“Lahaina Ondo” bon dance song honoring Lahaina community to be released

“Lahaina Ondo” is a new bon dance song that honors the Lahaina community by recalling fond summertime memories of everyday life in Lahaina. It is set to be released on all digital platforms Aug. 8 together with a music video. The song and dance will be presented to the Lahaina community and performed publicly for the first time at the special Aug. 10 Lahaina Bon Dance at the Lahaina Cannery Mall.

Written by Maui attorney Lance D. Collins and Shinshu Kyokai Mission bomori Sumiko Tatsuguchi over a three year period, “Lahaina Ondo” evokes the joyful summertime memories of everyday life in Lahaina: surfing, mango picking, fishing, hiking, stream activities and bon dancing.

The music was composed and performed by Paolo Cotrone and University of Hawaiʻi Maui College music instructor Joel Katz while singers Colette Gomoto and Brian Nagami provided the vocal accompaniment. The dance was choreographed by Marion Kanemori of the Iwakuni Odori Aiko Kai.

The Maui Minyo Kai will lead the first public performance of the dance at the Aug. 10 Lahaina Bon Dance.

Awarding-winning movie director Keliʻi Grace directed the accompanying music video of the song with dancers from many of Oʻahu’s leading bon dance groups: Iwakuni Odori Aiko Kai, Honolulu Fukushima Bon Dance Club, Ko’olau Sakura Odori Kai, Ewa Fukushima Bon Dance Club, Haleiwa Bon Dance Club, Wahiawa Hongwanji Bon Dance Team, O’ahu District Bon Dance Club and Waipahu Soto Mission Bon Dance Class.  The music video will be released on YouTube also on Aug. 8.

“We had been working on the song for several years when the fire happened. We decided to really redouble our efforts to complete it so that we could support the Lahaina community’s efforts of both rebuilding and remembering through bon dance,” said songwriter Lance D. Collins.

The song was produced by Lance D. Collins and Tomone Karen Hanada with support from the HK West Maui Community Fund.

Parking for the Lahaina Bon Dance will be available at Lahaina Gateway Plaza (325 Keawe St, Lahaina), with a shuttle service to the Lahaina Cannery Mall. This event is free and open to all.