Melveen Leed
is back and
loving it
Tau Dance Company Review
By Tim Ryan
Star-BulletinHAWAII'S favorite tita, Melveen Leed, celebrates her return to Hawaii in a performance with Peter Rockford Espiritu's Tau Dance Theatre in its spring concert opening tonight at Leeward Community College Theatre.
"Kako'o -- to uphold, support" is the first of three productions by the dance company this year. The others are: "E Liliu E: A Tribute to Queen Liliuokalani," 8 p.m. June 25 and 26 at the Hawaii Theatre; and "Cultural Slam," 8 p.m. Aug. 13 and 14, with artists in residence, at the LCC Theatre.
The Tau Dance Theatre will also perform Saturday night, but "Kako'o" opens with Leed's performance tonight only. The production, featuring the music of the Brothers Cazimero and Henry Kapono, also offers three world premieres and special guest artist Celia Chun of the Honolulu Dance Theatre.
Regarding her "mini" return to Hawaii entertainment after four years in Tahiti, Leed said "Excited? yes; nervous? not!"
"I love being back," she said. "I was so homesick for family, my culture, and, of course, my food."
Leed moved to French Polynesian in 1994 after marrying a man of Tahitian ancestry. He was the boss on a small island where cultured pearls were harvested. Leed was the only woman among the island's 27 workers.
After a year, the couple moved to Papeete where Leed did something she never thought she would ever do, teach hula.
"I wasn't singing very much, actually only twice professionally, and I really missed performing."
A professional performer for 40 years, she said, "I missed the kind of communication with people you get from performing, and the compassion they give back."
Her Tahiti gig did have at least one positive outcome: Not only did Leed's voice return stronger than ever, but she found her falsetto again.
"I was a falsetto as a teen-ager but lost it when I started singing every night," she said. "Now, with the layoff, I have it back."
At tonight's performance, Leed will sing two songs: "Morning Dew" and John Lennon's "Imagine."
" 'Morning Dew' is a fitting song to sing for someone returning to a place they love," she said. "And 'Imagine' is a message of peace and love."
Since her return to Hawaii this year, Leed's been busy organizing a group of veteran Hawaii entertainers she calls the Society of Hawaii's Very Best. Among the group's 72 members are Emma Veary, Karen Keawehawaii and Mahi Beamer.
"We hope to bring Hawaiian music back in force to Waikiki," Leed said. "Right now, you have to look between the cracks to find it."
In concert
Tau Dance Theatre Spring Dance Concert "Kako'o: to uphold, support," with performance by Melveen Leed tonight only
Date: 8 p.m. today and tomorrow
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