Kealoha Ferreira

🪔 About

Kealoha Ferreira is a Kanaka Maoli, Filipino, and Chinese dance artist, educator, and leader, currently residing in St. Paul, Minnesota. She is recognized for her work as the Artistic Associate for Ananya Dance Theatre and as a Co-leader of the Shawngrām Institute for Performance & Social Justice. Ferreira joined Ananya Dance Theatre as a company artist in 2013 and was named Artistic Associate and Co-Leader of the Shawngrām Institute in 2018. Her artistic practice is deeply rooted in Yorchhā, a trademarked transnational feminist contemporary dance method that integrates the classical Indian dance form Odissi, Vinyasa Yoga, and the martial art form Chhau. She also engages in the study of Oli and Hula, which are Hawaiian embodied practices of relationality. Ferreira's work explores the intersectional and expansive nature of relationality, maintaining a strong foundation in cultural and kinesthetic rigor. She is also an associate faculty member at the University of Minnesota's Theater Arts and Dance Department, where she teaches Yoga. Additionally, she offers various classes at the Shawngrām Institute, including 'Yoga: Aligning with Land' and 'Yoga Together,' an intergenerational yoga practice. Her artistry and activism have been further developed through participation in programs such as Chawrchā NextGen ChoreoLab (2023), Stages of Equity (2023), BIPOC Leadership Circle (2022), Hālau ʻŌhiʻa (2021), and Red Eye Theater's Works in Progress (2020). Ferreira is committed to social justice, incorporating these themes into her dance and performances, which often explore identity and history to inspire hope and transformation. Awards & Honours: McKnight Dancer Fellow (2024), Art in This Present Moment Initiative Artist (2025).