SAMANTHA BRISENO

Aloha, hola, hello!

I’m Sammie (: I hope y’all have enjoyed reading these blogs as much as I have. I’m here to share my story a little but I mainly want to talk about the journey many of these dancers are on. So let’s paint a picture for y’all real quick, just imagine hearing...

“FROM OAKLAND CALIFORNIA under the direction of Kumu Hula Mark Keali’i Ho’Omalu and the Academy of Hawaiian Arts!!!”

The crowd roars with excitement and fills the air yet all you can hear is your heart beat faster and faster. You listen closely to find Kumu’s voice and hope your chanting starts in the right tune. As you take a deep breath in, your body fills with adrenaline and the rest becomes a blur. In those moments on stage you become one with your hula brothers/sisters as everything is taken over by muscle memory.

There is a brief moment you look out into the crowd and realize it’s happening. But before you know it, you’re walking off the stage trying to catch your breath. It’s was every moment on this journey that you took with you. All of the hard work, time, sweat and tears was worth it. You left everything you had on the floor. As you walk off a wave of relief and accomplishment washes over you.

Then you realize you want to do it all over again!

But it’s not just the energy on that stage which keeps us wanting more, it’s all of hula. It’s the connection of mana we feel so strongly both on and off the dance floor. For me, hula is a pillar of strength that I can tap into and recharge. It makes me feel connected to something bigger than myself. It also has given me my extended family and shown me how to live with aloha.

As a little Mexican girl who lived in LA and didn’t know what hula is - I somehow always felt I was in search of it. I would tell my parents I wanted to dance but nothing clicked for me. One day I saw hula on TV and was so excited to tell my mom. This was it!

This is what I wanted to do. My mom searched for hula schools nearby but the universe already knew which one was meant for me. We happened to meet Kumu while eating at a local sushi spot. He told us AHA just opened their doors in Oakland and invited me to come by. After my first day I told my parents this was where I wanted to dance - I didn’t need to look anywhere else. From that point on, it became my home away from home. I spent my childhood and teenage years running around barefoot there with my hula brothers & sisters.

I quickly learned it was eat, breathe, sleep, hula -

especially when it came to competition time.

As the journey to Merrie Monarch is in full swing, I am reminded of this. It’s the determination to show up “full guns”, not only for yourself, but for those you’re dancing alongside with. It’s about your commitment to push past the barrier of being sore, tired, and frustrated. I see my hula brothers & sisters pushing themselves this year and I’m excited for them. They are gearing up to hit the stage with everything they’ve got! I look forward to seeing them proudly represent AHA in Hilo at the 61st Merrie Monarch.

SAMANTHA BRISENO

Aloha, hola, hello!

“FROM OAKLAND CALIFORNIA under the direction of Kumu Hula Mark Keali’i Ho’Omalu and the Academy of Hawaiian Arts!!!”

Then you realize you want to do it all over again!

As a little Mexican girl who lived in LA and didn’t know what hula is - I somehow always felt I was in search of it. I would tell my parents I wanted to dance but nothing clicked for me. One day I saw hula on TV and was so excited to tell my mom. This was it!

I quickly learned it was eat, breathe, sleep, hula -

especially when it came to competition time.

My ohana and I will be cheering them on from home -

as I’m sure many of you will be too.

Mahalo for your time & support! And to my hula brothers & sisters, BREAK DA FLOOR!!!

All the aloha, Samshine

Register For The Webinar