Deanna "Meemee" Mee Yee Luster

March 23, 1962 - January 3, 2019

Age 56, climbed the Stairway to Heaven on Jan 3, 2019. Born on March 23, 1962, in Honolulu, she was known as a dancer, choreographer, stage manager, energy healer, reiki master, martial arts practitioner, Zumba and floor barre instructor. While in high school, she joined the Third Wave Dance Company at age 17. She graduated from Star of the Sea High School and was the class valedictorian in 1980. She began as a Passion Dancer at Spats (Hyatt Hotel) and later started her own dance company, Express: A Contemporary Dance Company, in 1987. She co-directed and choreographed Diamond Head Theater’s Po’okela honored production of Titanic; Manoa Valley Theatre’s Caberet, Swing KitKat Girl, Footloose; Hawaii Theatre Center’s Young Actors Ensemble, Camelot, Snow Queen and Wishes and Wings. She also won a Po’okela Award for Choreography for the Army Community Theatre’s Damn Yankees. She taught jazz in the Shooting Stars program at Diamond Head Theater and was also stage manager, teacher, and choreographer for shows at Kaimuki High School, Hawaii Theatre Center’s Christmas with Friends of Jim Nabors, Sacred Hearts Academy, St Andrews Priory, Honpa Hongwanji Mission School, Kapolei PacKids, Temple Emanuel, Kamehameha Dance Theatre, Jazz Factory, Ballet Hawaii, Dance Works, Third Wave, Honolulu Symphony, and American Theater Company Hawaii. In 2018 she choreographed Kapolei’s PacKids in Lion King Jr. and won a trip to compete at Disney World. She is survived by her mother, Arlene Leong Luster (Hanusey); brother Eugene (Agnes) Luster of San Diego; Aunts Linda (James) Kobatake and Kathleen Leong; Cousins, Paula (Keith), Stuart (Stacy), Skylar, Sierra, Reyna (Neil) and Marla Nakata. She was predeceased by her father, Gilbert Norman Luster. A Celebration of Life will be held on Tuesday, April 2, at the Diamond Head Theater. Visitation with light refreshments will be at 6:00 p.m. and program to follow at 7 p.m. No flowers, please. Casual Attire.