- Hula is the language of the heart
and therefore the heartbeat of the Hawaiian people.
(drum beating)
And we tell our dancers, everything needs to dance.
Your hair, your toenail, your eyelashes,
it needs to dance.
(speaking in a foreign language)
(upbeat drum music)
Within three days the competition tickets are sold out.
Those tickets are like gold.
They only bring the best of the best
and so we're very honored to be able to participate.
(speaking in a foreign language)
The most prestigious part of Merrie Monarch
is the Miss Aloha Hula competition,
which is the women's solo competition.
Twelve halaus are allowed to choose their very best dancer.
Our contestant this year is Kayli Ka'iulani Carr.
Kayli is a professional hula dancer
and we chose her for many different reasons.
We wanted her to go, not just a dancer, but as a person.
(speaking in foreign language)
- One of my favorite parts
about Merrie Monarch week is that
we go to Kilauea to pay respects to Pele,
who is the fire goddess, the goddess of creation.
And it really puts into perspective
where you are in this world and in this hula journey.
I've wanted to be in Merrie Monarch
since I was a little kid.
There was a lot of times when I thought I would never,
it would never happen for me
but pretty much most of my hula journey
has been working towards this moment, which is tomorrow.
Professionally, I've been doing it since 2009.
There is a difference between dancing hula in a halau
and dancing hula professionally.
Dancing for the tourists is like American Chinese
and not the authentic Chinese food.
- At hotels, here is what you'll see.
Beautiful men and women, brightly colored hair pieces
and leis which are all plastic.
But you won't see the skill, you won't see the love
that you would at the Merrie Monarch Festival.
- [Kayli] For Merrie Monarch we practice every day for,
I would say, three to four months.
They're intense.
- Can we try the end one more time.
Why are you guys waiting?
Invitation, you need one invitation?
Come on you guys, get your head game on.
- The biggest misconception about hula is that it's easy.
All hula dancers, and you quote me on this,
have bad knees, all of them.
- [Ke'ano] So when you see a beautiful hula dancer,
that’s gliding across the stage, she's hurting.
She's hurting really bad
because nobody walks around with bent knees.
You know, six inches off the ground.
- [Kayli] Blisters, you get blisters on your feet.
- [Ke'ano] Every single part of your body needs to work.
You should be gasping for air.
But you can't.
You need to look exactly the same as when you first started.
- If you can bend your knees and swirl your hips
and have this upper body carriage that's really upright
but make it look effortless,
that's a true hula dancer.
- [Voiceover] Ladies and gentlemen,
welcome to Miss Aloha Hula Competition.
Kayli Ka'iulani Carr.
- [Kayli] If I gave the performance of a lifetime,
if I gave everything I had to that one performance,
those 14 minutes up there, just me,
I've already won.
(audience cheering)
You're just the vessel for all of these people
that came before you.
For all of the knowledge that you have
and it's your responsibility to share that,
it's your responsibility to perpetuate.
But, it would be so nice to hear my name
being called.
- And now ladies and gentlemen,
Miss Aloha Hula for 2016
Kayli Ka'iulani Carr.
(audience cheering)
- [Kayli] You know, I don't dance hula
just to be a Miss Aloha Hula.
I do it because,
just because I love it.
And I can't explain to you why I do.
I think it's something you're just born with.