In secluded places on the islands of Hawaii, men dance, their movements are strong and of little volume, but graceful. To the rhythm of a polished pumpkin, set by the exact beats of the singer. The ocean waves compete with the ringing rhythm of the gourd, with their singing, and their hula.
Kahiko is the most ancient form of hula. It was never danced in a grass skirt, nor was it accompanied by the playing of the ukulele ukulele. It is rather a solemn hula with sacred meaning and to achieve a strong, meaningful purpose.
It was the only style until 1893, when the art of hula gets a second birth (I will talk about this in parts 2 and 3).
And by the way, hula was originally called "Ha`a". The name was changed to "Hula" at the beginning of the 19th century.
How did Hula Kahiko come about?
In the pre-European period, blasphemy was closely associated with religious practice. The pahu drum dances that have come down to us represent the most sacred rites dedicated to the gods: rituals and prayers surrounded all aspects of the training and practice of hula. The teachers and students of the halau (hula schools) worshiped Laka, the goddess of hula, and regularly made offerings to her.Hula has its origins in ancient history. There are many different legends surrounding the origin of the hula:
- According to one legend, Laka - the goddess of hula - invented a dance at a sacred place in Ka "ana, on the island of Molokai.
- Another legend tells us that Hi "iaka danced it to calm her angry sister Pel" e, the goddess of volcanoes, and this happened on the northern shore of the Kauai valley in Ha "ena.
- The third says that Pele herself performed it, running away from her other sister Namakoakaha "I (goddess of the oceans). When Pele finally reached the chain of craters on the Big Island, where the waves could no longer reach her, she danced the first hula dance, which meant, that she defeated her sister.
Today, the patroness of hula is the goddess Laka, and she is mentioned most often when it comes to modern Hula.
However, the ancient hula in the Kahiko style usually dances "mele", which describe the story of only two sisters - Hi "aka and Pele.
The Kahiko style is energetic, requiring strength and dexterity, and devoid of such gentle movements and fluidity familiar to us. He dances with a stern look and a pretty jerky movements- in tribute to their gods and roots (pay attention to the photo - what kind of look and gestures does a woman (wahine) dance in the kahiko style).
Dancing in this style is not easy - but that's exactly what the true Hawaiian hula is.
Dancers-Peacekeepers, or the shamanic clan of Ariori
It is known that until 1200 (that is, before the arrival of the priest Paao in Hawaii, who, in fact, carried out a cultural and religious revolution on the islands), there was a special Ariori shamanic clan, and the direction in which they worked was called PEACEKEEPING.
All its members owned such arts as:
- the art of LIVING IN PEACE WITH YOURSELF,
- CREATE HARMONIOUS RELATIONSHIPS between individuals,
- AND ALSO between people and nature and within nature itself.
The respect for the Ariori shamans was so great that FOR THE TIME OF THEIR PRESENCE ALL WARS STOP (!).
Retelling myths and legends, they reminded the combatants of their common roots and purpose on this earth, and the jokes they used (sometimes obscene and irreverent) made opponents aware of the perniciousness of enmity.
It is the FOCUS ON BRINGING PEACE that is the DIFFERENT FEATURE of the shamans of Polynesia.
Whereas most shamans in other countries follow the Way of the Warrior, concentrating on developing strength and conquering oneself -
Polynesian shamans follow the path that the kahuna of the twentieth century. Serge Kahili King in his book "City Shaman" calls the Way of the Adventurer, which means to be focused on love, in Hawaiian aloha, and the discovery of one's own "I".
At that time there was only one dance troupe. It consisted only of men, and the men were kahuna (that is, each of them was a master and could teach). This troupe danced at the court of the acting paramount chief and then the King of the Isles.
Her responsibilities included such amazing tasks as:
1) the appearance of the heir to the leader / king (i.e. maintaining the childbearing functions of the couple),
2) and the maintenance of peace and prosperity in Hawaii (i.e., the creation and maintenance of a certain cultural and spiritual atmosphere in the government and people by the power of their skills and knowledge).
How was it possible for the dance to achieve such a mystical effect?
The same kahuna Serge Kahili King talks about it like this:"As for the SACRED HULA DANCE, the performer would go into a kind of trance state, meditating on the image of the deity, the spirit, or the content of the dance before performing.
