WOLF TRAP FOUNDATION FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS A film crew shot video last month of a group of hula dancers performing on Kilauea Volcano with a backdrop of lava and rocks. The footage will debut Sept. 9 in the adventure series "Face of America" as part of a production at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts outside Washington, D.C. The show will highlight the state's national parks as well as its heritage, said Jill Hodgin, director of planning and initiatives.

Breaking stereotypes

A performance art production will shine a spotlight on Kilauea and Hawaiian culture

By combining live hula dancing and high-definition volcanic images, a new performance art production will tell the story of Hawaiian culture.

A video crew captured images of the dancers on the lava last month at Kilauea.

The production, which will premiere Sept. 9 at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts outside Washington, D.C., will highlight the state's national parks as well as its heritage, said Jo Hodgin, director of planning and initiatives.

"We'll be breaking stereotypes, not only about the people, but also about the landscape," Hodgin said. "There's much more to Hawaii than spending your time on the beach."

Three 30-foot tall screens will show the hula and Hawaii's scenery, while members of the Halau O Kekuhi perform a synchronized dance on stage below.

"We wanted to show the diversity of the culture, present the old and the new, but obviously everything is tied to the roots," said Wolf Trap Foundation spokeswoman Lisa LaCamera.

The amphitheater at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts holds up to 7,000 people, and Hawaii's congressional delegation will attend the performance, Hodgin said. Future dates are being planned for the West Coast and Hawaii.

The performance also will feature musician Kealii Reichel and slack key guitarist Ledward Kaapana.

The multimedia presentation will tell the story of Hawaii's close connection to the volcanoes and the goddess Pele, who is considered a protector of the Hawaiian people.

Scenes of Hawaii's forests, lava cliffs and steaming fissures in the earth are also being taped.

"An audience will see beautiful faces, Hawaiian voices and Hawaiian dances, and hopefully be transported away by Hawaiian performance," Hodgin said.

The project is being put together with the assistance of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau and American Express.

Hawaii's natural wonders are the fifth setting for the Wolf Trap Foundation's "Face of America" adventure series, which explorers the relationship between the natural stage and the creative process.

Previous works have celebrated Yosemite National Park, Virgin Islands National Park and Coral Reef National Monument, Mammoth Cave National Park and Wright Brothers National Memorial.