About Kumu Kamalei Sataraka
From left to right: Blair (Kamalei and Peter's son), Kamalei, Gloria Snyder, and Peter (Kamalei's husband)
From left to right: Blair (Kamalei and Peter's son), Kamalei, Gloria Snyder, and Peter (Kamalei's husband)
Kamalei Sataraka started taking hula lessons at age 3. After going to three kumu hula, she finally found her style with John Pi’ilani Watkins. She loved his style of dancing, his talent, his glitter and glamour of costumes and shows.
Soon after Kamalei started taking hula lessons, she would gather all her friends and neighbor’s children to teach them in her back yard in Kaimuki. Then moving to Pacific Palisades, she started a group in her mom’s lanai. “I was born to dance and teach. I love Hula!” she said.
Peter (Kamalei’s husband) was the Halau Samoan fire knife teacher, as well as the musician.
Though both Kamalei and Peter are now with the Good Lord, we are trying our best to keep up their tradition.
Blair and Kamalei
Blair (Kamalei and Peter’s son) is now the fire knife teacher, as well as musician. His son is a student of
Siva Afi.
Malani, who has been with Halau for 30 plus years, is now Kumu.
Kamalei and Peter have traveled and entertained in New York with the June Taylor Dancers. They have been abroad to Japan many times to teach, and have entertained at the Copa Cabana in Japan, in Korea, Canada’s Caravan, as well as other venues in the US. Kamalei had danced with Hilo Hattie and danced at Tavana’s show.
Kamalei’s motto was, be yourself and have fun in hula. She always liked to laugh, have fun and be different. Specializing in the comic hula, Kamalei has won many first place awards at the King Kamehameha Hula Competition. She has also entered Queen Lili’uokalani Keiki Hula Competition, Hula Oni E, Merrie Monarch Hula Festival and Queen Ka’ahumanu Hula Competition in Maui.
She also states: If you have the desire to learn hula, I will teach you.
Kamalei Sataraka and Gloria Snyder co-founders of Hui ‘0 Kamalei have kept the Halau active doing shows and competitions. Snyder, now manager of Halau says, “We are now teaching the second and third generations here at Hui ‘0 Kamalei, Kupuna, mo’opuna, makua, keiki – mom and son, dad and son and daughter, etc.
We are so blessed to have the grandparents and parents bring their children back to the Halau to learn!