Ryan Fuimaono

My dance story starts at home as a little kid dancing to hand patted drum beats played by my dad who would make me and my sister siva (Samoan for dance) for him like he danced for his elders back in Samoa. Me, my sisters and cousins all danced for San Diego based Polynesian group Heali'i's Polynesian Review under the direction of Kathy Heali'i Gore Stanley. When I moved to the Bay Area I joined a group called United Territories of Polynesian Islanders Alliance (UTOPIA) and started dancing with them at the annual Pride parade. There I met Tatiana Kaneholani who became my hanai mother and kumu hula. I danced with Tati for a few years and then (with her permission) joined Na Lei Hulu I Ka Wekiu under kumu Patrick Makuakane. Outside of Polynesian dance I have always loved hip hop and grew up dancing it at backyard parties with my family, school talent shows. As an adult I have been drawn to hip hop classes (shout out to Allan Frias!) and other dance forms from the African diaspora.