About Us

Hui Ho’omaka Hou

To Begin Anew

Our hui was originally made up of just 3 hula halau dancers, Wendy Zapata-Lento, Juliet Underill, and Paula DeForest, and began in 2021, when our Kumu Hula retired and relocated. Not dancing hula as part of a group, for the first time in many years, was weighing on us heavily. In January of 2022, our little hui decided to take a chance. We rented a dance studio and sent out an open invitation to other local dancers who might be feeling the same. At that time, we had just gone through COVID, and the only 3 Kumu Hula/Hula Instructors in our area had retired. The first day, a handful of ladies showed up to class, and with each coming week, our little hui began to grow.

We were a familiar group of dancers, as quite a few of us knew each other from our many years of attending Hoike Hawaii Orlando workshops, events, and Hula competitions. Most of the hui dancers were hula dancers who came from a traditional Hula Halau (school) background or had already been dancing for many years. It seemed to come together for all of us, and we were soon able to feel at home in our growing Hui.

Aloha Hula of Brevard Inc., Founded in 2023

In 2023, we had the pleasure of having Lehua Ahnee join our group. We had met Lehua at a Hula workshop in Chicago many years prior. Her skill and talent were undeniable. It was Lehua who had the vision and encouraged us to become more organized. We officially opened our doors as a 503c non-profit corporation on April 4, 2023. Under Lehua’s direction, we opened up our studio to include teaching beginners hula. As we continued growing, life happens, and Lehua stepped down to join her ohana/family in their venture. Although that was a great loss for us, we continued. Juliet K Underill took the role as our instructor and has continued to be an exemplary lead over the last few years. She continually provides challenging choreography and well-rounded cultural lessons. As I said earlier, life happens, and Juliet will be leaving us soon for her next venture on the Big Island of HI. Our hui stands strong and will continue, under Juliet's direction, along with our founding members.

We would like to acknowledge that our Hui founders and instructors are not recognized Kumu Hula; they are former ala’ka’i (leaders) and Kokua(Assistants), some of whom have gone through Uniki, and were permitted to teach classes by their Kumu’s of previous halau.

We hope that we continue to keep hula alive on the Space Coast through our kuleana.

-Wendy Kapiolani Lento-Zapata

Wendy Keōpūolani Zapata-Lento

Founder & Lead Instructor

Halau Affiliations:

Halau Ilima o Pololika, Kumu Hula Chrissy Sulfridge

Ilima Hula Studio, Kumu Hula Lanigirl Kaleiki

Loren 'Iolani Rutulante

Founding member & Lead Instructor

Halau affiliations:

Halau Hula ‘O Kilakilapilialohaikapu’uwai, Kumu Hula Hilary Silva

Juliet Kalae'ulanani Underill

Founder, Director & Lead Instructor

"When you learn Hula, you learn to embody the spirit of Hawaii."

Halau Affiliations:

Halau Ilima o Pololika, Kumu Hula Chrissy Sulfridge

Ilima Hula Studio, Kumu Hula Lanigirl Kaleiki

Juliet has competed at Hoike Hawaii Orlando, taking first place group and 2nd place solo. In 2014 she had the rare honor of performing at Merrie Monarch, under the direction of Kumu Hula Lanigirl Kaleiki and Kumu Hula Chrissy Sulfridge. Juliet's talent, insight, experience, skill and especially love of hula make her an outstanding lead instructor.