Hawaiian dancers perform beautiful dances to welcome people to their lands, and to celebrate special occasions. Many people all over the world now perform these dancers as their popularity has spread all over the entire globe. They have also become a great exercise especially for those people that are more expressive. This dance came to the Islands many centuries ago when the Polynesian peoples populated the area.
The story is told either verbally in a Mele, which is a song, or in an Oli, which is a chant. The dance called a Hula accompanies these verbal descriptions with gestures of their body, hands and face. The chant and hula dance are generally considered a method of prayer and as such is sacred. The song is a more recent addition. It is often delivered at public ceremonies and welcoming events.
The oldest version of this Hula is called the Kahiko and dates back to the beginning of time on the islands. The Oli or chant, and traditional instruments such as drums and stick instruments usually accompany it. The mele or song is seldom seen with the older version of hula. This version of Hula started to change with the influx of western influences.
The new type was called Auana, which means drifting or to wander away in the native Island tongue. For this method, the mele or song is much more prevalent, and modern western instruments like the ukulele, guitar and double bass can be used. The whole idea of the hula became much more entertainment and storytelling, and much less prayer as.
Two other methods of hula have been differentiated recently. The first is the Ai Kahiko, which means a return to the old ways. People that lived some time ago, precisely in the twenty and some parts of the twenty first centuries have brought this about wanting to take hula back to its original base. Very beautiful pieces have been composed for special occasions just as they would have been long ago.
The last version is called Monarchy and covers the stories and hula from the 19th century. This was the time of massive westernization in the Islands. For this reason, this collection of work has extensive western orientation, and uses mostly the mele or song. It was named after the Island Monarchy who traveled the world at this time and became very well known.
The Hula is performed from two major positions. The first of these is perhaps the best known, this is standing on the feet. The second posture is sitting. Many people are unfamiliar with this version, but as hula uses the hands and the face as a method of communicating, this second posture does not limit the display.
In summary, there are four different types of dances that hawaiian dancers perform. These are the Kahiko, the Ai Kahiko, the Monarchy and the Auana. These can be performed standing up, or sitting down, and with traditional or more western based instruments.
The story is told either verbally in a Mele, which is a song, or in an Oli, which is a chant. The dance called a Hula accompanies these verbal descriptions with gestures of their body, hands and face. The chant and hula dance are generally considered a method of prayer and as such is sacred. The song is a more recent addition. It is often delivered at public ceremonies and welcoming events.
The oldest version of this Hula is called the Kahiko and dates back to the beginning of time on the islands. The Oli or chant, and traditional instruments such as drums and stick instruments usually accompany it. The mele or song is seldom seen with the older version of hula. This version of Hula started to change with the influx of western influences.
The new type was called Auana, which means drifting or to wander away in the native Island tongue. For this method, the mele or song is much more prevalent, and modern western instruments like the ukulele, guitar and double bass can be used. The whole idea of the hula became much more entertainment and storytelling, and much less prayer as.
Two other methods of hula have been differentiated recently. The first is the Ai Kahiko, which means a return to the old ways. People that lived some time ago, precisely in the twenty and some parts of the twenty first centuries have brought this about wanting to take hula back to its original base. Very beautiful pieces have been composed for special occasions just as they would have been long ago.
The last version is called Monarchy and covers the stories and hula from the 19th century. This was the time of massive westernization in the Islands. For this reason, this collection of work has extensive western orientation, and uses mostly the mele or song. It was named after the Island Monarchy who traveled the world at this time and became very well known.
The Hula is performed from two major positions. The first of these is perhaps the best known, this is standing on the feet. The second posture is sitting. Many people are unfamiliar with this version, but as hula uses the hands and the face as a method of communicating, this second posture does not limit the display.
In summary, there are four different types of dances that hawaiian dancers perform. These are the Kahiko, the Ai Kahiko, the Monarchy and the Auana. These can be performed standing up, or sitting down, and with traditional or more western based instruments.
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