Hula dancing videos and lessons

Hula is a dance developed by the original settlers of the Hawaiian Islands, the Polynesians. The Hula, which originally was used as part of native religious programs, is performed as an interpretation of a song or chant, known as a mele. The Hula was developed in, and is distinctive to, the Hawaiian Islands. Each movement in hula has a specific meaning, and each expression of the dancers’ hands has great significance.

When Captain Cook arrived in Hawaii in 1779 he was the first westerner to observe the dance, though the Polynesians had been dancing the Hula for years. When the missionaries arrived to the island chain in the 1830s, they were shocked by the open dancing of the Hula and convinced Queen Kaahumanu that the dance was evil. It became outlawed in the town and its popularity decreased sharply. In the 1870s, King Kalakaua made the Hula legal once again, and it has remained popular in the Hawaiian islands ever since.

The song, or mele, is sung like contemporary music with a lead voice and various harmony sections. The songs are oral histories of the Polynesian people, and together with the interpretive movements, communicate the human experience. Traditionally it was not the dancer's hands but the words that counted the most. Today, because so few understand the language of the chants, increased emphasis has been placed on movements and gestures.

There are two variations of the hula: the traditional “kahiko” and the contemporary “’auana”. In the traditional version, chants and traditional Polynesian instruments accompany the singer. In the contemporary version, the singer is matched with western-style instruments such as guitars, ukulele, and the bass.

Traditional Hula garb for the female dancers was a wrapped skirt without any breast coverings. For the males, a traditional loincloth, or “malo”, was common. More contemporary versions of the Hula, such as those performed at Hawaiian Resort hotels, have female dancers dressed in grass skirts with bikini tops, while males dancers wear either grass skirts or loincloths.

Since the 1970s Hawaiian Renaissance, the popularity of Hula as a tourist activity has increased dramatically. When traveling to Hawaii, it is a common tourist activity to partake in a Luau, complete with a Hula performance. The energetic interpretive dancing ensures a wonderful and entertaining evening for all guests involved.

Additionally, Hula lessons are taught at traditional schools called “halau” where students learn the complex art form of utilizing their hands and bodies to express the history and traditional stories through the use of Hula.

Due to its rise in popularity, many Hula festivals are celebrated each year in Hawaii, including: Ka Hula Piko, Merrie Monarch Festival, and the World Invitational Hula Festival. Additional Hula festivals also occur throughout the United States and Canada.