Vicky Holt Takamine graduated as kumu hula through the ‘ūniki rituals of hula from Maiki Aiu Lake in August, 1975. Vicky established her hālau, Pua Ali‘i ‘Ilima in 1977. She is also the founder and kumu hula of  Papa Laua‘e O Makana, on Kaua‘i island. In April, 2010 Vicky officially opened an extension of her hālau in New York City, Pua Ali‘i ‘Ilima o Nuioka. Vicky received her BA and MA in Dance Ethnology from the University of Hawai'i. She is a lecturer at the University of Hawai‘i Music Dept. and Leeward Community College. Vicky is recognized as a native Hawaiian leader as an advocate for the protection of native Hawaiian rights, social justice issues and the protection of the natural and cultural resources of Hawai‘i. She is the co-founder and executive director of PA‘I Foundation, an arts organization that is established to preserve and perpetuate Hawaiian cultural traditions for future generations. Vicky is currently working with Artspace to build 80 units of affordable housing and creative art spaces for artists in Kaka’ako, Honolulu, O’ahu.