Arts for Social Change
Register for the EchoEight Workshops and Performances at Intercultural Roots':
Facilitated by: Intercultural Roots (IR) and The University of Hawai'i at Mānoa (UHM)
Join UHM and IR for a performance of EchoEight, Intercultural Movement Workshops, and a peer-to-peer discussion related to Eco-Embodied Research between the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa (UHM) Dance program instructors and graduate students with Intercultural Roots, taking place at The Place in London 6-7 April 2025. This programme is a continuation of the collaboration between the Department of Theatre and Dance - Dance Program, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, and Intercultural Roots which began in Honolulu, Hawaii at UHM in 2015. Through this partnership, we have embraced new methods that provide students and our dance communities with invaluable opportunities to experience diverse choreographies, performances, modalities, and workshops.
Sunday 6th April 2025, 4pm – 6pm, Studio 8, The Place, London
“EchoEight” Workshop (45 minutes)
Facilitators: Sami L.A. Akuna and Kara Jhalak Miller
EchoEight is a vibrational sensory movement workshop moving through energetic and creative realms. Devised improvisational dance explorations focus on energy centers of the body through movement, color, performance techniques, and the body in motion. The course explores rings of reverberation in time and place, symbolizing a sense of vast interconnected systems between people and the planet.
“Taoist Ecological Breathing” Workshop (30 minutes)
Facilitator: Alex Boyd
Dàojiào Dǎo Yǐn Shù (道教導引術) responding to EchoEight from a Chinese Taoist eco-embodied culture perspective.
Intercultural Movement Research Exchange (45 minutes)
A peer-to-peer eco-embodied / eco-somatic research exchange facilitated by: Alex Boyd, Kara Jhalak Miller and Sami L.A. Akuna.
Monday 7th April 2025, 4pm – 6pm, Studio 8, The Place, London
Faculty-Led Workshops – (20-minutes)
“Queer Dance” with Sami L.A. Akuna
“Flow, Feel, Express - Yoga in Dance” with Kara Jhalak Miller
“Yì Jīn Jīng” (易筋經 Taoist Muscle-Tendon-Ligament Qigong) with Alex Boyd
You are invited to participate in three unique movement journeys: Sami’s “Queer Dance” offers an expansive exploration of Ballroom, House Dance, and Street performance rooted in Trans, Lesbian, Gay, and Queer communities; Kara’s “Flow, Feel, Express” fuses contemporary dance with grounding yoga to deepen body-breath awareness and unleash creativity; and Alex’s “Yì Jīn Jīng” introduces a Taoist muscle-tendon-ligament qigong practice for releasing tension and boosting the flow of chi.
Dance Classes (10-minutes)
Reflecting the current individual movement research projects from 5 post-grad UHM students:
"Painted People" / "Mix & Match" with Hannah Archer
"Koloa" / "Rooted" by Stephen Isileli Kolokihakaufisi
"-apo" / "Kinesthetic Awakening" with Nani Marcos
"Act and React" / "Mixing Movement Backgrounds" with Anna Quijano
"Beige: Mixing and Remixing Story Dance in Concept and Execution" / "My Body, Got Some Stories" with Jonathan Clarke Sypert
Next immerse yourself for an hour in a vibrant tapestry of dance experiences led by five passionate teaching artists from Hawai'i, each bringing distinct cultural and creative perspectives to the floor. Hannah’s “Painted People” and “Mix & Match” weave Black artistry and multiple genres—from tap and jazz to hip hop and ballet—into fresh and dynamic ways of moving. Stephen’s “Koloa” and “Rooted” invite you to explore his Tongan heritage through a blend of traditional Pasifika dance and contemporary hip hop, grounding movements in ancestral legacy and the power of communal expression. Nani’s “-apo” and “Kinesthetic Awakening” harness Performance as Research to reimagine Filipino American culture through live performance and vulnerable, somatic contemporary choreography. Meanwhile, Anna’s “Act and React” and “Mixing Movement Backgrounds” fuse judo martial arts with modern and contemporary forms, encouraging dancers to draw on every facet of their movement histories. Finally, Jonathan’s “Beige: Mixing and Remixing Story Dance in Concept and Execution” and “My Body, Got Some Stories” infuse a Hawaiʻi-based Black diasporic lens into ballet’s storytelling tradition, sparking new expressions of community, artistry, and shared narratives. Join these classes to discover deeper connections, challenge your physical boundaries, and expand your creative voice.