The dance itself was an elaborate choreographic production, impact force about was determined by the dancer's ability to ENTER THE STATE corresponding to the story told by the dance - for example, states of love, conflict-free relationships, gratitude, joy, etc.
This is how the transfer of KNOWLEDGE from kahuna to ordinary people took place.
Because the TRUE PURPOSE OF HOLY blasphemy is to educate and inspire the public."
That is why in ancient times anyone could dance Hula kapu- prohibited (analogue taboo in New Zealand). This art was sacred, Kahiko Hula was danced only by Kumu Hula (teachers) and students trained and initiated into Hula dancers.
Kumu Hula, in fact, performed the tasks of priests in ancient Hawaii (not only them, but they included).
And, since before 1820. the Hawaiians did not have a written language, the Kumu Hula were responsible for preserving the genealogy royal family, stories of significant battles, the history and culture of the people, as well as stories from the life of their gods and goddesses.
That is why hula kahiko was taught only to those who were worthy of this knowledge (the potential of the candidates determined the kahuna). As a rule, his knowledge was passed down from generation to generation. For the family itself and for the child, from that day on, the study of hula received the main priority, and the secrets of the art of hula were to be kept strictly in it, without going beyond the family.
The children selected for training were taken from their families and lived in Halau, a hula school, with their teacher - just as in India children were given to guru training. These schools have always been located in secluded places, emphasizing the sacredness of the knowledge received. The students practiced strict discipline from the start, dancing almost to the point of exhaustion.
My mentor Kumu Kaipo said that her mother taught her how to dance hula from the age of 3, forcing her to hone just one basic movement ka "o (!) For 4 hours every day.
Then, when Kumu Hula were satisfied with the work of their students, he was going to big celebration lu "au, and Kahiko was performed for all viewers.
Kumu Hula sings the song oli in a special recitative and beats the rhythm, and his students dance Kahiko with military precision and severity - as if they are going to battle. At the end of the dance, all men sing in unison with the beginning of the song oli, from which the dance began.
Today, this ancient form of hula is still performed, which is a source of pride for the Hawaiians themselves.
Oli is the singing while dancing of the story song itself, which is called mele.
Therefore, it happens that such a rhythmic dance accompanied by singing is called "Mele Hula", which means "song-dance", or "Kahiko", but correct name- "Hula Kahiko".
Tools and clothes for hula kahiko
Each Kahiko hula dance was dedicated to one of the ancient gods, praising them and their deeds. He was usually accompanied by the ancient song mele and performed only to these ancient Hawaiian instruments:
The clothes at that time for male dancers were loincloths, for women - short skirts (another reason for the ban on dancing with the advent of Christians). Modern mid-calf pow skirts, like grass skirts, did not exist until the end of the 19th century.
But all the elements of jewelry, incl. traditional flower garlands - lei, as well as bracelets and necklaces - were. After the dance, the lei were brought to the altar of the goddess Laka, the patroness of the hula, as a gift.
Hula Kahiko today
Today, the Kumu Hula are no longer priests, but they are still highly revered among the Hawaiians as guardians of their rich culture and history. Also, today, the study of hula in Hawaii occurs only through apprenticeship in the schools of Halau, that is, exclusively direct transmission, with the initiation of Hula at the altar of the goddess Laka in the final. Actually, the apprenticeship itself has remained practically unchanged, with the exception of one thing: now women can also study and dance hula.This change is said to have taken place centuries ago when, with the arrival of Paao, the islands entered a long period of wars for power, and men were at war. However, traditional hula movements are still strong. The mood can be softer, but still very serious in tribute to tradition.
Find Cultural Center and ask around where Hula Kahiko is performed. Let the rhythm of the mele permeate your being and let the hula enliven your soul.
Do not consider such a search too difficult - on the contrary, showing a gesture of respect for a foreign culture, you will open the hearts of the keepers of Hawaiian wisdom to meet you - after all, who would not want to make friends with people who show interest in your culture?
In secluded places on the islands of Hawaii, men dance, their movements are strong and of little volume, but graceful. To the rhythm of a polished pumpkin, set by the exact beats of the singer. The ocean waves compete with the ringing rhythm of the gourd, with their singing, and their hula.
Kahiko is the most ancient form of hula. It was never danced in a grass skirt, nor was it accompanied by the playing of the ukulele ukulele. Rather, it is a solemn Hula with a sacred meaning and for the realization of a strong, meaningful goal.
