ers,” said Mutual 15 resident ….

ers,” said Mutual 15 resident Susan Saraf, who owns a sailboat and is known by fellow members as SeaSickSue. “It’s the event of the year.”

Members filmed the dances and, upon their return to Leisure World, hosted a dual video screening and pajama party for those who weren’t able to attend. Leisure World’s Hawaiian dancers would flock to Clubhouse 6 in hair rollers, night robes and slippers.

Over the years, the club has remained a space where members form deep connections, share cultural knowledge and support each other. Interest in hula has remained strong, as has Weingart’s sense of Aloha spirit.

When Mutual 11 resident Shigemi Susie Yokomi decided to join the club in 2021, she was concerned about attire. She didn’t own a floral muumuu, which most dancers wear to class.

Weingart had just the solution. She told Yokomi to come over to her house and pick out a muumuu for herself. She had plenty, and called another member to bring over some extras to widen the selection.

“I ended up taking home two and I still wear them to this date,” Yokomi said. “I found out later that everyone in the class was the same way. It is that Aloha spirit—everyone loves others and is willing to help anyone in need.”

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic threatened to shutter the club, but Hui O Hula adapted. Dancers organized classes outside and practiced social distancing. Despite the setback, the club grew during the shutdown.

During this time, Mutual 9 resident Mel Blake drove past what she described as “a flurry of costumes and flowers” on a greenbelt.

“It really perked my interest,” said Blake, who joined the classes shortly after. “It gave me a chance to make new friends and reconnect with old ones.”

When Mutual 6 resident Helen Wu first noticed the dancers practicing near Veterans Plaza, she thought it was a luau.

“I thought, ‘Oh, they’re having a party over there.’ I went over to check it out, and they invited me to dance,” Wu said. “I had tried Zumba, but it was too fast. I have knee pain. When I dance hula, it’s so comfortable. It’s all slow movement.”

New dancers, like Wu and Nora Fredlund, who returned to dance after a health setback, find comfort in the dance lessons. The combination of soothing ukulele music, tranquil movements and the supportive, positive Aloha spirit of fellow dancers creates a sort of salve.

“This is like therapy to me,” said Fredlund, who returned to class as soon as she could. “They’ve been so supportive. It’s an amazing group.”

Hui O Hula continues to hold dance classes twice a week at 1 p.m.—on Tuesdays in the Mirror Room at Clubhouse 6 and on Thursdays at Veterans Plaza, or inside Clubhouse 3 during inclement weather. Dancers of all skill levels are welcome, and many simply come to observe.

Those who want to learn to hula are encouraged to wear something comfortable, like a long flowy dress or a sarong tied around the waist. Footwear is not required.

Those who do not want to dance barefoot should bring socks or soft booties.

“Hui O Hula is much more than a Leisure World dance club,” said Mutual 10 resident Lori Chamberlin, who attends classes twice weekly. “It’s a family, uniting many different cultures under the umbrella of Hawaiian culture.”

For more information about the club, call 562-431-2242 or email jojo@huiohula.com.

In 2010, hula dancers traveled to Hawaii together to soak in theisland's historyand culture.Jojo Weingart