The Hula dance is always associated with Hawaii and while everyone is familiar with what the Hula is, unfortunately not all people even the Hawaiians are knowledgeable of where it came from. Hawaiian history states that there is no specific information that pinpoints of who performed the original Hula and why. However, it is a common belief that the first Hula dance was first performed by a god, thus making the dance very sacred to the Hawaiians. Despite several information that the hula dance was only performed by men, both sexes are performing the Hula dance and is very sacred to all Hawaiians.
There are quite several Polynesian dances but the Hula is unique and totally different with other dances in the whole world. Originally, the hula dance was used for ceremonies and rituals but this changed over the past years and now, the hula is used for entertainment.
Hula dancing is quite a challenging form of art. The Hula dance is a very sentimental dance and every moment of an individual’s body represents something. The hands also take part in the choreography of the hula. When one is dancing the hula, he or she may be portraying a palm tree, plants, war, and even animals. Because of this, an individual is transforming himself into an object that they are portraying. The hula dancer is a story teller through the movements of the hands and body, this is why it is very important to watch. Chants are also sung to accompany the dance. In the past, the chants were the most important part of the hula but now it is the movements who are watched carefully. If you watch a portrayal of the old hula and compare it with the new hula, you will see the difference. Both styles are fun to watch but the old hula dance is more ritualistic.
The performers of the hula wears a costume to dance the hula. The leis are made of flowers and is hanged around the neck or shoulders. A skirt made from grass is also used and is actually made of “pau” or tapa as what they locally call it. The dancers also have anklets which are made from whale bone or sometimes dog teeth. The whole costume makes the vision of a true hula dancer.
There are hula schools and organizations that teach the old style of hula dancing to both tourists and people from the mainland. This is because the hula dance is still an important part of their culture
If you try to visit Hawaii, no matter what island you choose to have your vacation, you will surely see a lot of hula dancers using the old style hula to the newer version of the hula dance. Regardless which style you prefer, you should never miss to attend dances or festivals that show both styles so that you can experience the performing arts of Hawaii, and you can learn about their culture, the people and their rich history. You will never know, you might end learning the hula yourself.