Hula and fire dancer Chief Kamu will perform and offer instruction at the Cultural Dance Experience, which will be held on the Smith University Center patio on Wednesday, Nov. 16 at 4:30 p.m.

The performer, whose real name is Sam Kanekoa, will teach the event’s attendees authentic hula dance with the help of four dancers.

During the show, hosted by the Multicultural Advisory Board (MAB), the hula dancers and Kamu will also showcase a fire dance.

Assistant Dean of Students and head of the MAB Daphne Carter-McCants said that the event is intended to educate students in cultural diversity.

“The Cultural Dance Experience combines the art of dance with cultural diversity,” Carter-McCants said. “It will also allow students to learn how dance is used as a form of expression and a way of life for many cultures.”

Kamu was born on the island of Hawaii and has been performing in the Myrtle Beach area for the past eight years. Kamu and his dancers were also selected to perform at the most recent Arts International held at FMU back in April. In an obtained confirmation contract for the performance, Kamu said that his show will take the audience “on a journey through the islands of Hawaii and the South Pacific” and that traditional and contemporary styles of hula will be represented.

Carter-McCants said that this type of event will bring diverse experience and learning to the campus. This is the first time the event will be hosted, but Carter-McCants said that she hopes for it to continue in the future.

“In terms of diversity, showcasing different forms of dancing not only exposes students to various types of dance forms, but it will also aid in demonstrating cultural differences associated with dance and promote diverse student learning,” Carter-McCants said. “The Multicultural Advisory Board hopes to bring to the campus community a different type of cultural dance each year.”

Kiara Davis, a senior sociology major and student worker for the Office of Multicultural and International Student Affairs, helped plan the program. Davis said that it was first considered a couple of years ago and that the performance should be worthwhile.

“It was proposed two years ago when I first joined and we finally get to see it come to life this year,” Davis said. “You don’t see somebody throwing fire around every day.”

The event will be free to all who attend. For more information, contact the Office of Multicultural Affairs at (843) 661-1188.