA WORKSHOP #3 - Sunday H’ike Performance FOR AUGUST 10TH WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS ONLY You must attend rehearsals on Sunday, August 11th to participate Rehearsals will begin promptly at 11am until 1pm Performance with AHA at 2:30pm For more information contact: http://academyofhawaiianarts.org To reserve your spot go to: https://squareup.com/store/academy-of-hawaiian-arts

Aloha! It's that time of year again - PICA's Annual Bay Area Aloha Festival at the San Mateo Event Center Sat, Aug 10th and Sun, Aug 11th. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED both days. Shifts are 9:00am to 1:30pm; 1:00-5:30pm or all day. If you're available to volunteer, please register here https://www.pica-org.org/volunteers. Please share, share, share! Mahalo for your support! Heidi Woodward

Aloha Folks! If you would like to advertise with us during Aloha Festival please visit our website at www.pica-org.org and click on the advertise with us button!

Aloha folks! Anyone who is traveling from a distance and would like to stay near the Aloha Festival, we have rooms available at a discounted price!