It was the only style until 1893, when the art of hula gets a second birth (I will talk about this).
And by the way, hula was originally called "Ha`a". The name was changed to "Hula" at the beginning of the 19th century.
How did Hula Kahiko come about?
In the pre-European period, blasphemy was closely associated with religious practice. The pahu drum dances that have come down to us represent the most sacred rites dedicated to the gods: rituals and prayers surrounded all aspects of the training and practice of hula. The teachers and students of the halau (hula schools) worshiped Laka, the goddess of hula, and regularly made offerings to her.Hula has its origins in ancient history. There are many different legends surrounding the origin of the hula:
- According to one legend, Laka - the goddess of hula - invented a dance at a sacred place in Ka "ana, on the island of Molokai.
- Another legend tells us that Hi "iaka danced it to calm her angry sister Pel" e, the goddess of volcanoes, and this happened on the northern shore of the Kauai valley in Ha "ena.
- The third says that Pele herself performed it, running away from her other sister Namakoakaha "I (goddess of the oceans). When Pele finally reached the chain of craters on the Big Island, where the waves could no longer reach her, she danced the first hula dance, which meant, that she defeated her sister.
Today, the patroness of hula is the goddess Laka, and she is mentioned most often when it comes to modern Hula.
However, the ancient hula in the Kahiko style usually dances "mele", which describe the story of only two sisters - Hi "aka and Pele.
The Kahiko style is energetic, requiring strength and dexterity, and devoid of such gentle movements and fluidity familiar to us. He dances with a stern look and rather sharp movements - in tribute to his gods and roots (pay attention to the photo - what kind of look and gestures does a woman (wahine) dance in the kahiko style).
Dancing in this style is not easy - but that's exactly what the true Hawaiian hula is.
Dancers-Peacekeepers, or the shamanic clan of Ariori
It is known that until 1200 (that is, until, which, in fact, carried out a cultural and religious revolution on the islands), there was a special Ariori shamanic clan, and the direction in which they worked was called PEACEKEEPING.
All its members owned such arts as:
- the art of LIVING IN PEACE WITH YOURSELF,
- CREATE HARMONIOUS RELATIONSHIPS between individuals,
- AND ALSO between people and nature and within nature itself.
The respect for the Ariori shamans was so great that FOR THE TIME OF THEIR PRESENCE ALL WARS STOP (!).
Retelling myths and legends, they reminded the belligerents of their common roots and destiny on this earth, and the jokes they used (sometimes obscene and irreverent) made the opponents realize the perniciousness of enmity.
It is the FOCUS ON BRINGING PEACE that is the DIFFERENT FEATURE of the shamans of Polynesia.
Whereas most shamans in other countries follow the Way of the Warrior, concentrating on developing strength and conquering oneself -
Polynesian shamans follow the path that the kahuna of the twentieth century. Serge Kahili King in his book "City Shaman" calls the Way of the Adventurer, which means to be focused on love, in Hawaiian aloha, and the discovery of one's own "I".
At that time there was only one dance troupe. It consisted only of men, and the men were kahuna (that is, each of them was a master and could teach). This troupe danced at the court of the current supreme leader, and then the king of the islands.
Her responsibilities included such amazing tasks as:
1) the appearance of the heir to the leader / king (i.e. maintaining the childbearing functions of the couple),
2) and the maintenance of peace and prosperity in Hawaii (i.e., the creation and maintenance of a certain cultural and spiritual atmosphere in the government and people by the power of their skills and knowledge).
How was it possible for the dance to achieve such a mystical effect?
The same kahuna Serge Kahili King talks about it like this:"As for the SACRED HULA DANCE, the performer would go into a kind of trance state, meditating on the image of the deity, the spirit, or the content of the dance before performing.
The dance itself was an elaborate choreographic production, impact force about was determined by the dancer's ability to ENTER THE STATE corresponding to the story told by the dance - for example, states of love, conflict-free relationships, gratitude, joy, etc.
This is how the transfer of KNOWLEDGE from kahuna to ordinary people took place.
Because the TRUE PURPOSE OF HOLY blasphemy is to educate and inspire the public."
That is why in ancient times anyone could dance Hula kapu- prohibited (analogue taboo in New Zealand). This art was sacred, Kahiko Hula was danced only by Kumu Hula (teachers) and students trained and initiated into Hula dancers.
