Carol Leolani Takafuji has been singing, dancing, and playing music professionally since the age of 7. She majored in elementary education and minored in music education at the University of Hawai`i. She has been dancing hula for more than 30 years, but has been seriously studying hula since 1994 under various kumu hula (master teachers). She has served as a past president of the Hawai`i State Society (HSS) based in Washington, D.C. (www.hawaiistatesociety.org) and plays a crucial role in heading various cultural performances and directing the HSS `Ukulele Hui. She is an avid student of `olelo Hawai`i (the native Hawaiian language), studying at the University of Hawai`i, Hilo campus and Kamehameha Schools.