Monday 7th April 2025, 6pm – 7pm, Studio 8, The Place, London
Networking Opportunity (10 minutes)
A chance to learn about Intercultural Roots’ international embodied research and meet faculty and students from UHM.
“EchoEight” Performance
University of Hawai'i at Mānoa (UHM) | choreography Kara Jhalak Miller, Sami L.A. Akuna
20 minute dance performance created for the a Corps Festival. EchoEight is a vibrational sensory live performance moving through energetic and creative realms. The performance dances through eight rings of reverberation, symbolizing a sense of vast interconnected systems between people and the planet. EchoEight reminds us to be mindful creators, resonating with intention and compassion.
The performance is created by the artists Sami L.A. Akuna and Kara Jhalak Miller with contributions from students from the Theatre and Dance Department at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Department of Theatre and Dance including Hannah Archer, Stephen Isileli Kolokihakaufisi, Nani Marcos, Anna Quijano, and Jonathan Sypert.
Intercultural Performance as Research Exchange (20 minutes)
A peer-to-peer eco-embodied / eco-somatic research exchange facilitated by: Alex Boyd, Kara Jhalak Miller and Sami L.A. Akuna.
Dance Lecturer
University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Department of Theatre and Dance
Sami L.A. Akuna, is in their third year as one of the directors at the Hawaii LGBTQ+ Legacy Foundation. Sami serves direct populations of kupuna, rainbow youth, and the MVPFAFF+ community. Kapaemahu, Nā Pohaku Ola is just one specific type of programming Sami directs, which helps to inform and educate both locals and visitors in the perpetuation of cultural practice and protocols surrounding this sacred and almost forgotten site. Sami is also a dance lecturer at The University of Hawai'i at Mānoa where Sami curated and teaches the very first movement based Queer Exploratory Dance university course in the nation, since 2021. Introducing the students to genealogical movements, embodiment, and choreography from former drags shows that are based in Hawai'i. The class also engages with the rainbow community through outreach, support, and attending and performing in queer spaces or events. Including the Pride Paina La Ohana, Universal Showqueen Pageant, and the Honolulu Pride Festival just to mention a few. The course is now in its third year and has continually advanced more community engagement for the students with a focus on serving the MVPFAFF+ populations. Sami still performs and continues to create work through movement, identity, and sense of place through the lens of being a kānaka artist and māhū. Sami began a formal dance training in Hilo, Hawaii in both Modern and Jazz, and contemporary Modern Dance Hula. From there Sami became a choreographer and drag performer and later invited to join Iona Contemporary Dance Theatre. Sami trained in Butoh, Modern and Aerial Arts with the company for over 25 years. Today Sami continues to explore movement and arts with various dance collectives around the world and here in Hawaii with the dance community.
Movement Research Keywords: Butoh, Drag, Queer Performance, Choreography, Improvisation, Installation and Screendance
Workshop Concepts
Workshop - Queer Dance
The Queer Dance Workshop has been developed by Sami L.A. Akuna through lived experiences of the body in motion. The workshop is an exploration of queer movement practices which are still prevalent in urban settings and communities of mostly marginalized populations. Foundational and embodied practices are rooted in Ballroom culture, House Dance, and Street performance that are situated in club scenes, community centers, warehouses, and even in rice fields and more recently globally through television and film. Queer Dance and Performance in particular thrives in Trans, Lesbian, Gay, and Queer dance spaces. The technique involved in the workshop includes a focus on a range of embodied movement practices, communal interactions and engagement, and specific choreography and performances that were imagined and realized by MVPFAFF - Mahu, Vakasalewalewa, Palopa, Fa’afafine, Akava’ine, Fakafifine and Fakaleiti/leiti, as well as Asian Pacific Islanders of mixed ancestry in Hawai'i from the 1960s to the Present.
Dance Faculty
University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Department of Theatre and Dance
Dr. Kara Jhalak Miller is a Professor of Dance at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa. For over 30 years, she has performed and collaborated with dancers, choreographing live performances, dance installations, and films internationally. Her primary area of specialization is dance performance, choreography, and embodied media arts. Her dances and theatrical works have been commissioned and presented in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and the Pacific. She is the Artistic Director and choreographer for Jhalak Dance Company, collaborator with Piko Dance Arts, and board member of the international SIDFIT festival in Seoul. Kara is the recipient of the Jacob K. Javits Arts Fellowship, National Endowment for the Arts Award, MAP Fund Award, CALIT2 Dance New Media Performance Residency, and the Hawai‘i Po‘okela Award for Choreography.
Full Bio: https://manoa.hawaii.edu/liveonstage/staff-member/miller/
Website: https://www.jhalakdance.org
Instagram: @jhalakdance
Movement Research Keywords: Yoga-in-Dance, Contemporary Dance, Screendance, Choreography, Improvisation, Performance Art Installation, Somatic Practice, Enviromentalism
Workshop Concepts
Workshop - Flow, Feel, Express - Yoga in Dance
Flow, Feel, and Express is a hybrid Yoga-in-Dance workshop that weaves together the expressive freedom of contemporary dance with the grounding practices of yoga. Through fluid movement, dynamic asana, mindful pranayama, and guided somatic exploration, participants will deepen their connection to the body and breath. Creative improvisation invites a sense of presence and self-expression, cultivating awareness and unlocking the creative impulse. Designed to nourish both body and spirit, this dance workshop offers a transformative space for mindful movement and fertile artistic exploration.
MFA Dance Candidate
University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Department of Theatre and Dance
Originally from Southern California, Hannah has been dancing for the last 20 years. She has trained primarily in Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop and Ballet for most of her dancing career. However, during her time at UHM, Hannah has continued to broaden her dance vocabulary through various Asian/Pacific genres and Modern Contemporary. Hannah is a Graduate Assistant at UHM in the Scene Shop and a teacher. As an Academic Artist who is still growing into her own choreography aesthetic, she has been recognized throughout her dance career for her performance and academic efforts. Most recently, she has received the Halla Huhm Memorial Award for Excellence in Asian-Pacific Dance Research. Hannah has danced in various National and International festivals over the years, however she is excited to make her European debut this April! She is thrilled to learn and dance alongside new people while sharing a bit of herself at the same time.
Movement Research Keywords: Dance-Theatre, Black Art, Black Music, Tap, Jazz, Poetry
Workshop Concepts
Paper - "Painted People": Based in a PaR approach, this is a Dance-Theatre performance project inspired by Black Artistry.
Dance Class - "Mix & Match":
Exploring the ways multiple genres can interact and create space for new ways to move.
MFA Dance Candidate
University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Department of Theatre and Dance
Stephen Isileli Kolokihakaufisi blends a contemporary hip-hop sensibility with his upbringing in traditional Pasifika dance. Isi received his BFA in Dance from UCLA, is currently pursuing an MFA from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and has been featured in numerous films, television shows, and stage productions. Isi’s work focuses on the tenuous relationship between western individualist expression and communal iterations of Pasifika performance.
https://www.youtube.com/@IsiTuifua
Movement Research Keywords: Pasfika dance, Polynesian Art, Contemporary arts of the South Pacific, Hip Hop History, Hip Hop culture in Pasifika
Workshop Concepts
Paper - “Koloa”: A live performance work that draws on the imagery of the traditional Tongan presentation of fala and ngatu as symbols of familial obligations. These treasured items, passed through many hands, are imbued with mana by each contributor. In the same way, Koloa has been cultivated by a vibrant community of creatives—poets, dancers, and artisans—to capture, through dance, the liminal spaces of Pasifika identity. This work and PaR presentation explores the journey of accepting and honoring the generational wealth of our ancestral legacy, which, while a burden, remains a profound source of connection and empowerment.
Dance Class - "Rooted":
Using learned and embodied knowledge to create movement that connects us to our past.
MFA Dance Candidate
University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Department of Theatre and Dance
Nani Marcos is a professional dance performer, educator, and choreographer local to Hawaiʻi. She is trained in Contemporary, Jazz, Ballet, Modern, Lyrical, Street/Hip Hop, Dance Hall, Hula, and Tahitian. Her love of dance exudes into her work as she strives to share her passion through expressive performance, meaningful choreography, and thoughtful teachings. Currently at UHM, she is a Graduate Assistant, and Lecturer of Beginning Ballet and Contemporary Dance. Nani is also an active member of her dance community as a teacher at various dance programs and a performer at the Rock-A-Hula show in Waikiki. Of her accolades, Nani has received the Gregg Lizenberry Award for Excellence in Dance and the Sandra Finney Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Department. She has also won the Spotlight Dance Competition’s Spotlight 2022 Outstanding Choreography Winner and the Hawaiʻi State Theatre Council Poʻokela Awards Dance/Movement/Combat Choreography Winner. Her most recent projects have been attending the American Dance Festival at Duke University and performing at the Seoul International Dance Festival in Tank in Seoul, South Korea. As a teacher, creating a safe space for artistic expression, exploration, and growth is at the forefront of her mission to assist the next generation of dancers to flourish. Nani is excited to further her journey in dance and continuously put love into her art and growing community.