Kumu Hula, in fact, performed the tasks of priests in ancient Hawaii (not only them, but they included).
And, since before 1820. Hawaiians did not have a written language, Kumu Hula were responsible for preserving the genealogy of the royal family, the history of significant battles, the history and culture of the people, as well as stories from the life of their gods and goddesses.
That is why hula kahiko was taught only to those who were worthy of this knowledge (the potential of the candidates determined the kahuna). As a rule, his knowledge was passed down from generation to generation. For the family itself and for the child, from that day on, the study of hula received the main priority, and the secrets of the art of hula were to be kept strictly in it, without going beyond the family.
The children selected for training were taken from their families and lived in Halau, a hula school, with their teacher - just as in India children were given to guru training. These schools have always been located in secluded places, emphasizing the sacredness of the knowledge received. The students practiced strict discipline from the start, dancing almost to the point of exhaustion.
My mentor Kumu Kaipo said that her mother taught her how to dance hula from the age of 3, forcing her to hone just one basic movement ka "o (!) For 4 hours every day.
Then, when the Kumu Hula were satisfied with the work of their students, a big lu "au festival was going to be held, and Kahiko was performed for all spectators.
Kumu Hula sings the song oli in a special recitative and beats the rhythm, and his students dance Kahiko with military precision and severity - as if they are going to battle. At the end of the dance, all men sing in unison with the beginning of the song oli, from which the dance began.
Today, this ancient form of hula is still performed, which is a source of pride for the Hawaiians themselves.
Oli is the singing while dancing of the story song itself, which is called mele.
Therefore, it happens that such a rhythmic dance accompanied by singing is called "Mele Hula", which means "song-dance", or "Kahiko", but the correct name is "Hula Kahiko".
Tools and clothes for hula kahiko
Each Kahiko hula dance was dedicated to one of the ancient gods, praising them and their deeds. He was usually accompanied by the ancient song mele and performed only to these ancient Hawaiian instruments:
The clothes at that time for male dancers were loincloths, for women - short skirts (another reason for the ban on dancing with the advent of Christians). Modern mid-calf pow skirts, like grass skirts, did not exist until the end of the 19th century.
But all the elements of jewelry, incl. traditional flower garlands - lei, as well as bracelets and necklaces - were. After the dance, the lei were brought to the altar of the goddess Laka, the patroness of the hula, as a gift.
Hula Kahiko today
Today, the Kumu Hula are no longer priests, but they are still highly revered among the Hawaiians as guardians of their rich culture and history. Also, today, the study of hula in Hawaii occurs only through apprenticeship in the schools of Halau, that is, exclusively direct transmission, with the initiation of Hula at the altar of the goddess Laka in the final. Actually, the apprenticeship itself has remained practically unchanged, with the exception of one thing: now women can also study and dance hula.This change is said to have taken place centuries ago when, with the arrival of Paao, the islands entered a long period of wars for power, and men were at war. However, traditional hula movements are still strong. The mood can be softer, but still very serious in tribute to tradition.
Find a cultural center and ask around where Hula Kahiko is performed. Let the rhythm of the mele permeate your being and let the hula enliven your soul.
Do not consider such a search too difficult - on the contrary, showing a gesture of respect for a foreign culture, you will open the hearts of the keepers of Hawaiian wisdom to meet you - after all, who would not want to make friends with people who show interest in your culture?
Hula (hula) - Hawaiian dance accompanied by a chant known as mele. There are several types of dance:
kahiko (kahiko) - an ancient type of hula dance, which was performed before the appearance of the first Europeans in the Hawaiian Islands; auana (ʻauana) - a type of hula that was formed in XIX-XX centuries under influence Western influence. The performance of this type of hula is accompanied by singing and playing the "Western" musical instruments: guitar, ukulele and double bass.
Hula dance history
Several legends survive in Hawaiian mythology that tell of the origin of the dance. According to one of them, the hula was created by the Hawaiian goddess Laka on the island of Molokai, not far from the sacred site of Kaana. According to another story, the hula dance was invented by a hero named Hiiaka, who tried to calm his angry sister, the volcano goddess Pele, with his dance. According to a third legend, the hula was invented by the goddess Pele herself, who was trying to escape her sister Namakaokahai (goddess of the oceans). Finding the island of Hawaii, where she was not threatened by sea waves, she climbed onto one of the craters and danced the first hula dance in honor of her victory.
