Hula NA 'o Moku'ainamotu'

Aloha Studio’s roots date back to 1915 when Kumu Catherine’s great-grandfather, Henry Kailimai, performed with the Royal Hawaiian Band at the Panama Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco. He was well-known for composing many popular hapa-haole (half-English) songs, the most famous being “On the Beach at Waikīkī”. Since then, the preservation of Hawaiian music and dance has been an integral part of the family, and Kumu Catherine has dedicated much of her life to that legacy.

Though she has taught hula for much longer, Kumu Catherine became a Kumu Hula (hula teacher) after a three-year intensive studying under revered Kumu Hula and Hawaiian composer Lehua Kawaikapuokalani Hewett and completing the ‘Ailolo and ‘Ūniki (graduation) ceremonies in May 2012. Before that, she studied for several years under Kumu Esther Correa.