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Our Group
Our Dancers
Tiare
Being a part of Kaiholunie has been a great adventure for Tiare, In her words, "I have met and work with a wonderful group of people, and learning about hula has been a fantastic experience." Tiare has been a belly dancer for nine years, taking lessons from local and international dancers, and still dances professionally in hookah lounges and restaurants around the state. Belly dance introduced her to her love for dance and since then she has taken classes for enjoyment in multiple dance disciplines. Once she discovered Polynesian Dance forms, she was hooked. Her love of this art form began with Tahiti Ori (dance), mostly because of the physical challenge of it while making it look graceful. During the day Tiare works as a barista, but is still exploring options for a career in the arts. She currently holds a BFA in Illustration from the University of Hartford.
Ikaika
Ikaika began dancing with Kaiholunuie when he was a Keiki and has loved every moment of the experience. He first began dancing hip-hop when he was 6 years old, but his love for the Polynesian culture and dance led him to love the art of Hula, and other various Polynesian dance forms. He is currently a freshman in high school and takes part in a wide variety of extracurricular activities which include soccer, swimming, track & field, and he has recently achieved his Eagle Scout. He continues to do well in school and plans on pursuing engineering following high school. "Kaiholunuie is an amazing ohana filled with love and offers outstanding experiences”.
Pikake
Mahealani
Mahealani
Pikake is one of Kaiholunuie’s newest additions after just having joined the group a couple years ago – and loving every minute of it! Pikake has been the lead dancer and choreographer of the ALAY Philippine Cultural Group of Greater Danbury which specializes in traditional Filipino folk dance and Hula. She has been dancing since she was
Pikake is one of Kaiholunuie’s newest additions after just having joined the group a couple years ago – and loving every minute of it! Pikake has been the lead dancer and choreographer of the ALAY Philippine Cultural Group of Greater Danbury which specializes in traditional Filipino folk dance and Hula. She has been dancing since she was six years old under the training of instructors from the Philippines where Hawaiian/Polynesian influences are greatly prominent in the melting pot that is the Filipino culture. Pikake is also classically trained in ballet, pointe with the Brookfield School of Performing Arts and enjoys all types of dance! She is a proud graduate of the University of Connecticut with her bachelor’s degree in Allied Health and a minor in Psychology. She is currently working towards her Master’s degree in Gerontology as she is the Program Coordinator/Asst. Director of the New Milford Senior Center. It is Pikake’s joy to be able to share her love of dance and culture and spread the spirit of aloha to all! Pikake is also one of our event coordinators.
Mahealani
Mahealani
Mahealani
Mahealani has been dancing with Kaiholunuie since middle school when she joined after an inspiring visit to the Big Island. No stranger to Hawaii, her family lived on Oahu since before she was born, even though she grew up in New England. She loves hula because it is such a meaningful dance that comes from the beautiful culture of Aloha.
Mahealani has been dancing with Kaiholunuie since middle school when she joined after an inspiring visit to the Big Island. No stranger to Hawaii, her family lived on Oahu since before she was born, even though she grew up in New England. She loves hula because it is such a meaningful dance that comes from the beautiful culture of Aloha. Mahealani has been a competitive Ice skater and worked with the Hayden Figure Skating groups in synchronized skating for many years. Mahealani loves to dance hula and learn the many different styles from The different islands.
Leilani
Mahealani
Leilani
Leilani began dancing with the Kaiholunuie Dance Troupe two years ago and has loved it ever since. Since discovering she had both Asian and Polynesian heritage, Leilani sought out ways to connect with both her Chinese and Polynesian cultures. She found the Kaiholunuie dancing to be a beautiful and graceful art form that allowed her to no
Leilani began dancing with the Kaiholunuie Dance Troupe two years ago and has loved it ever since. Since discovering she had both Asian and Polynesian heritage, Leilani sought out ways to connect with both her Chinese and Polynesian cultures. She found the Kaiholunuie dancing to be a beautiful and graceful art form that allowed her to not only express her femininity but also her athleticism. She enjoys learning the poi balls and both the Hawaiian and Tahitian dancing. She is currently studying mechanical engineering in college, enjoys learning the guitar, ice skating, and recently earned her first-degree black belt in Tang Soo Do karate.