Movement Research Keywords: Performance as Research, Batok, Filipiniana, Somatic Dance, Contemporary
Workshop Concepts
Paper - "-apo": Utilizing Performance as Research, -apo is a live performance that explores the different ways that Filipino Americans attempt to connect and redefine culture.
Dance Class - “Kinesthetic Awakening”:
A contemporary dance workshop that will engage dancers to move through choreography with vulnerability.
MFA Dance Candidate
University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Department of Theatre and Dance
Anna Quijano is a professional performer, choreographer, and teacher who has received over 15 years of training in classical ballet, modern, contemporary, tap, jazz, hip-hop, and acro-gymnastics in Hawaii. She dedicates much of her time to coaching young dancers and creating new and exciting dance pieces in various genres for her students. Within her studies, Quijano is interested in creating hybrid forms of movement and choreography that combine the Asian martial art of judo and contemporary dance.
Presently, Quijano has performed with the UHM college community, Monkey Waterfall, Kailua Dance Theatre, and has worked with both international and local dance choreographers. Whilst furthering her education, choreography, and performance repertoire, Quijano is working at the university as a graduate assistant/lecturer and teaches ballet and contemporary. She is also an instructor and choreographer at Rosalie Woodson Dance Academy, Ballet Hawaii, and teaches after school dance classes at various elementary schools on the island.
Movement Research Keywords: Dance, Contemporary dance, judo, martial arts, intersectionality
Workshop Concepts
Paper - "Act and React": A presentation about a live dance performance presented at the Honolulu Judo Club utilizing the Japanese martial art of judo, with focus on aspects of kata and randori/competition judo, to inspire contemporary dance choreography and movement.
Dance Class - "Mixing Movement Backgrounds":
Exploring how to utilize your previous movement backgrounds and incorporating them into contemporary dance training and choreography creation.
MFA Dance Candidate
University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Department of Theatre and Dance
Jonathan is an accomplished actor, dancer, singer, spoken word poet, teacher, choreographer, and hip-hop artist (aka iNTREPiD). Jonathan is a lecturer at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa, where he teaches Intermediate and Advanced Hip Hop for the Dance Department and Drama Education for the Theatre Department. Being raised in a performing arts household gave him an early education in musical theatre, jazz, contemporary, and modern dance forms, while also gaining skills in public speaking and music. Jonathan received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre with a concentration in Theatre for Young Audiences, and served as an educator in public and private schools for nearly 20 years while also accumulating diverse credits in the Honolulu performing arts communities.
Jonathan Clarke Sypert, “a smiling, encouraging dance teacher who makes even the most reticent students feel like they can fly” (Lee Cataluna, Star-Advertiser), has served as choreographer for and has been in productions with the Hawaii Shakespeare Festival, Kumu Kahua Theatre, Chaminade Theater, HI Frequency Dance Squad, Vocal and Dance Expressions, and tours of Why?, and for legendary Hawaiian artist Henry Kapono. He has danced for Iona Dance Company, Tau Dance Theater, and Waikiki Neī; and has appeared with Manoa Valley Theatre, Diamond Head Theatre, Army Community Theatre, and Hawaii Opera Theatre. Highlights of his stage productions include Paul in Six Degrees of Separation, the title character in MacBeth, Hector in Troilus and Cressida, and Cole in The Underneath. His on-screen credits include appearances in Hawaii Five-O, Street Wars, and Lost. Jonathan is a member of Honolulu poetry collective the HI Poets Society, and once spent a delightful year as a puppeteer for Disney World.
Jonathan proudly spent several years working for Honolulu Theatre for Youth as a company actor and teaching artist, helping to usher the next generation into a world of creativity and artistic exploration. Above all else, Jonathan enjoys passing along the joys of being a lifelong learner.
https://www.jonathanclarkesypert.com/
Movement Research Keywords: Hip-Hop, Ancestry, Black Folktales, Education, Ancestry
Workshop Concepts
Paper - “Beige: Mixing and Remixing Story Dance in Concept and Execution”: A Performance as Research presentation examining the creation of a world premiere piece of choreography that embodies the intersections of Ballet’s storytelling elements, multidisciplinary collaborations, community building, and artistic growth through a Hawaiʻi-based Black Diasporic lens.
Dance Class - “My Body, Got Some Stories”:
A workshop that invites participants to engage with their past, present, and future through movement and emotions. Let’s share and receive some stories y’all! No formal dance experience is necessary.