The Distance Process / Dear Kanaloa

Concept and Direction: Pele Bauch
Choreography and Performance: Kealoha Ferreira and Pele Bauch

An exploration of distance and diaspora from the perspective of Native Hawaiians not raised with Kanaka Maoli (Hawaiian) culture and knowledge. Pele Bauch and Kealoha Ferreira dance via live-stream video from their respective cities, New York and St. Paul. In each location, the audience views one live performer and the video stream of the two artists. Zoom is used to connect to friends and family from afar, but can we use it to connect to ideas and culture? 

Dancing to whale song, Bauch and Ferreira look to Kanaloa, the Hawaiian god of the ocean, of navigation, of the beyond.  He would be the one to help them navigate the darkness of ignorance, the distance of continents, oceans and ages; he would help them thread new connections in this modern day.

Commissioned by Women in Motion

Performed simultaneously in
New York, NY at Arts on Site &
in St. Paul, MN at The Shawngrām Institute for Performance & Social Justice