In 2010, Gabe Spencer stepped into the world of hula under the guidance of Kumu Hula Kaleo Trinidad, a respected cultural leader who shaped his understanding of discipline, expression, and cultural responsibility. What started as curiosity quickly became devotion, leading Gabe to compete on some of the most respected stages in the hula world — including the prestigious Merrie Monarch Festival — and perform internationally as a cultural ambassador of Hawaiʻi. Along this journey, he met Jaimie Spencer, whose own accomplishments in hula and deep cultural knowledge strengthened the foundation of what Hula Is Life would one day become. With experience competing for Miss Aloha Hula and performing for audiences across Hawaiʻi and beyond, Jaimie brought a powerful blend of artistry, culture, and heart to the partnership. Together, Gabe and Jaimie built more than a brand — they built a community rooted in movement, humility, and aloha. Their shared story honors the kumu who taught them, the traditions that guide them, and the people who continue to breathe life into hula today. Hula is not just a dance. For them, it is identity, language, and connection — and it’s that spirit they carry forward in everything Hula Is Life creates.
Hula Is Life was built on a simple belief — hula isn’t just performed, it’s lived.
Through travel, training, and community, we saw how deeply hula shapes identity, connection, and everyday life. We wanted to carry that feeling beyond the studio — into what people wear, share, and live in.
What we create is meant to bring people together — to express culture, spark connection, and be worn with pride.
Hula isn’t just something we do — it’s who we are. Hula is Life!
✦ Our Story
From a single step onto the hālau floor to a global cultural ‘ohana — this is the story of how we carry hula forward.
What began as a single step onto the hālau floor became a lifelong devotion. Long practices, bare feet, and the steady rhythm of the ipu taught us that hula is not performed — it is lived.
Our first exposure to the Merrie Monarch stage deepened both our cultural responsibility and our performance discipline. Standing before that audience, we understood we were carrying something far older than ourselves.
We began teaching, sharing chants and stories with the next generation. The hālau grew into a family — an ‘ohana bound less by blood than by a shared love for the dance.
We started translating the movement, color, and spirit of hula into something wearable. Every print began as a feeling from the floor — a way to carry the culture beyond the moment of performance.
Today our story is shared across oceans. From Hilo to homes around the world, Hula Is Life has grown into a community that honors where the dance comes from — and where it’s going.
