Walking, I am listening to a deeper way. Suddenly all my ancestors are behind me.
Be still, they say.
Watch and listen.
You are the result of the
love of thousands."
Photo courtesy of Carlos Mozo
Ka U'i Perreira, Miss Diamond Head 2018
- L. Hogan
Get to know our ohana
Our friendly cast members include the industry's most elite Hula and Tahitian dancers, distinguished choreographers, esteemed musicians, famed Master of Ceremonies, recording artists, Miss Hawai'i title-holders, and world championship-level fire knife performers. ROF's dancers and musicians proudly hail from the islands we represent through a rich heritage of cultural instructors and revered entertainers, as well as participate in competitions and festivals.
In every performance we aim to connect with our audience by sharing common values that inspire and uplift.
Tanoai Reed
Strategic Partner for
VIP Experiences
My motto is “Make Da Happy”. I learned when I was raised by my grandmother Vaita’i that happiness is not something you just turn on and off with a switch. You cannot just “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” You have to consciously and intentionally create it, and when you create it for yourself, you also create it for others, and I believe sharing our Pacific Island culture and entertaining is one of the best ways to #MakeDaHappy 🤗🤟🏽💓 My great grandfather Tautua Tuala Tanoai was one of the heads of the Samoan village when PCC first opened.
" Ring of Fire is a show that everyone can enjoy, have a thrilling, exciting experience, and return home with certain feelings of having personally related to true universal principles such as courage, faith, and love."
Jay Mataele
Founder & President
Jay Mataele was born and raised in Hawaii and has cultivated over 20 years’ professional experience in authentic Polynesian dance and fire knife performance. Throughout the years he has had the enriching opportunities of living in Tonga, California, Utah, North Carolina, and Virginia and has traveled abroad to other nations such as Japan and Tahiti to share Hawaii's unique Aloha spirit around the globe. Jay has worked with some of the most influential leaders in Polynesian entertainment while performing at various shows such as the well-known Magic of Polynesia, Kalo's South Seas Revue, and a ten-year employment at the world-famous Polynesian Cultural Center.
In 2011, Jay founded Ring Of Fire Island Productions and opened a Polynesian dinner show in the busiest tourism district of Waikiki, producing two shows per night, seven nights per week --over 700 shows per year. Receiving constant requests for private events, Jay realized an opportunity to fulfill a need in Destination Event Management. In 2017, Jay led Ring Of Fire to become Hawaii's highest-ranked company for private Polynesian entertainment.
With a passion for teaching and entertaining, Jay's focus in the Hospitality and Tourism industry has always been to produce a show that provides a truly authentic experience of island culture and Aloha spirit, will form a positive relationship with the audience and can make a positive difference in peoples' lives.
Jackie Woodruff, M.A. Ed.
Co-Founder & Vice President
"It is an honor to learn more about the sacred culture within the Hawaiian islands and Polynesia, being behind-the-scenes to share that with our special guests, and helping create lifelong memories for our valued clients as a team. Having a backstage pass to watch some of the most incredible talent I’ve ever seen and heard in my life is an absolute bonus."
In 2003, Jackie Woodruff relocated from the foothills of western North Carolina to the small, tight-knit community of La'ie, HI to study at the most culturally diverse university in the nation, BYU - Hawai'i. She completed her B.A. in International Cultural Studies with a focus in Communications while working in the university's financial aid department, and later in retail at the Polynesian Cultural Center. She fully immersed herself in the cultures of Hawai'i and Polynesia, internalizing all the meaningful traditions taught to her by local families, working with our kupuna veterans in Honolulu, and finally serving the youngest keiki of our Ko'olauloa community in early childhood education. With over 25 years' experience in business administration and organizational management, and having the deepest love and respect for the people of Hawai'i, she helped Jay bring this vision to life in 2011, growing its impact throughout the years by emphasizing customer experience and developing significant relationships with our professional partners. Jackie maintains a personal philosophy that her role as a leader is to help provide her Ring Of Fire 'ohana with opportunities to share their cultures with the world.
Our company name
Ring of Fire symbolizes UNITY. The well-known Pacific Ring of Fire is not only an area where the majority of the world’s earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur, but also the perimeter that includes many of the Polynesian Islands. The Hawaiian Islands formed the heart of the Ring of Fire, growing from hardened lava rock over time into land. The significance of the volcanic border surrounding all the island nations and the unification it represents between them impressed upon Jay's mind so strongly, that when he applied for his license to start a business, he chose the name
RING OF FIRE
To educate, entertain, uplift and inspire our audiences and ourselves through authentic cultural performances that convey true universal principles of
love, unity and honesty.
Through living these experiences we will strengthen all to strive for excellence and have courage and faith in our ability to affect lives for the better.