Club members learn to dance to melodic island music
Hui O Hula, the Hawaiian dance club, welcomes anyone interested in learning the hula.
Free lessons are given at 1 p.m. upstairs at Clubhouse 6 on Tuesdays and at Veterans Plaza, or inside Clubhouse 3 when the weather is unfavorable, on Thursday.
Hula is mostly accompanied by song and Western-influenced musical instruments. In class, dancers learn to sway to melodic island music with gentle hip movements and soft knees. Many hand motions are used to represent the words in the song. They can signify aspects of nature: such as the swaying trees in the breeze, a wave in the ocean, or a feeling or emotion such as fondness or yearning.
Anyone can dance the hula either on foot or in chair (noho/ sitting style). People should be prepared to do hula barefoot or bring soft booties. For more information, call 562-252-9676 or email Jojo@huiohula.com. —Jojo Weingart
