Even the hotel hallway parties don't last long; everyone is exhausted to the point of silliness, and most have early plane flights to catch.

As Merrie Monarch veteran Robert Cazimero pointed out in placing his halau's overall win in perspective: "Tomorrow is another day" — and one back in the real world.

But images linger.

There was the sight of Cazimero's chin dropping to his chest as he took a moment to master his emotions when his halau's kane kahiko award was announced, while all around him people were on their feet screaming. This was the first hint of the upset win the men's group would achieve with impressively high scores. Halau Na Kamalei would go on to win kane 'auana and then the overall award.

Through it all, Cazimero seemed most animated when recognizing the achievements of men with whom he has danced, and whom he has mentored over the past 30 years, since Halau Na Kamalei was formed.

Minutes before his first award was announced, he had been on his feet, pointing vigorously in a "you da man" gesture toward his competitors and former students, Karl Veto Baker and Michael Casupang of Halau I Ka Wekiu, who had placed second. Later, he would jump to his feet again as former student Manu Boyd and his Halau O Ke A'ali'i Ku Makani received an award in the women's division.

After receiving the trophy, Cazimero said: "I felt good just coming here, being with my students, especially my students who are teachers now. I am really more happy for them than for myself. I never thought it would come to this." Cazimero has been known to slip into Hilo during the Merrie Monarch rehearsal period just to offer a new kumu his presence as support, slipping away again before competition starts so as not to draw any of the celebrity away from the competing kumu.

On his mind, as on the minds of those who follow hula like a spectator sport, there are thoughts of the next generation, one of whom, young Kaleo Trinidad, made an impressive showing in his second year in Merrie Monarch competition with Ka Leo O Laka I Ka Hikina O Ka La. Trinidad, along with hula sister Snowbird Bento, helped his kumu, Holoua Stender, bring Ka Pa Hula O Kamehameha to Merrie Monarch three years ago, and was uniki'd (formally graduated as a teacher) in 2003.

Last weekend, Trinidad went to the stage five times — once to accompany his Miss Aloha Hula candidate, Jeri-Lynn Koko, daughter of the Makaha Sons' Jerome Koko, to receive her first runner-up award, and four times as his halau placed in wahine kahiko, kane kahiko kane 'auana and kane overall divisions.

And there are thoughts of the small acts of courage and commitment that Merrie Monarch dancers make, notably the Halau Na Mamo O Pu'uanahulu teaching assistant, Lopak Igarta-De Vera, who danced a vigorous and highly choreographed kane 'auana number with an ankle that had put him in the hospital just the night before. Normally, he is seen on the stage alongside kumu hula Sonny Ching, but this time he appeared only once, on crutches and in obvious pain, with his hula brothers around to help steady him.

In just a few weeks, it starts all over again: Merrie Monarch officials will begin compiling the list of 2006 invitees.

And what of the future? There's always concern about the scarceness of tickets (half the house is filled with participants, their families and VIPs, so a scant 2,000-plus tickets go on sale) and the stage itself, constructed atop a tennis court, isn't ideal.

Hilo clothing manufacturer Sig Zane, whose family life and work are intimately tied up in hula, says he would love to see a new home for the event: "Maybe one day we can build a stage where the dancer is really celebrated, where every sound they make can be heard, every movement they make can be seen and appreciated." He envisions something like a sumo stage, where the audience is in tiers above the pa (hula enclosure) to better reveal the lines and the choreography.