With the arrival of American Protestant missionaries on the islands in 1820, hula was banned as a pagan dance. The same ban was followed by the aliyas, representatives of the Hawaiian aristocracy. However, during the reign of King David Kalakaua (1874-1891), who paid great attention preserving Hawaiian traditions, the dance was revived. Subsequent patronage of the dance came from Princess Ruth Keelikolani, who gave great importance the revival of a dying ancestral culture under the onslaught of foreigners and Western influence. As a result, it was created special kind hula, kui (translated from the Hawaiian language - “a mixture of old and new”). At the beginning of the 20th century, the hula tradition underwent significant changes due to the influx of numerous tourists to the Hawaiian Islands. As a result, hula has become one of Hawaii's tourist attractions and attractions.
Hula Kahiko
Kahiko, which generally refers to forms of hula dancing dating from before 1893 that do not use modern musical instruments, includes a wide variety of styles and forms of performance, from the solemn variety to the rather frivolous one. A significant part of the khula of that period was invented to praise the traditional leaders, so they were performed either in their honor or for their entertainment. Among the varieties of kahiko, alaapapa (ʻālaʻapapa), haa (haʻa), olapa (ʻolapa) and others are distinguished.
Part of the hula was performed at various religious holidays and ceremonies that took place on the territory of the Hawaiian heiau temples. At the same time, any mistake of the performer during the dance was considered bad sign. Therefore, all Hawaiians who were trained in hula were isolated from the world and placed under the protection of the goddess Laka. The dance school was called halau (hālau), and the teachers were called kumu (kumu; kumu is translated as “source of knowledge”).
When performing the dance, the dancers were divided into two groups. The first group, or olapa (olapa), united dancers who made active movements (sometimes accompanied by music); the second group, or hoopa (hoopaʻa), consisted of performers who sat on the ground or knees, played musical instruments and played an active part in singing. On a signal from the kumu, who was sitting in the hoopaa group, poo-puaa (poo-puaʻa), the leader of the olapa group, began singing the mele song, which resembled a monotonous reading. Subsequently, Kumu himself joined him, like all dancers. The main motive for the songs were various love stories, as well as appeals to natural forces and nature in general.
The dance was accompanied by the playing of traditional Hawaiian instruments:
- yipu - Hawaiian drum from a pumpkin;
- ipu-heke - double Hawaiian gourd drum;
- pahu - a drum with a shark skin membrane;
- puniu - a small knee drum, which was made from a hard coconut shell, with a fish skin membrane;
- or or - a volcanic stone, undermined by water and used as castanets;
- uliuli;
- puili - bamboo drumsticks;
- kalaau - sticks for beating the rhythm.
When performing the dance, the dancers wore special clothes. Women wore a pau skirt (pāʻū), remaining bare-breasted. The performers also adorned themselves with numerous bracelets (including anklets), necklaces, and Hawaiian decoration lei. Men wore loincloths, or little (malo), and various ornaments.
Currently, a variety of hula kahiko is performed to historical chants.
Hula kahiko is ancient form Hawaiian dances that require strict movement and discipline. The dance is historically performed by men, but modern performances and competitions are held by both men and women. Hula kahiko differs from hula auana, the modernized dance is complemented by music and flowing movements. In practice, the dancers perform hula kahiko movements using instruments and wearing accessories reminiscent of ancient Hawaii and were used as tribute to thank the hula goddess.
Hula Dance Instructions and Steps Kahiko
1. Swing your hips from left to right and front to back. Full path to hip movement should resemble shape 8.
2. Raise your legs slightly off the ground with each reciprocating movement of your hips. This combination is the basic hula movement of kahiko.
3. Listen to the singer and percussionist. As the rhythm speeds up and slows down, adjust the pace with your hips and legs.
4. Stepping out with one foot, extend your arms in the same direction as your feet. Repeat this movement in the order you choose to step left, right, and front. After each extension, bring your body back to the center and resume the basic movements.
5. Sit on the ground and raise your hands in the air, and then lift your body up and resume the basic movements. Do this by following the rhythm of the singer and percussionist. Do this as soon as the background noise gets softer, slower and more dramatic.
6. Clap your hands or chopsticks or flat stones together. This mimics the sounds made by ancient kahiko hula dancers through instruments made from bamboo, stones and gourds.
