Dancers are learning ‘Waikiki Hula’

Hui O Hula, the LW Hawaiian dance club, offers free hula dance lessons to anyone who is interested. Classes are held twice a week: upstairs in Clubhouse 6 on Tuesdays and outdoors at Veterans Plaza on Thursdays, both starting at 1 p.m. For class information, call 562-431-2242 or email Jojo@huiohula.com.

The current hula subject is “Waikiki Hula.” Dancers are learning how to show the fragrance of the seaweed by waving their hands to their nose and flipping their palms side to side to show the moving seaweed in the ocean. Hula dancing is storytelling with the hands. It helps cognitive function, as dancers need to recall lyrics and choreography.

Dancers are looking forward to entertaining, again, the good folks of the LW Impaired Vision and Hearing Club on June 25 as well as Rowntree Gardens in Stanton on June 27.

The club gives mahalo/thanks to Lydia Zuvich for invitingHui O Hula dancers to surprise her mother, Jenny Magana, with a hula program at her 90th birthday party. Zuvich’s father, Eddie Magana, would turn 94 a few weeks later. At the party, dancers Kaye Huff and Saeko Maruya dedicated “The Hawaiian Wedding Song” to the Maganas, who have been married for 71 years. Eddie received a Purple Heart for his service during the Korean War (1950-1953). At the party, dancer Insook Kim, who was in Korea during the war, had an opportunity to thank Eddie for his service and for liberating her country.

—Jojo Weingart

Hui O Hula dancers helped to celebrate Jenny Magana's 90th birthday.

Lori 'Lolo" Chamberlin