KALENA

Kalena has choreographed original works and developed the dance company into an award-winning ensemble. Major appearances include the International Home Builders Show, Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, Sunday Ann Arbor Artisan's Market, Gilda's Club, Detroit Festival for the Arts, Detroit Princess Riverboat, Fountain Hills Arizona Thanksgiving Day Parade, and Arizona Exposition & State Fair. They frequently collaborate with their sister halau (Hula school) Napua O' Polynesia, in Providence, RI. Both dance companies are known for their energetic and upbeat dances.

Kalena teaches the following dances: Hawaiian (Ancient and Modern), Tahitian, Fijian, Tongan, Maori New Zealand, and Samoan. In addition to dance classes, she conducts Tahitian drumming and Samoan fire and knife dance seminars.  She designs some of the costumes, which you can purchase from this website.

Kalena has taught at Marygrove College-Institute of Music and Dance, City of Farmington Hills-Cultural Division, YMCA, East Detroit Adult Education and has been a guest instructor at Oakland University in Rochester Hills, MI. She is available to teach seminars and educational programs.

Kalena describes her family heritage as a melting pot, her grandparents are Blackfeet Indian, Asian, European, Pacific Islander, and African American.  She has always said that her family has every color in the rainbow.  She is single (divorced), color blind about people, never had any children (does love them), and does other activities outside of dance.  

Kalena is also a licensed Nail Tech.  She also designs knitwear, beaded embroidery accessories, and gourd art.  You can find out more on her other website: www.sugarkdesigns.com.

© 2010 Tropical Polynesian Productions