On the island of Oahu, "Auana," the long-anticipated Cirque du Soleil resident show in Hawaii, debuted on Dec. 17 at the Outrigger Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel. The 80-minute show takes audiences through eight acts, fusing acrobatics with Hawaiian stories, music and hula.
"We're bringing together a generation that is no longer apologetic about who we are. We stand in our olelo [language], we stand in our culture and we allow that culture to be in the firmament," Aaron Sala, the show's cultural creative producer, said in a news release. Sala is also the new CEO of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau.
"We're not seeking opportunities to find culture. It is in us. If we find opportunities to tell our stories using platforms like Cirque du Soleil that catapult our work to the mainstream, I feel very simply but very firmly that Hawaii can change the world," Sala said.
Tickets are available online and prices start at $85. An Auana VIP Experience, which includes VIP lounge access with food, drinks and a chance to take a photo with cast members, is also available as an add-on to ticketed purchases.