By Cindy Ellen Russell, Star-Bulletin
The women of Halau Ke Kapa Maile dance to a medley of songs
written by their kumu hula, Randol Ngum, in the auana competition.

Sonny Ching, the new
prince of the dance, dominates
the King Kamehameha
Hula Competition

By Kekoa Catherine Enomoto
Star-Bulletin

Numbers -- the story was prodigious numbers by a young lion of a kumu hula. As he did at April's Merrie Monarch hula contest, William Kahakuleilehua "Sonny" Ching swept top honors at the weekend's 25th annual King Kamehameha Hula Competition.

Without TV cameras and scheduling, the event presented a dazzling hula array in a cozy, fast-paced format. Audience members relaxed in a cool, one-third-filled Blaisdell Arena. Dancers whirled in burgundy velvet and gold ilima. Lilting music included performances by Aunty Genoa Keawe, Ku'uipo Kumukahi, Robert Cazimero and Ho'okena. Scents of pikake and maile mixed with the spicy smell of nachos.

By Cindy Ellen Russell, Star-Bulletin
The women of Kapomakolekapukane pay tribute to the volcano
goddess Pele with their entry in the auana competition. They danced
to "Halema'uma'u" and "Ke Ha'a La Puna."

Ching, 36, captured eight prizes, including firsts in hula kahiko kane (traditional men's), kahiko coed, auana kane (modern men's) and auana coed. His 82 dancers, including an impressive total of 55 young women, tied for Hawaiian-language laurels in traditional performances.

"Coming out of Merrie Monarch was so exhausting," said Ching, kumu hula of the 400-member Halau Na Mamo O Pu'uanahulu, located in Kalihi. "It took so much out of me this year, so it was difficult preparing for another competition.

"There were only nine girls from Merrie Monarch in this (dance) line. Most of these girls in 1996 only did kahiko, and now they got to do both (kahiko and auana). Very proud of them," said Ching, who maintains a torrid hula pace by judging a July 9 contest in Las Vegas, and fielding 21 children in the July 30 Queen Lili'uokalani Keiki Hula Competition.

By Cindy Ellen Russell, Star-Bulletin
Leilani Alama, above, is surrounded by 170 dancers
honoring her and her sister, Pualani.

Other highlights at the Kamehameha contest were standout performances by Japan halau and 170 dancing a tribute to Order of Distinction honorees Leilani and Puanani Alama.

The two participating Tokyo halau -- Halau Mehana O Ka La, under the direction of kumu hula Ku'uleinani Hashimoto, and Mele 'Ohana, under kumu hula Anthony Kahoku Tauvela -- tied for the 'Olelo Hawai'i award for auana (modern) performances, as judged by University of Hawaii-language instructor Puakea Nogelmeier.

By Cindy Ellen Russell, Star-Bulletin
Kumu hula Randol Ngum, left, sings for his dancers in the
combined kahiko competition.

First-time competitor Tauvela, 43, said he studies Hawaiian language on his own from books, and was mentored for the past three years by the late kumu hula Kaleo Beck of Hilo. A Japanese-Samoan-German musician, Tauvela has had his halau of 139 students for 81/2 years. He said he also teaches nine alaka'i (leaders), who in turn instruct 780 hula students in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe and Okinawa.

"I'm not a kumu. Actually I'm just sharing what I know with whoever wants to learn, to share, to have fun," said Tauvela, who attended Kaimuki High and graduated from Honolulu Community College. "I'm still a student of hula. Those people who come with me, they're my partners in study. I like to share that same dream with them.

By Cindy Ellen Russell, Star-Bulletin
Supporters from Japan cheer as Mele 'Ohana from Tokyo
takes third place in the combined auana.

"I look at hula or any other traditions around the world; all traditional things are very, very similar to one another -- Japanese as well as Samoan and Hawaiian," Tauvela added. "Hula gave me myself. I found myself through what I'm doing now."

The moving finale was a performance by scores of students of sisters Leilani and Puanani Alama, veteran kumu hula who served as auana judges at the competition. The dances reflected the tradition that hula sustains -- as demonstrated in award-winning performances by several other halau:

By Cindy Ellen Russell, Star-Bulletin
Backstage, dancers of Na Pualei O Likolehua pose for photographs.

