Cirque du Soleil’s ʻAuana opened just a little more than a year ago at the Outrigger Beachcomber Hotel in Waikīkī.
The idea was to combine Cirque du Soleil’s world-famous acrobatic and athletic performances with Hawaiian storytelling and dance.
Aaron Salā is the cultural creative producer for the show and had a major hand in its early development. The Conversation checked in with Salā to see how the first year has gone and what audiences can expect in the future.
With more than 250,000 tickets sold over the past year, Salā said that the show is something for everyone to be proud of.
“I think my favorite thing is to hear when local families go, and local families feel this sense of pride in product, pride in ownership of a thing that we put before the globe, as it were, really very proud of that, I have to say,” he said.
Salā added that the show has also attracted engagement from visitors who ask about opportunities to return to view the show annually.
“It is an incredible show, and what makes it incredible for me is the opportunity for our own community to take ownership of the kind of work that this is, and the kind of opportunity to storytell about Native Hawaiʻi, about local Hawaiʻi, to a global audience,” he said.
Want more Cirque stories? Catch up here:
- Hula dancer reconnects with home through Cirque du Soleil's ʻAuana
- Artists share the soul behind new Cirque du Soleil show in Waikīkī
- Cirque du Soleil composer prepares music for upcoming Waikīkī show
- Multi-year resident show Cirque du Soleil coming to Waikīkī
This story aired on The Conversation on Dec. 30, 2025. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. Hannah Kaʻiulani Coburn adapted this story for the web.
