Hula Thursdays...Wendy is Amazing !!!

We are proud to introduce Wendy as part of our Ohana !!
Please welcome her and sign up for classes Thursdays starting 1/14/10 from 8-9pm!
collective dance studio | riverpoint plaza 1730 w fullerton | chicago 60614


Biography – Wendy

Wendy was born and raised in Hawaii and has been dancing hula for over 25 years. She recently relocated to the Chicago area in August 2009. Wendy started dancing hula at the age of 5 with Halau Hula Olana, lead by Olana Ai. Her young hula career includes highlights such as winning Keiki Hula Competitions, entertaining for hotels and cruise ships in Waikiki, performing for the United Nations and President George Bush, and traveling around the world to dance the hula and share the Hawaiian culture.

Wendy attended Punahou School and assumed the very exclusive role of Holoku Pageant director. The Holoku Pageant is the only student run Hula and Polynesian dance recital of its kind in the State. She choreographed hula dances, designed costumes, organized music, and led the production.

While attending Cornell University, Wendy revived the Cornell Hawaii Club and was able to lead the production of an authentic Hawaiian luau in Ithaca, New York, that included traditional Hawaiian food, hula and other Polynesian dances. The Hawaiian luau became so popular that by the second year, they offered two different show times and both shows were sold out with a total of 400 people.

Wendy has taught hula in many different areas and enjoys sharing the Hawaiian culture especially when she’s so far from home. She welcomes students of all levels of experience to join her and feel the Aloha as they dance the hula.

Basic Hula and Tahitian Steps

You ask yourself, "How will I ever know these steps?" It may seem harder than it really is, but knowing the basic moves for Polynesian dancing brings you closer to the culture .
If you practice these steps 5-10min a day, study them in your car, or even quiz yourself before going to bed, you will eventually create your own choreography!
To learn these hot moves, stop in and take advantage of your First Class FREE when you mention this blog !!
See you in Class on Thursday with Ohana Entertainment

- Pômaikai! [POH' mai kah' ee] GOOD LUCK

::Hula Steps:: text from: http://www.kpohana.com/basichulasteps.html

Kaholo (vamp) take two steps to the right, bring your feet together, take two steps to the left, bring your feet together and repeat process all over again

Ami rotate hips in a counter-clockwise motion without moving shoulders

Sway swing your hips to the right and left

ami poe poe as you ami (counter-clockwise) you turn counter-clockwise keeping your left foot in its place and turn by stepping with your right foot

*do the opposite if you move correspondingly: clockwise ami to turn clockwise keeping your right foot in place and turn by stepping with your left foot

hela while keeping your stance straight extend your foot forward as you sway: extend your right foot as you sway to the left and extend your left foot as you sway to the right

kalakaua step forward and sway in the same direction

uwehe step and lift your heels; you should not be lifting you entire body, stay level as you uwehe so that only your legs are moving

lele uwehe make a side step, hela with the opposite foot and uwehe*step to the left, hela with the right foot and uwehe (vice versa)

kui take a small step and as your foot hits the ground your other foot sweeps up far enough to be level with your knee

tui (bump)a brupt sways
i lalo to go down

i luna to rise

lava stop

imua go forward

ihope go backward

::Tahitian Steps:: credit to: http://www.dance.net/u/kaleonahenahe
Afata- box (hips hit in the shape of a box)
Fa'arapu- stir hips fast circles ( hips move around in fast circles)
Fa'arori- varu fa'arapu (you do a fa'arapu in the shape of figure eight)
Fa'amenemene- ami fa'arapu (you do a big ami and a fa'arapu @ the same time)
Ope- you put one leg out and push and then the same to the other side
Ruru- freeze ( I normally refere to this move as a shimmy)
Nu'utere Ne'e- duck walk
Tamau- sway right, sway left (hips bump from side to side)
Te'i- on toes
Toma- double bump
Varu- figure eight (hips move in the shape of a figure eight the in parallel to the floor)

Join our halau (hula school)

Ohana Entertainment welcomes new students with open arms. Classes run at four week intervals, starting at the first Tuesday of each month.
A minimum of 5 registered students are required to hold a class in session.

For more info please click on the link and register early to confirm a spot !!

http://ohanaent.com/class.html
or fill out the enrollment form and email back to ohanaent@gmail.com