- Melody Canto Masoe is Hula Team Leader at Huakaʻi Lūʻau and one of its Hawaiian cultural advisors.
- Born and raised on Maui; began hula at age 10 under Napua Greig with Hālau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka.
- Competed in Hula O Nā Keiki at the Kāʻanapali Beach Hotel.
- Boarded at Kamehameha Schools Kapālama from 1999, dancing for Kaleo Trinidad and Snowbird Bento.
- Speaks fluent Hawaiian. Her specialisms are choreography, scriptwriting and costume design.
- She and Kaniala Masoe married in 2006 and lead the company's ʻohana together.
Quick Answer
Melody Canto Masoe is the Hula Team Leader at Huakaʻi Lūʻau and one of the company's Hawaiian cultural advisors. Born and raised on Maui, she began dancing hula at age 10 under Napua Greig with Hālau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka, boarded at Kamehameha Schools Kapālama, and studied at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. She speaks fluent Hawaiian, and her work centres on choreography, scriptwriting and costume design.
Maui, and a hālau at ten years old
Melody was born and raised on Maui. She started dancing hula at age 10 under the direction of Napua Greig with Hālau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka, and it took quickly — she competed in hula competitions and performances through her childhood, including Hula O Nā Keiki at the Kāʻanapali Beach Hotel.
That last detail is a small circle worth noticing: she was competing in Kāʻanapali as a child, and she leads the hula team in Kāʻanapali now.
Kamehameha, and learning to choreograph
In 1999 Melody was accepted to board at Kamehameha Schools Kapālama Campus on Oʻahu, where she danced for Kaleo Trinidad and Snowbird Bento in the performing arts department.
It was there that she found the thing that became her actual craft: choreography. Expressing a story through movement — deciding how a mele becomes a body in motion — is what she does now for every hula segment in the show.
Hilo, and the first night of work
Melody graduated from Kamehameha in 2003 and moved to Hawaiʻi Island to attend the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. Her first job out of high school was as a hula dancer at the only restaurant in Hilo town with nightly hula and music.
On her first night of work she danced to the playing of a young musician named Kaniala Masoe. By her own account she was blown away by his musicianship. They have been inseparable since, married in 2006, and now lead the Huakaʻi Lūʻau ʻohana together.
What she does at Huakaʻi Lūʻau
- Hula Team Leader — training and directing the hula dancers
- Choreography for the show's Hawaiian segments
- Scriptwriting and show design
- Costume design
- Hawaiian cultural advisory across the production
- Fluent Hawaiian speaker
Seeing her team perform
The hula ʻauana segment Melody directs opens the Journey Through Polynesia revue, weekly on Tuesdays on the Luau Lawn at Kāʻanapali Beach Club. Our guide to hula explains what to watch for, and the cast stays for a meet-and-greet after the finale — the moment to ask what a mele was about.
| Time (Apr–Sep) | What happens |
|---|---|
| 5:30 PM | Doors open on the Luau Lawn |
| 5:45 PM | Pre-show begins — live music and cultural welcome |
| 5:50 PM | Dinner buffet opens |
| 6:20 PM | Pre-show ends |
| 6:30 PM | Main show — Polynesian revue with live band |
| 7:30 PM | Fireknife grand finale |
| 7:30–7:45 PM | Cast meet-and-greet |
October through March, every time above shifts 30 minutes earlier — doors at 5:00 PM.
Melody's husband and creative partner, Kaniala Masoe, is the show's lead musician. More on the company on the about page.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Melody Masoe?
Melody Canto Masoe is the Hula Team Leader and a Hawaiian cultural advisor at Huakaʻi Lūʻau on Maui. Born and raised on Maui, she began dancing hula at age 10 under Napua Greig with Hālau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka, boarded at Kamehameha Schools Kapālama, and studied at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. She speaks fluent Hawaiian and specialises in choreography, scriptwriting and costume design.
Who did Melody Masoe train under?
She began hula at age 10 under Napua Greig with Hālau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka on Maui. From 1999 she boarded at Kamehameha Schools Kapālama Campus on Oʻahu, where she danced for Kaleo Trinidad and Snowbird Bento in the performing arts department and began choreographing.
Does Melody Masoe speak Hawaiian?
Yes. Melody speaks fluent Hawaiian and serves as one of the Hawaiian cultural advisors for Huakaʻi Lūʻau, alongside her husband Kaniala Masoe.
Can you meet the performers at Huakaʻi Lūʻau?
Yes. The cast stays for a meet-and-greet from 7:30 to 7:45 PM, immediately after the fireknife finale. It is the best opportunity to ask about the mele, the choreography or the cultural background of any segment.
What day of the week is Huakaʻi Lūʻau?
Huakaʻi Lūʻau performs weekly on Tuesdays at the Luau Lawn at Hilton Grand Vacations Kāʻanapali Beach Club. Because it is a weekly rather than nightly show, a one-week stay on Maui usually overlaps with only one or two performance dates, so it is worth checking the calendar against your travel dates as early as possible.
What time does the Huakaʻi Lūʻau show start?
From April through September, doors open at 5:30 PM, the buffet opens at 5:50 PM, the main show begins at 6:30 PM and it ends at 7:30 PM with the fireknife finale. From October through March every time shifts 30 minutes earlier, so doors open at 5:00 PM. The show runs on Tuesdays.
See the Hula Team Perform
Huakaʻi Lūʻau · The Luau Lawn at Hilton Grand Vacations Kāʻanapali Beach Club
104 Kāʻanapali Shores Place · Lāhainā, HI 96761
Performing weekly on Tuesdays
Pricing, showtimes and menu items are current as of August 2026 and are subject to change; taxes are additional at checkout and menu offerings may vary with seasonal availability and operational requirements. Price ranges quoted for other Maui luaus are general market guidance rather than quotes — confirm current pricing directly with each operator. Seating within each ticket tier is first-come, first-served.