Hui O Hula

Hui O Hula, the LW Hawaiian dance club, welcomes anyone who is interested in learning the hula. Classes are given twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, at 1 p.m. Tuesday’s class is held upstairs at Clubhouse 6 and Thursday’s class is taught at Veteran Plaza (or inside Clubhouse 3 when it’s cold and windy).

The particulars of hula dancing involve the hands, face, hips and legs. It is with the hands that the story is described; the face/eyes give expression to the story; the gentle movements of the feet and the swaying of the hips keep the beats and rhythm. Not only is hula gentle to the body, but it also helps cognitive functioning while dancers try to remember the story or lyrics of each songs.

Hui O Hula dancers welcome newcomer Mee Jung Mc Partland. “MeeMee” and husband, Richard, moved into Mutual 7 from Hacienda Heights in 2020. Here in LW, both enjoy playing pingpong. MeeMee likes jewelry-making and knitting, while Richard is an assistant instructor to the popular ukulele class with Aloha Club’s president and instructor Larry Yamashiro. Richard and MeeMee are faithful members of the Calvary Mission Church in Buena Park. MeeMee belongs to the OC Korean Parkinson Group. Her hula family looks forward to the opportunity to share their aloha in a hula performance with her church in March.

Beginners may come at 12:30 on Tuesday when hula sisters Keiko Kawamoto and Susan Cucci demonstrate the fundamental steps before class. The hula should be danced barefoot. Bring soft booties or socks because the floor can be cold during the winter. Those who cannot stand may sit while dancing. This hula style is called hula noho. Noho means sit or stay in Hawaiian. For more information on classes, call 562-431-2242.

—Jojo Weingart

Hui O Hula newcomer Mee Jong Mc Partland "MeeMee" posing the noho position.

Photo by Jojo Weingart