A Beautiful Dance Performance by Kumu Patrick's Men Dancers
Clip: 9/3/2026 | 2mVideo has Closed Captions
Kumu Patrick Makuakāne designed his show to be inclusive in dance, song, and costume.
Kumu Patrick Makuakāne highlights the stark differences between the men and women ʻauana, the modern style of hula. In his show, he made an effort to give male dancers the opportunity to perform to beuatiful and lyrically moving songs.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the National Endowment for the Arts.
A Beautiful Dance Performance by Kumu Patrick's Men Dancers
Clip: 9/3/2026 | 2mVideo has Closed Captions
Kumu Patrick Makuakāne highlights the stark differences between the men and women ʻauana, the modern style of hula. In his show, he made an effort to give male dancers the opportunity to perform to beuatiful and lyrically moving songs.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Where to Watch Pacific Heartbeat
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Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipPATRICK: How come in hula kahiko, men and women can pretty much dance the same dances, right?
With a few exceptions.
But the dances are non-binary.
(chuckles).
Anybody can dance.
But in auana, there is a huge chasm... a rift.
The guys get the cowboy songs, Mele Aloha Aina, boats, and whatnot, and then the women get all these gorgeous, luscious, lyrical, beautiful songs like, "Pua Ahihi," "Nani Venuse," "Pua Malihini."
And I'm here to tell you, that ends tonight... (audience applause) (Kuini sings in Olelo Hawaii) (singing continues).
(singing continues).
(singing continues).
PATRICK: It is not easy being mahu no matter where you are.
I mean, as a, you talk about bullies now, I mean these were, they were mercilessly bullied as children or even teens, all of them.
But yet they turned out to be such beautiful, loving, kind people.
How did that happen?
And how much of that plays into their artistry?
How much of that hurt was channeled into making the beautiful work?
Māhū: A Trans-Pacific Love Letter Preview
Video has Closed Captions
New theater production by Kumu Hula Patrick Makuakāne reclaims and celebrates māhū people. (30s)
NewMāhū, The Most Controversial Word In Hawaiian
Video has Closed Captions
What does it mean to be māhū? Kumu Patrick Makuakāne shares why it's the name of his show. (2m 10s)
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Funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the National Endowment for the Arts.