7. Repeat steps 4 to 6 in the order you choose. Listen to the singing and drumming, and move in response to the noise. Remember that the celhula kahiko will become a character and help tell the story.
Modern dances hula kahiko are performed in groups. In these cases, the dances are choreographed rather than interpreted.
What is a "hip rotation"?!
Ami, or hip rotation, is one of the basic movements in the hula dance. In ami, you should be able to move your hips around. Getting your hips to move in a circular motion takes a little skill and practice. Once you have mastered the basic skills involved in doing hip circles, you can dance the hula in place or while rotating in a circle.
Rotations in hula
Instructions
1. Bend your knees so that they point directly over your toes. Keep your torso straight and possibly keep your hips relaxed.
2. Distribute your body weight equally between both legs.
3. Position your hands in a relaxed fist and hold them from your hip.
4. Move your hips to the right, front, left and then back, allowing the legs and knees to remain flexible. Don't take a step. Move your feet naturally with movement as you dance Ami.
5. Keep your hips under your body. In Ami, your torso is meant to be immobile. If you move your hips too far to one side, your torso will begin to change. If this happens, make the hips circle smaller and harder.6. Practice steps on both sides of the body until you feel comfortable. Ami hula dancers have a wide range of hip movement that creates a circular motion when turning.
7. We are in a movement called Ami. Therefore, it is very important that your hips make a full circle. Good. From above - one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, seven increases with right foot. Let's try this corner. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Let's try this corner. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Another thing that is very important in hula is to bend your knees. You want to keep your knees nice and bent because it's easier to do the action of the hips. Let's try again slowly. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven.
Hula Auana
The modern version of hula is a synthesis of ancient dance forms with Western practices. The most significant influence on the dance was Christian morality, as well as western music. Although the main theme of the awan remains various stories, however, more contemporary events may be chosen as the motive. At the same time, the costumes of the performers became less revealing.
The dance is accompanied by music on such modern instruments how:
- ukulele, or ukulele;
- guitar
- electric guitar;
- various bass instruments.
Hula dance for fitness
Hula dancing is believed to have originated over a thousand years ago. The Hulatan tradition was part of a Hawaiian ceremony where dancers told a story through their movements. Hula dance styles include traditional and modern, and hula is often performed as entertainment in a Polynesian show. Learning the graceful movements of the hula dance is also a great fitness regimen that provides Good work cardiovascular system and helps tone the hips and abdomen.
Instructions
1. Take a lesson in hula. You don't have to be in Hawaii to find hula dancing lessons. There is a class community dance studios and fitness centers that teach hula dancing for fitness. Consider buying a hula dance instructional DVD. Many DVDs include aerobic hula dance moves to make the workout more difficult.
2. Familiarize yourself with the basics. Hula dance moves. The hula dance consists of several basic steps and it is very important to learn the basics before moving on to combinations. Learn the names and how to perform kaholo, hele, kao, uwehe and lele to get started.
3. Moving the hips. The hula dance involves swinging the hips in combination with the movements of the arms and legs. It may seem difficult at first, coordinating all the movements at the same time, but with time they can be performed.
4. Use traditional Hawaiian music. Listening to the music of the island will help you develop the rhythm of the movements. Practice feet with music.
5. Increasing the intensity. Increase in movement speed. Create routines to prevent boredom. Make different combinations dance moves together. You don't have to make every move perfect. The goal is to get good workout in your hula dance.
6. Luck. Workouts should not be a chore, and hula dance fitness is interesting way get in shape. Dress up as a traditional hula dancer. Wear lei and a grass skirt. Do the dance for 20 to 30 minutes a few times a week to reap the fitness benefits.
Stretch before the start of the hula dance. Pay special attention to stretching the hip and back.
Hula dance interpretation
The hula dance originated in the Hawaiian Islands. The dance form was developed by the Polynesian settlers and was originally associated with their religion. After the missionaries arrived, blasphemy was banned until the reign of King David Kalakaua. The dancers used the hula dance as a way of telling a story from the Hawaiian culture. The hula can be interpreted even if you don't know the Hawaiian language.
How to interpret the hula dance?
Instructions
1. Listen to mele. Poetry and texts, called mele, are accompanied by music in the Hula dance. The mele contains cultural information such as prayers, love songs or name chants. The type of mele used in the hula dance helps define the hula style. Modern hula dances are often translated from Hawaiian into English.
