Today's Hula show in review
Jun. 13th, 2006 11:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
la_belle_laide
And the show ended up being lovely. LONG, arduous (turned into two shows, actually,) but entirely worth it and lots of fun.
The most unusual thing I did was to make my own haku lei out of honeysuckle and roses. It didn't keep as well as I'd have liked (I put it in the freezer to kill off any ticks and ended up freezer burning it,) but it still looked really nice and I actually wore it for my kahiko set. If I have some time tomorrow, I might go to the beach and throw it in the water.
The best part was that Lao Shir, my Kung Fu teacher (one of them,) was there. (Her Mom lives at the place we performed.) We got to chat and catch up, she seemed to really love the show, and then afterwards she told me I had done a great job and she was very impressed. *WHEW!* When I first found out (from her Mom, who I just met,) that she was coming, I got nervous. Lao Shir is the kind of person everyone wants to impress. After the set was over and we had chatted for a while, she had to leave. And before she left we both turned at the same time and bowed like in class. I thought that was so neat I wished everyone saw it, because I am a doofus like that.
The funniest moment--in retrospect at least--was me trying to get this one lady's wheelchair up the concrete step after she had come down onto the grass for audience participation. First of all I figured I'd just try to lift it with her in it. I have no idea why I tried that. Then she got up (this took a few tries,) and I tried lifting the wheelchair. It was one of those motorized ones and weighed about a ton. Finally this one guy came over to help, and between us we got the wheels up. Then the lady instructed me how to move it forward, and while standing behind it I pressed the lever, and let me tell you, those biddies go fast. It got away from me and almost crashed into the table, but I stopped it just before it hit. I could see Lao Shir totally laughing a few tables away.
The weirdest moment came in the dressing room, which was really the women's locker. It was nice, spacious, clean, had a bathroom and hooks to hang up clothes ... and also a shower for people coming out of the pool. Imagine my surprise when I walked in to get my stuff to set up and there was a 90 year old woman walking around in her bra and panties. "Oh my god I AM SO SORRY!" O_o;;
The other weirdest moment was this guy in the front row and to my left side who watched both of my sets and the part where I did the audience participation, and talked the entire time about what great shape I was in. I don't think he knew I could hear him. He had to be in his late 60s or early 70s or something. He didn't sound smarmy, and it didn't freak me out because he said everything so matter of factly, but it was still a little odd. He just kept talking about me, and it started out with "that girl must be in good shape" and "I can't imagine doing that," and then just escalated to stuff like, "Wow, look at those back muscles," and "what a shape that girl has" and "that's how all girls should be shaped." Which, aside from sounding like he was talking about cattle, also made me think he was referring to the fact that I am NOT skinny. "That's how all girls should be shaped" kind of implies, "Not skinny like all those models." Which is fine, as I don't honestly want to look like that (seriously, I'll take my hard-earned muscles anyday over ribs sticking out,) but it still seemed odd.
The funniest part, and I mean in terms of "that is so my life," was that there was this kind of cute young man walking around in an aloha shirt. (There were actually quite a few young people there, staff and family I guess.) He wasn't stunning, but he had a cute face that I liked, and for the first hour that I walked around in my 'auana dress I tried to catch his eye. Not for any other reason than to see if I could. (Weird fact: Kapunua has a hell of a lot more confidence than Jules.) He didn't look at me. He didn't come out to watch the show. It wasn't until right before my second set, when I walked from my makeshift dressing room to the show area in full Tahitian regalia, that he stopped me in the hall and said, "Wow, you look awesome. Who taught you to dance? Where'd you get that costume? How long have you been dancing? Is it hard? It looks hard. Are you going to go dance in that?" It's the headdress, I tell you. And maybe the twenty pounds of 'otea bark around my hips.
The only icky part was the roasted pig. It still had its head. I'm a vegetarian to begin with, but I don't wig out at the sight of meat. But when it still has its head on, I can't even bear to look at it. The manager tried to get me into a group picture with the staff in their Aloha shirts and skirts and whatnot, all around the dead pig. I outright refused. I wasn't trying to be a prima donna, but I just couldn't be next to the poor thing.
It was really nice working with Olivia. The show was a strenuous one (I chose all the most authentic and difficult Hulas I know,) but the atmosphere was casual. I could joke around with the audience ("Keep drinking; I'll be the best dancer you've ever seen!" and, "I think I left my butt somewhere back there...") and it was all right if the wrong song came on for a few seconds.
After the loooong set was over, we went back to the dressing room to pack up and leave. We passed by the cafe and there was a group of people sitting there wondering when the show was. When they found out they had missed it, they were all very disappointed. So as Olivia and I were still in our 'auana dresses, we just set up the iPod (and boy, I really need one of those babies,) and did a little 20 or so minute set in the cafe. The people there were delighted they at least got to see something, and it felt so nice to give them that little gift.
What I love about dancing for old people is that many of them have been to Hawai'i, some of them were there a long time ago and maybe remember what it was like before it was covered in hotels and dancers wearing coconuts and plastic skirts. Sometimes they have a better perception of what Hawai'i used to be--even like 50 or so years ago--than I do. I have been there, but the only depth of understanding I have is what I can hear in the ancient mele, and what the Kumu Hulas tell me about what Hawai'i truly is. That's what I want to represent. That's why I choose the mele that I do and not the cheesy stuff. Those older generation people though, they do have some awesome stories. More people should listen to them.
Anyway, pictures:
Me, in 'auana dress:
Olivia dancing:
Me in Tahitian 'otea:
Me in the dressing room mirror, because I like these weird, blurry shots where you can't really see me:
Pau!
Much fun.
ETA: NOTE TO SELF! You have lost ten pounds since fitting that 'otea skirt. Adjust it next time so you don't keep tripping over it and hoping it doesn't fall!
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no subject
Date: 2006-06-14 03:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-14 03:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-14 03:37 am (UTC)Absolutely fabulous.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-14 03:43 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-14 04:49 am (UTC)I'd love to, too bad my circumstances suck so bad.
*totally took the wind out of my complement there too...
no subject
Date: 2006-06-14 02:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-14 03:52 am (UTC)Have a great time!
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Date: 2006-06-14 03:57 am (UTC)BTW, I just friended you again. Why is it that I'm always seeming to add you yet you're never showing up on my f-list? O_o
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Date: 2006-06-14 04:02 am (UTC)PS: One baby made it and has left the nest. We every now and then see a robin we think might be it. Also Mama laid 3 new eggs in the same nest but a blackbird got them. :(
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Date: 2006-06-14 04:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-14 04:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-14 02:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-15 02:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-15 03:07 am (UTC)