About Redheaded Hula Girl
Your Instructor - Amanda
Aloha! I have been a dancer for most of my life and discovered Hawaiian Hula in 2013 while visiting some friends on the Big Island. I had already spent ten years prior to that studying a philosophy and an energy work technique called Kahi Loa with roots in Kauai.
Once I began dancing and learning hula with a group in Charlotte, NC I really wanted to learn more about the culture and the traditional hula techniques, protocols, and chants. The group I performed with in Charlotte, for the most part, focused mostly on the hapa-haole style seen in entertainment settings on the East Coast. I decided that I needed a traditional hula teacher to study with and as synchronicity would align it, one of my first hula sisters had lived in Hawai'i for 15 years. She had lived with and had taken classes with Kumu Kea. After that initial connection was made, I've traveled frequently to Hawai'i for intensives to study with Kumu Kea (teacher of hula) and I return sharing what I can with others on the East Coast. I also take workshops with other Kumu's and hula teachers in person and virtually.
My classes and educational events are focused on the workout aspect to hula, and most importantly for me, on the spiritual aspect of hula. Without the spiritual aspect I always felt hula was missing something (read my hula blogs for more). In addition to the classes and hula school, I also lead a performance group, Emerald 'Āina Hula Dancers.
As a group, our focus is less on the entertainment style as we focus more on the educational side of hula with the events we do. Most of our events are at assisted living facilities, schools, and the yearly Pacific Arts Festival. Through the performance group and classes, the focus is to help hula students center, find peace, share aloha, appreciate our Earth, and connect to the bigger picture of their lives and each other. There are no expectations to perform, just enjoy classes and have fun! There are also many ways to still be part of the Emerald 'Āina Hula Dancers without getting "on stage". You can contribute what lights you up in supporting those that are dancing.
I educate hula students on three styles of hula including 'auana and kahiko along with hapa-haole (which I consider separate often from 'auana). I myself love learning and continue to study, research, and spend time in Hawai'i to learn more about the culture, the aloha spirit, and the hula diaspora (the spread of hula around the world). By day, I am a university Lecturer of human geography and I love being a student myself. What I am able to share from my Kumus, I enjoy sharing with others that may not be able to travel to Hawai'i.
The world needs more aloha as Kumu Kea says and I believe like her, that hula is one way that people can begin to experience aloha. I also believe hula helps dancers to feel more of a positive connection to themselves, others and our beautiful Earth. Hula brings joy and smiles into our lives and helps us to slow our fast paced lives down, even if just during a class or a workshop. Many of the ladies I teach report feeling SO good after a class, doing an hour or more of hula completely shifts our mindset and energy.
Please note, I am not a Kumu, perhaps one day I will earn the right and privilege to be called one through the 'uniki process. For now I teach and share what I can with love and joy to enrich others lives and bring smiles and women together. If you are desiring to learn from a Kumu with virtual classes, there are several offering their wisdom on-line and you can search for one that you resonate with.
I do hope you'll become part of the community of hula dancers here in the Crystal Coast if you feel a calling inside your heart. The ladies in each group really are supportive and enjoy seeing each other weekly as it is way more than a dance or physical activity. I also always encourage those studying hula with me to study with Kumu's that travel and teach and/or other hula teachers as we can learn from every one we meet and every experience. As the Hawaiian saying goes, A'ohe pau ka 'ike i ka hālau ho'okāhi , Not all knowledge is learned in one school.