Our Musicians
Aaron
Having been born in Kahului, Maui, the heritage and rich cultural experiences Aaron had growing up in Hawaii have always remained in his heart. Even after relocating to the mainland as a young boy, Hawaii and it’s culture of food, music, dance, and aloha have remained a big part of his daily life by maintaining cultural values and norms. Today, Aaron plays several instruments including guitar, ukulele, and steel guitar. Aaron’s true musical loves are playing mele O Hawaii and contemporary arrangements as well. Aaron has enjoyed working with Kekai Colello and her Halau Kaiholunuie over the last few years, and is one of Kaiholunuie’s primary musicians and vocalists. Aaron currently lives in Killingly, CT with his wife Alison and son Ross.
Sa'u
Sa'u is a Polynesian dancer and drummer who has been performing with Kaiholunuie for several years. He has drummed for Kailulani, Ku'umomi and the ladies of Kaiholunuie at various shows throughout the Northeast. His twenty plus years of experience encompass numerous Tahitian competitions and performances in Tahiti, Hawaii and throughout the continental U.S. His training and performances have come under the direction of Hula Halau O' Makalapua Marama Te Mafatu Nui and Te Pura O Te Rahura'a in California. He continues his dedication to the Polynesian cultural arts with Kaiholunuie and is excited to be part of such an energetic, young and extremely talented group where the 'sky's the limit'! Sa'u double majored in Biology and Marine Science and holds a BS degree in both from the University of Miami. He is currently close to completing his MS in Quality Assurance at CSU Dominguez Hills.
Behind the Scenes
Kekai - Owner/Instructor
Kaiholunuie Polynesian Dance Company (KPDC), expresses the cultural vitality of Polynesia through many dance styles of the South Pacific. Our performance company consists of a thriving multicultural group of ladies, men, young people, and keiki (children), who come together as extended ohana (family). It is here they learn the art of, and deeper meanings of the hula, as well as other forms of Polynesian dance. Those dance forms consist of Tahiti Ori, Maori dance from New Zealand, and Samoan Siva. While KPDC maintains a commitment to authenticity, we strive to be inclusive to all those who seek deeper knowledge of Polynesian culture and share in aloha spirit. KPDC has performed across the state of Connecticut, into Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island. KPDC also performs at international fairs and schools in an effort to maintain our educational partnerships. It is our mission to educate and inform all youth through the arts, and workshops as a platform to instill a deeper understanding of Polynesian culture, artwork, regalia, and history. Many of KPDC’s artists are educators, parents and professionals who have a deep desire to preserve and perpetuate the cultural heritage and history of the people of the South Pacific. Kaholunuie Polynesian Dance Company is based out of Wallingford, Connecticut and was founded in 2004 by Kekai Colello, Artistic Director. She has over forty-five years of Polynesian dance experience, and over thirty years of experience in choreography and instruction. She holds a BA in English with an emphasis in multicultural literature, and a Masters Degree in Education. She is a graduate of Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT.
Keona - Accountant/Outreach Coordinator
Keona has been with KPDC for the last five years. Having tried numerous dance styles since childhood, she has finally found her preferred style. With a MA in archaeology and PhD in anthropology through Yale University, Keona works as an associate research scientist at Yale University on Near Eastern prehistory and cultures, as well as a researcher at SIAS Global, a technology-development and information-analysis company. Having fallen in love with Hawaii and its culture after a visit for an academic conference, KPDC allows her to pursue her passion in anything Polynesian. Through dancing and assisting in the administrative aspects of bookkeeping and outreach at KPDC, Keona is excited to be part of such an uplifting group and hopes to be able to share her love of the islands with many more people through various KPDC activities.
Hi'ilani - Webmaster
With over thirty years of experience in the IT industry, Hi'ilani's primary role with the ohana is webmaster for this site. She also serves as "roadie" for her husband Kawika, helping to transport, set up, and take down his sound system and numerous musical instruments. During one performance where Kekai was not able to attend, Hi'ilani was dubbed the "Minister of Music (MoM)" when she was left in charge of making sure all musical needs were met for the show. That title has stuck with her ever since. In addition, Hi'lani's crafting skills has led her to help make many of the costumes for the drummers and dancers. Hi'ilani currently holds a Bachelors in Information Systems from New York University and a Masters in Computer Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.