Beverly Noa

Beverly Kauiokanahele Noa (June 14, 1933 – October 19, 2017) was a Hawaiian hula dancer. Noa was the 1952 winner of the Miss Hawaii contest and was inducted into the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame in 2014.

Early years and career

Beverly Kathleen Rivera was born June 14, 1933, in Los Angeles, California. Her parents were Benny Rivera and Victoria Miller. Noa performed at many of Hawaii's most famous showrooms, including the Tapa Room at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, and she was a frequently headliner at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and the Halekulani. She was best known for her graceful performance of "Lovely Hula Hands". Hula teacher Michael Pili Pang described her artistry: "Her presence is unforgettable. Her hula is pure art. Her style of movement is like watching poetry in motion as she transports you to a romantic place in the mountains or to a spectacular sunset along a beach." Noa also was part of the first Calvin Klein retail store in Hawaii and worked for fourteen years as the manager of Chanel in Hawai‘i before retiring in 2002.

Noa was inducted into the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame in 2015 as part of the class of 2014. In March 2017, she was honored with the annual I Ola Mau Ka Hula award. Noa raised her sons as a single mother in the Kāhala neighborhood of Honolulu. Noa appeared on the first episode of the series to discuss their family's relationship with poi.