Courtesy of Sullivan StudiosCal Poly students can say “aloha” to Hawaiian culture through the beginning hula dancing class offered this summer.
The class, which is being sponsored by the Cal Poly Hawaii Club, is open to students and members of the public.
Instructor Sylvia Hambly explained that the hula is more than just a dance; it’s also a way to remember Hawaiian history.
“Before Hawaiian history was recorded in written form, it was passed down through stories and song,” Hambly said. “Hula added another dimension to this. It was combined with song and told a story through the hands. The Hawaiians are trying to preserve this bit of their culture (because) so much of it is being lost.”
Hambly, a Cal Poly accounting technician, said she was inspired to teach the class after she and her hula-dancing troupe, Na Mele O ke Kai, performed at the Spanos Theater in collaboration with the Multicultural Center.
“The performance sold out days before so it seemed to be a item of interest that isn’t being fulfilled,” Hambly said. “The need (wasn’t) being met to bring this awareness to the general public and so I thought ‘Well, this is a university, so what better place to educate people regarding hula and its history?'”
Hambly stood before a recent class and instructed them in the flowing movements of dances with names like Kaholo, Hela and Oniu.
“Shoulders. Butt tucked in. Back on the heels. I’m moving from here,” said Hambly, pointing at her hips. “Getting that dip is not like a bell swinging.”
The class consisted of 13 women of all ages, who had kicked off their sneakers, heels and sandals and were now visibly laboring on enacting the rhythmic motions. The lyrical strains of Hawaiian music drifted out from the speakers.
Holuklani Antuna, a dancer with Na Mele O ke Kai and one of the assistant teachers for the class, said it’s important for students to be patient with the dance, which can look deceptively easy until they try it for themselves.
“When you first start out and you don’t get it, you feel like ‘Oh am I doing it right? Do I look funny?'” said Antuna, a freshman majoring in nursing at Cuesta College. “It’s just being able to be patient. It takes time. Just practice, practice, practice.”
Hambly agreed, adding that hula requires a lot from its dancers.
“It’s not something (students) are going to master in these 10 weeks,” Hambly said. “It’s an ongoing process. You (need to) develop the strength in your legs and in your arms.
There is also a finesse that is required with the hand movement, (but) most of all, it’s control and discipline because you have to have discipline to practice and acquire the skills.”
Sure enough, by the time the hour class was over, most of the women were sweating. They were also smiling sweaty grins as they exited the class.
“This is a chance for me to evoke the memories I had as a child, plus it’s good exercise,” said Sharon Dobson, a Cal Poly business lecturer who spent six years in Hawaii. “As I’m dancing, what helps me keep with the rhythm and do a lot of the moves is just thinking about the ocean and the swaying. It also brings me to that place which allows me to relax. I just taught so I was stressed. I’m on a totally different level right now.”
The beginning hula class is being offered every Tuesday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. through August 26. The cost is $45 for students and recent graduates and $70 for the general public. It does not count for college credit.