How to Interpret Hula Dancing

Hula dance originated in the Hawaii Islands. The dance form was developed by Polynesian settlers and originally was linked to their religion. After missionaries arrived, the hula was banned until the reign of King David Kalakaua. Dancers use the hula to tell the stories of Hawaiian culture. The hula can be interpreted even if you don't know the Hawaiian language.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Listen to the mele. Poetry or texts, called mele, accompany the music in a hula dance. Mele contains cultural information like prayers, love songs or name chants. The type of mele used in a hula dance helps determine the style of hula. Modern hula often translates the Hawaiian language into English.

2. Watch hand and arm gestures. These are choreographed to help you interpret the mele. The dancers specific gestures to represent the different elements in life like wind, fire and water. The gestures may also represent plants, animals or events like war.

3. Notice the foot motifs, which are the stepping pattern of the hula. Motifs include stepping side to side, circulating the hips, stepping forward and back and stepping in place. The foot motifs correspond to patterns in the rhythm and generally change to reflect changes in the mele like a narrative juncture or pause between verses.

4. Take hula classes. There are over 300 types of hula and each variety has unique characteristics. A trained hula dancer knows the genealogy, or decent, of the teaching by the forms used. You also learn the hand and arm gestures as they relate to specific concepts. Dance schools in the continental United States often offer hula classes.