Hula is the Hawaiian art of movement, dance, and storytelling. Hula began as a form of sacred devotion and became a key part of religious and cultural expression. Because the ancient Hawaiians had no written form of the language, hula and mele (chant) were the primary means through which history, myth, and culture were passed down from generation to generation.
Missionaries who came to Hawaii in the early 19th century suppressed the hula, denouncing it as a heathen practice. However, in the later part of the century, King David Kalākaua, known as the Merrie Monarch, reinstated the practice of hula. A renaissance of Hawaiian culture bloomed thereafter and has continued ever since.
Hula is rooted in the mele (chant) or song - each movement in a hula has a meaning correlating to the mele so that the dancer(s) becomes an expression of the story that is being told. Hula is typically divided into two broad categories: kahiko (ancient or tradititional) and 'auana (modern).
All students welcome. 7:30 - 8:30 pm for beginners; 8:30 - 9:30 pm advanced.
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Admission: Free for festival pass holders. Open to the public for $15 ($10 kama’āina). A valid Hawaii state-issued ID or driver’s license must be presented at festival check-in to receive kama’āina rates."
