Who We Are
Te Mana Ora is Chicago's ONLY Polynesian dance seminar, bringing in teachers from all across the south pacific. After 10 years of seminars, TMO continues to grow their programs and continue to build greater accessibility to Polynesian dance in the United States.
3
Days
7
Teachers
10
Years
500+
Participants
Behind The Scenes
Bringing The Polynesian Arts To Chicago
Te Mana Ora began from humble beginnings with the sole purpose of teaching and sharing authentic instruction in ʻOri Tahiti (Tahitian Dance). Hosted by Hōkūle'a Academy of Polynesian arts since 2014, Te Mana Ora brings the authentic artistry of Polynesian dance to the center of the United States, creating new connections from coast to coast.
In 2017, Te Mana Ora hosted its first Hawaiian Arts seminar with Kumu Hula Kealiʻi Reichel as our first Guest Artist from Hawai'i. With the focus now on all Polynesian arts we are proud to be able to offer our participants access to a wide variety workshops taught by extremely talented artists, teachers and musicians.
Meet the team behind it all
Behind every great event is a great team. See the group that brings Te Mana Ora to life year-by-year.
David Acevedo
Program Director
Ale Gabino-Acevedo
Program Director
Luke Emano
IT Coordinator
unsure about something?
Frequently Asked Questions
What dance styles are offered at Te Mana Ora?
The style of Polynesian dance varies across each seminar each year. Te Mana Ora first started exclusively with 'Ori Tahiti, then opened up to Hawaiian Hula and Māori Kapa Haka. In future seminars we hope to continue expanding our guest artist roster and offer other Polynesian dance styles such as Siva Samoa, 'Ori Rapanui, and more.
I'm not from Chicago. Can I participate?
Of course! Our attendees come froth both in-state and out-of-state locations. We invite students and teachers from other Polynesian Halaus and academies alike to learn from our guest artists.
Do you offer discounts?
Attendees have the option of registering for the entire seminar for a lower rate rather than purchasing each workshop individually. Unfortunately, we do not offer an sort of promo/discount codes.
Get In Touch
Address:
Hōkūle'a Academy of Polynesian Arts
5180 N Elston Ave. Chicago, IL 60630.
Email:
Phone:
(847) 722-8098
