Choreographer Christopher K. Morgan danced hula as a child in California, far from his family’s Native Hawaii. As Morgan developed a body of work in modern dance, said to be “charming and poignant” by The New York Times, he longed to connect his Native Hawaiian artistic and personal roots to his contemporary work. Pōhaku is a dance theater piece bringing together storytelling, hula, modern dance, classical music, and projection design to explore compelling universal themes in the story of Hawaii’s native people, including land loss and fractured identity. The work incorporates Morgan’s own stories to reflect these larger themes.

Wytold composed the musical score for Pōhaku in residence with CKM&A at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center in 2015.  On stage, Wytold performs the score live with Kumu Hula Elsie Kaleihulukea Ryder of Kaimikaua’s Hālau Hula o Kukunaokalā, and the show has toured to the Hawaiian islands, New York, Washington, DC, San Francisco, Minnesota, and Chicago.

Several of Wytold’s pieces from Pōhaku are featured on his 2017 release, “Music for Dance“.   Learn more about Pōhaku and watch a behind the scenes mini-documentary here.