2. Watch your arms and shoulder gestures. They are provided to help you interpret the mele. The dancers perform specific gestures, representing various elements from life such as wind, fire and water. Gestures can also represent plants, animals, or events such as war.
3. Pay attention to the legs, which are the activation of the hula pattern. The motives include stepping from side to side, swirling at the hips, stepping back and forth, and stepping in place. The foot motifs follow the pattern in rhythm and generally change to reflect changes in the chalk, such as a moment of narration or a pause between verses.
4. Take a hula dance class. There are over 300 types of hula, and each variety has unique characteristics. When teaching the hula dance, the dancer uses genealogy, or decent teaching in form. You will also learn hand and hand gestures and how they relate to specific concepts. Dance schools in the mainland often offer hula classes.
Hula dancing traditional folk dances Hawaiian Islands, and it's like a belly dance - the hip and stomach are closely related to it. Learn the correct techniques for hula dancing with a demonstration from a dance instructor in this folk dance video. Learn to dance to "Tiny Bubbles"
What is shown in the video is an attempt to teach you the basic moves of the hula dance. The song is called "Tiny Bubbles" I think everyone knows what this song means - Aloha: tiny bubbles in wine makes me happy, I feel great, tiny bubbles makes me feel warm all over my body and I will love you until the end of time .
And a few more words about the Hula dance
Hula is a folklore dance. In order to dance the hula dance correctly, you must make sure that your gestures match the content of the song you are dancing to. Hand gesture practice famous song The "Hukilau Song", which combines both Hawaiian and English lyrics, is good way make sure you do what you want to get in your dance.
Hula dance. Hula instructions on Hukilau song
1. Focus on the first stanza of the song, which is, “Oh, we're going to hukilau; huki, huki, huki, hukilau; Everyone loves hukilau. If laulau is kau kau on a big luau" The first stanza is also a chorus.
2. Point somewhere by bringing right hand loose in the fist, but leaving thumb free. Gesture over your shoulder with your thumb twice in time with the music.
3. Show hukilau with hands, making movements approximately at the level of the thigh. First, gesture twice in right side and then do it two times to the left.
4. Emphasize "all" ways of crossing your arms low in front of you, sweeping them over your head and gesturing them back to neutral. Then repeat your "hukilau" gesture Step 3.
5. Illustrate the food that is served after the hukilau by drawing a hand in front of you and overlapping hands. Make the fish look like a hand gesture to show that laulau, a festive Hawaiian dish, is made from fish.
6. Hold your right arm outstretched forward and palm up. Gather the first 2 fingers of your left hand right palm and bring them to your lips to mimic food, because 'kau kau' is the Hawaiian word for food.
7. Repeat the "everyone" gesture from step 4 to show that everything will be in a big Luau.
8. Listen to the second stanza which reads, “We will throw our nets into the sea. And all the food will be in the pool for me.”
9. Mimingly glancing to the left, bringing the hands in front of your face and then down to shoulder level.
10. Create an effect sea waves, keeping the arms extended in front of you and making undulating movements with them. Start the wave on the left and move them all over your body to the right side.
11. Show ama ama, a kind of fish, by making the same gesture as you did in section 1, step 5 for laulau.
12. Emphasize that fish swim in clean water moving your arms as if you were doing a breaststroke. Repeat the movement twice to the beat of the music.
13. Repeat step 1 to dance the chorus that comes after the second stanza.
Listen to "The Song of Hukilau" to understand the overall narrative of the song before you dance to it. It's about about the old Hawaiian method of catching fish with a large net, that the number of people will be greater than the simple way of catching fish.
When your hand is not expressing something, keep your hands in a fist resting loosely on your hip.
This is just one of the ways to stage "Song of Hukilau". Some hula choreographers can tell the same story in different ways, just as we can use different words to tell the same story.
Light parquet to you and see you on the pages
Sincerely, Denis Panchul
The Hawaiian hula dance is associated worldwide with Hawaiian culture and has essentially become synonymous with the islands themselves. According to island legends, the first hula dancers were the gods, who then taught this art to their followers.
