Keiki Hula Competition crowns Miss, Master Keiki Hula 2026

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Two young hula dancers took home top honors at the 51st Annual Queen Liliuokalani Keiki Hula Competition and Festival.

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The competition began Thursday, showcasing young dancers ages 6 to 12 throughout the three-day event. Group competition begins Friday.

These young but dedicated dancers took the stage for the title of Master and Miss Keiki Hula.

In the end, two winners came out on top:

Miss Keiki Hula 2026 is Kiliohu Kahualaulea Celebrado, 9, of Maui’s Hālau Kekuaokalāʻauʻalaʻiliahi.

Master Keiki Hula hails from Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua, Lahiki Bareng, 8.

Hawaii News Now spoke with the winners as they shared their love for hula and for the mele they danced.

Bareng said what he loves about hula is being able to “dance with our hearts out.”

He added that hula is “a hard sport, so if you wanna do it, make sure you commit to the work.”

He’s been dancing for his halau for two years.

Kahualaulea has been at her halau for six years and dedicated her performance to Molokai, where her family is from.

“It feels so great to be Miss Keiki Hula, the new Miss Keiki Hula. I feel so blessed and so honored,” she said.

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These two halau also produced the top two finishers in the Miss Aloha Hula competition at Merrie Monarch.

Kumu hula Brandon ‘Iliahi Paredes said last year was Kahualaulea’s first year dancing in the Keiki Hula competition and they saw a spark in her.

“This light that just came through her; her dancing was natural. [Her] expressions were just beautiful and captivating. And from last year we knew we wanted to run her for the Miss Kakihula soloist for this year, and she worked so hard,” he said.

Faith Kealoha Pauole Paredes, who is Kiliohu’s hula sister, is the reigning Miss Aloha Hula.

She said it’s the older hula brothers and sisters’ responsibility to help guide the keiki and build their confidence.

“A lot of our responsibility in halau during practice is to help each and every one of those students, help them with their hand placement, with their foot placements, and just their overall confidence because that’s truly is our kuleana as older hula dancers,” she said.

She was followed by first runner-up, Keoe Momilani Michiko Hoe, who is Kumu Keano’s ʻōlapa.

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Group competition will be live on K5 at 6 p.m., or streaming online here.