Happily dancing through April
HUI O HULA
April has been keeping Hui O Hula dancers busy. Among the hula they’ve done recently are old favorites “Blue Lei” and “Lili’u E.”
“Blue Lei” was composed for the 1937 Paramount movie “Waikiki Wedding,” starring Bing Crosby. The song describes how a romance started in May while she was wearing a blue lei.
“Lili’u E,” also known as the Queen’s Hula, was dedicated to Queen Lili’uokalani (1838-1917), the last monarch of the Kingdom of Hawai’i. Famous chanter Antone Kao’o expressed his loyalty and aloha by describing her eyes, cheeks, shoulders, bosom, knees and feet. Dancers enjoy expressing the Queen’s beautiful body parts via hand motions.
The month is also busy with birthdays. The group celebrated hula sisters Pat Fellers, Essie Hicks, Renee Castillo, Louise Hering and Kyoko Ogita.
Anyone can tell a story in hula; the dancing is gentle for the body, and the lyrics motivate both the mind and memory. Free classes are given at Veterans Plaza every Thursday at 1:30 p.m. For more information on the classes or hula performances, call Jojo Weingart at (562) 252-9676.
