A person with short light-colored hair stands with arms outstretched on a coastal path overlooking a rocky shoreline and ocean under a cloudy sky.

Hitchhiking to Ecstasy

Ecstatic dance facilitator Rashida Alisha Hagakore and scholar Kathryn Dickason delve into the history of Hawai’i-based dancer Bodhitara Diane Searles and her imprint on ecstatic dance.

June 15, 2026  |  Read Article

Elaine is pictured before mountains and a sunset. She holds one hand in front of her chest and the other in front of her mouth, palms in.

Living and Sharing Pacific Island Culture

Elaine Talamaivao, a Polynesian dancer and educator and the director of Tala Mai Moana in Southern California, brings her lived experience with Samoan, Hawaiian, and Māori cultures to her community.

March 10, 2025  |  Read Article

Several dancers extend an arm in unison while dancing in long purple dresses outside the Iolani Palace.

Hula as Resistance

Vicky Holt Takamine, master hula teacher of Pua Aliʻi ʻIlima and the executive director of PAʻI Foundation, describes how she is working to preserve and perpetuate native Hawaiian arts and cultural traditions for future generations.

December 2, 2024  |  Read Article

Trusting the Dance, Navigating the Divide

Madelyn Biven, a dance artist based in Hawai'i, reflects on the duality she experienced pursuing dance in the continental US while simultaneously longing for her home on the islands. She shares how she navigated and found peace within that divide.

September 28, 2020  |  Read Article