Hula seminar day one so far...

On Wednesday before we all left for this seminar, we got an email from Aunie Cheryl telling us that Kumu George Holokai (Kumu to the Kumus as he is known) had become illand was in the hospital, unable to come and teach us, but that his alaka'i and cousin, Johnette, would teach in his place. Claudine and I (and most people) had signed up for his two hour lecture last night, as well (Keali'i's, too,) and Johnette had to give the lecture, too. So there we sat, with Johnette seeming very down with a lot on her mind, as she told us the story of Kumu George's life and Hula. About twenty minutes into it, I nudged Claudine and wrote in my notebook to her, "This sounds like a eulogy." It was. Johnette told us a few minutes later that Kumu George had died Wendesday night. Shocking, but still not entirely unexpected by the way she had seemed when talking about him. So that opens up this trip on a pretty major downer. I never met the guy, but he was well loved in the community and Il sorry I never did get a chance to study with him.

Keali'i's lecture was superfly interesting, on the place names of Maui. I know it might now sound interesting, but in Hawai'i place names have very specific meanings, and they actually gave me some cool story ideas, too.

Today was Johnette's class, and she seemed entirely overwhelmed, which is to be expected. She hadn't planned on teaching this, and certainly not without her kumu and family member. The first two dances, thugh not too compex, did have a lot of weird an dunexpected rhythm changes, and therefore (because most Hula is in 4X4 or 2X4 all the way through,) some bizarre weight shifts between verses. It was confusing and not a little frustrating. The second song is really cool, though, so I hope I can remember it from my rushed notes.

Tonigh is ho'ike. We're not performing, but we do at least get to relax and watch everyone else perform, so that's nice for us. Aww, who am I kidding, I really wanted to perform and I wish we were. >_> Claudine is not so keen on it.

Tomorrow we've got Keali'i's class, and it ends up that he's teaching one song that I've wanted to learn since the first time I heard it. It's on of his own, a very naughty mele ho'oipoipo, which is a song about doing it. (Claudine says, "Call it a song about the embrace of your lover or something!" I tell her, "But it's not about that. It's about doing it, plain and simple." Truly. The kauna is barely kauna, it's all right out there. "Don't make noise while I'm groping you, or you'll wake up the birds" kinda thing.) It is a totally fun and adorable song. Then after that is his 'uli number. We don't have music for that one oddly enough. Looks like I'm going to learn how to chant it and then record that. It's also a hula noho, meaning, on your knees. And since w're only learning it, it's on your knees for hours. In Hula noho, you don't get to rest your butt on your heels, either, and you rarely get to kneel straight up. So figure that one. You're holding all your upper body weight in your thighs. For hours. But he does let us have breaks, or atleast that's what the students he had today are saying.

Now, WTF with livejournal being down? How the hell am I supposed to post this?

Hula seminar day one so far...

On Wednesday before we all left for this seminar, we got an email from Aunie Cheryl telling us that Kumu George Holokai (Kumu to the Kumus as he is known) had become illand was in the hospital, unable to come and teach us, but that his alaka'i and cousin, Johnette, would teach in his place. Claudine and I (and most people) had signed up for his two hour lecture last night, as well (Keali'i's, too,) and Johnette had to give the lecture, too. So there we sat, with Johnette seeming very down with a lot on her mind, as she told us the story of Kumu George's life and Hula. About twenty minutes into it, I nudged Claudine and wrote in my notebook to her, "This sounds like a eulogy." It was. Johnette told us a few minutes later that Kumu George had died Wendesday night. Shocking, but still not entirely unexpected by the way she had seemed when talking about him. So that opens up this trip on a pretty major downer. I never met the guy, but he was well loved in the community and Il sorry I never did get a chance to study with him.

Keali'i's lecture was superfly interesting, on the place names of Maui. I know it might now sound interesting, but in Hawai'i place names have very specific meanings, and they actually gave me some cool story ideas, too.

Today was Johnette's class, and she seemed entirely overwhelmed, which is to be expected. She hadn't planned on teaching this, and certainly not without her kumu and family member. The first two dances, thugh not too compex, did have a lot of weird an dunexpected rhythm changes, and therefore (because most Hula is in 4X4 or 2X4 all the way through,) some bizarre weight shifts between verses. It was confusing and not a little frustrating. The second song is really cool, though, so I hope I can remember it from my rushed notes.

Tonigh is ho'ike. We're not performing, but we do at least get to relax and watch everyone else perform, so that's nice for us. Aww, who am I kidding, I really wanted to perform and I wish we were. >_> Claudine is not so keen on it.

Tomorrow we've got Keali'i's class, and it ends up that he's teaching one song that I've wanted to learn since the first time I heard it. It's on of his own, a very naughty mele ho'oipoipo, which is a song about doing it. (Claudine says, "Call it a song about the embrace of your lover or something!" I tell her, "But it's not about that. It's about doing it, plain and simple." Truly. The kauna is barely kauna, it's all right out there. "Don't make noise while I'm groping you, or you'll wake up the birds" kinda thing.) It is a totally fun and adorable song. Then after that is his 'uli number. We don't have music for that one oddly enough. Looks like I'm going to learn how to chant it and then record that. It's also a hula noho, meaning, on your knees. And since w're only learning it, it's on your knees for hours. In Hula noho, you don't get to rest your butt on your heels, either, and you rarely get to kneel straight up. So figure that one. You're holding all your upper body weight in your thighs. For hours. But he does let us have breaks, or atleast that's what the students he had today are saying.

Now, WTF with livejournal being down? How the hell am I supposed to post this?