The origins of hula - sacred ceremonies
The hula dance was originally developed as part of religious traditions islands Pacific Ocean, and in some respects it is historically associated with Asian dances. The traditional form of hula was originally called "Hula kahiko" and was used to entertain the rulers. In this dance there were many movements that carried quite certain meaning: starting from the worship of various elements of nature, and to the praise of the fertility of the leader of the tribe. The different steps of the hula dance have different meanings, although most of them have been lost over the centuries.
Hawaiians take the hula process very seriously, because if dancers make mistakes during ceremonial performances, then the expected positive effect of the dance is negated. Not only that, a dance that was performed imperfectly is also considered an omen of bad luck.
Hula suits
Today, hula dancers wear coconut bras, wreaths, and grass skirts to dance. This was the result of the hypocrisy of the first Western travelers, who were shocked by the real Hawaiian costumes. In fact, women danced topless because women's breasts were not considered something shameful. Also, the hula dancers wore pā "ū skirts, which were everyday wear, not grass skirts. Sometimes they wound several meters of colored matter called tapa around their hips. The only thing that remained common in clothes compared to past costumes was necklaces, bracelets and flower wreaths.The dancers (the hula was usually performed by both men and women) wore loincloths and wreaths of flowers, as did the women.Interestingly, the wreaths and tapas that were used for the dance were considered imbued with an aura of holiness. Therefore, they were not worn after the dance, but were sacrificed to the goddess Laka.
Religious discontent
In 1820, when American Protestant missionaries saw the dance, they found that the costumes and movements of the dancers aroused sexual feelings in them, despite the supposed sacred and innocent nature of the dance. So they insisted that blasphemy be prohibited. While the dance was banned in public for some time, it remained an integral part of the culture. King David Kalakaua and Princess Ruth Kilikolani played a very important role in the revival of traditional Hawaiian art and actually preserved the hula.
A PHOTO Getty Images
1. Stop the internal dialogue
Due to the fact that almost all movements in the dance are illogical, uncoordinated, arms and legs move simultaneously, but at different speeds, left hemisphere does not cope with so many "requests", lack of symmetry and logic. As a result, the work of the right and left hemispheres is harmonized. This process is healing in itself, but in addition, in Hula, every movement matters, every wave of the hand gives birth to a living image. It turns out a kind of meditation in motion - the Hula performer in the dance can talk about the beauty of the island, about the weather, about life on Earth, imitating the sun, sea, mountains, earth, trees, rain, rainbows, birds.
2. Hula - a Polynesian antidepressant
Hawaiian poetry lacks the sadness inherent in our culture, with each song they celebrate life, sing the beauty of the island or tell a happy love story. The dancer's task is to tell it truthfully, even if the mood is not very good, it's winter outside and the sun is gone More than a month! Dancing, it is impossible not to get involved in this game, so classes are fun, and a smile, without which Hula is not Hula, does its job, awakening the brain and body to joyful activity.
It turns out that Hula revitalizes us physically, emotionally and energetically, returns a state of pleasant excitement, gives an aftertaste from the dance. Immersion in light and good stories Hawaiian songs, sometimes reminiscent of a fairy tale, heal, switch attention and charge with joy, love and gratitude for oneself, for others, for nature, for the world.
3. Feeling the flow and developing femininity
All the movements of the hula dance are very natural, they relax, slow down, ground, center and teach balance. By finding balance in movement physically, we also find emotional balance. Being grounded gives you contact with reality, your own impulses, and self-confidence. Centering brings us closer to contact with ourselves, a sense of integrity, we begin to hear ourselves, our feelings and experiences. By teaching our body the smooth and wide movements of the ancient Hawaiian dance, we change the stereotypes of movement, we begin to look at life around us in a new way. At some point, control weakens, the body begins to move by itself in the flow of dance, following the images, beautiful story and soft music.
4. The art of self-expression
In our society, it is not customary to show emotions, we hide them deep inside, and over time, some of them turn into muscle clamps or stiff masks on our faces. Often we are not aware of how we feel. And as in life stressful situations a lot, and many of us do not know how to express emotions and relax, as a result we are in constant physical and emotional stress. It robs us of our strength.
Hula teaches you to understand yourself and express your emotions. “Whatever you feel, manifest,” the Hawaiians say. Playing feelings in the dance, we become softer, lighter and at the same time we are released from the old clamps. Each Hula dance is an expression of feelings through movements, where not the technique of movement is important, but emotions. Hawaiians say: if the dancer tells the story sincerely, then the eyes of the people who watch change - love enters them.