Halau Hula O Mililani scored second in hula kahiko kane, under the direction of Makalapua Bernard, who took over for the late Mary Mililani Allen in March. And, Ka Pa Lehua placed fourth in hula kahiko wahine, under the direction of Lehua Hulihe'e and Doreen Doo. Their dancers mirrored the low-stanced, swaying style of their mentor John Kaha'i Topolinski, a frequent winner in past contests.

And of course, those prodigious numbers carry on the traditions of Ching's hula ancestors -- his late grandmother Lena Pua'ainahau Eleakala Nahulu Guerrero, and her grand-aunt Luika Pele Ka'io.

Hula honors

Winners in the 25th annual King Kamehameha Hula Competition:

KAHIKO (ANCIENT)

Wahine (women)

1. Hula Halau O Kamuela, kumu hula Paleka Leina'ala Mattos

2. Keolalaulani Halau 'Olapa O Laka, kumu hula Aloha Dalire (Kaneohe)

3. Halau Mehana O Ka La, kumu hula Ku'uleinani Hashimoto (Tokyo)

4. Ka Pa Lehua, na kumu hula Lehua Hulihe'e and Doreen Doo

5. Halau Na Mamo O Pu'uanahulu, kumu hula Sonny Ching

Kane (men)

1. Halau Na Mamo O Pu'uanahulu

2. Halau Hula O Mililani, kumu hula Makalapua Bernard (Waianae)

3. Keolalaulani Halau 'Olapa O Laka

Combined (coed)

1. Halau Na Mamo O Pu'uanahulu

2. Keolalaulani Halau 'Olapa O Laka

3. Hula Halau O Pi'ilani, na kumu hula Linda Danek and Toni Densing (Santa Clara, Calif.)

By Cindy Ellen Russell, Star-Bulletin
Members of Hula Halau 'O Pi'Ilani compete in the wahine Kahiko
division at the King Kamehameha Hula Competition.

'AUANA (MODERN)

Wahine

1. (tie) Keolalaulani Halau 'Olapa O Laka and Na Pualei O Likolehua, kumu hula Leina'ala Kalama Heine

2. Halau Na Mamo O Pu'uanahulu

3. Hula Halau O Kamuela

4. Halau Ke Kapa Maile, kumu hula Randol Ngum (Kailua, Oahu)

5. (tie) Halau Ho'ola A Me Ho'oulu Ka Mana'o Hawai'i, kumu hula Keli'i Chang (Dallas); and Na 'Opio O Ko'olau, na kumu hula James and Michael Dela Cruz.

Kane

1. Halau Na Mamo O Pu'uanahulu

2. Keolalaulani Halau 'Olapa O Laka

3. Halau Ka Waikahe Lani Malie/Halau Kahulaiwi, kumu hula Blaine Kia (Kailua, Oahu).

Combined

1. Halau Na Mamo O Pu'uanahulu

2. Keolalaulani Halau 'Olapa O Laka

3. Mele 'Ohana, kumu hula Anthony Tauvela (Tokyo).

Kupuna wahine

1. Hula Hui O Kamalei, kumu hula Kamalei Sataraka

2. Halau Na Mamo O Pu'uanahulu

3. Keolalaulani Halau 'Olapa O Laka

By Cindy Ellen Russell, Star-Bulletin
Honolulu's Kapomakolekapuakane takes the stage of
a darkened Blaisdell Center Arena.

CHANT

1. Leiola Waikiki, Halau Hula O Kamakani Wili Makaha O Kaua'ula, kumu hula Keali'i Reichel (Wailuku, Maui)

2. Alan Visitacion, Halau Hula O Kamakani Wili Makaha O Kaua'ula

3. John Wai'ale'ale 'Aiwohi, Ka Pa Ho'oheno Hawai'i, kumu hula Keith Kalani Akana

'OLELO HAWAI'I (Hawaiian language)

Kahiko

1. (tie) Halau Ka Waikahe Lani Malie/Halau Kahulaiwi and Halau Na Mamo O Pu'uanahulu

'Auana

1. (tie) Halau Mehana O Ka La and Mele 'Ohana

ORDER OF DISTINCTION

Na kumu hula Leilani Alama and Puanani Alama