Andrea is the Kumu Hula (master teacher) for Hālau Hula Ka Pi’o O Ke Ānuenue, as well as Ha'a Hula 'Ohana, the online branch of the hālau, and has been teaching cultural dance over twenty-five years. She has a Masters of Arts degree in Dance and Spirituality and has studied and taught two cultural dance forms - Bharata Natyam, a sacred temple dance style from south India, and Hula, the traditional, cultural dance from the islands of Hawai’i.

 

Since 2003, hula has been Kumu Andrea’s primary path and life's inspiration. Her earlier training was with Kumu Hula Raylene Haʻaleleʻa Kawaiaeʻa from North Kohala on Hawaiʻi island. Andrea was an ʻolapa in Halau ʻO Haʻalele’a and worked closely with Kumu Raylene in her initial journey of becoming a kumu up until Kumu Raylene’s passing in 2012. This in-depth support and one-on-one mentoring formed the foundation for Andrea to establish the hālau in 2009, an evolution of its earlier beginnings as a hui.

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​Andrea later deepened her knowledge and practice under the guidance of Kumu Hula Sybil Kuʻuipo Pruett and Kumu Hula Keala Ching. In 2014, she was ceremonially initiated through 'uniki 'ailolo into her role as a kumu hula, and has since continued her lifelong dedication to the study and teaching of hula.

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Kumu Andrea is honored to be a 2023 TAAP award recipient as a master artist (Traditional Artist Apprenticeship Program) and is on the Oregon Culture Keepers Roster.