Edie Stanley: Dancer, Educator, and Tradition Bearer for Polynesian Culture
The Center for World Music is happy to include Edieann Heali‘i ‘O Nalani Stanley—better known as Edie Stanley—in our World Music in the Schools roster of teaching artists.
A respected kumu (teacher) of Hawaiian dance and an internationally acclaimed performer, Edi brings her deep cultural knowledge to every performance and every classroom she enters. She joins her brothers, Anthony and James Stanley, as the third member of her family to become part of the Center’s teaching staff, sharing Island traditions with students across San Diego.
As a traditional Polynesian dancer, cultural ambassador, and hula instructor, Edie’s artistry is rooted in heritage, storytelling, and a strong connection to community. She grew up in San Diego surrounded by Hawaiian music, dance, and oral history, foundations that continue to guide her work. Edie began studying dance early in life under the mentorship of her mother, renowned dancer Kathy Healiʻi O Nālani Gore Stanley. By the age of 14, Edie was performing as a solo dancer, sharing the stage with celebrated musicians including vocalist Amy Hanaiali’i Gilliom and the bands Kapena and The Makaha Sons.
In 2006, Edie graduated from San Diego State University with a bachelor’s degree in communication studies and a minor in business administration. She has represented the Hawaiian community as Miss Pacific Islander of San Diego and Miss Hui O Hawai’i. In 2008, she was chosen as one of twelve women worldwide to compete at the Merrie Monarch Festival hula competition, an honor that led to international touring opportunities. Through performances, exhibitions, and educational workshops across Hawai‘i and the continental U.S., Edie has become a vital force in preserving and sharing Pacific Island cultures.
Edie Stanley Teaching at Murdock Elementary School
Today, Edie serves as artistic director of Heali’i’s Polynesian Revue and is the founder of Power of Hula. Together with her ohana (family) she continues to keep the traditions of Hawai’i, Tahiti, Samoa, and New Zealand vibrant in San Diego. The family lives by the motto ‘A ‘ohe hana nui ke ‘alu ‘ia, “No task is too great when done together by all.”
As a resident teaching artist and assembly performer with the Center for World Music’s World Music in the Schools program, Edie shares her rich cultural background and love of dance with students across the region. We join our students in saying “Mahalo Edie.”
Watch an ABC Ten News video featuring Edie and her mother and celebrating Heali’i’s Polynesian Revue:
