Hula tells history in body language

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Editor

"Egg: The Arts Show," at 9:30 p.m. on KHET-11, explores "Body Language," with hula, modern dance with an African American vein and ballet. All art forms, clearly, possess their own dynamic vocabulary.

"Hula definitely is a language," says Maile Loo. "Hula is expression of the life of Hawaiian people; that's why you have the saying, 'Hula is the heartbeat of the Hawaiian people.' " Both direct halau rooted in a tradition that expects students to "understand every nuance," as Ching says.

Auntie Nona Beamer, Hawaiiana expert and ambassador of Island dance and culture, demonstrates the grace of the hula language. "If you turn your palms outward from you, you are giving from your heart ... if you're turning the hands in, you're inviting."

Kahiko performances by Sonny Ching's Halau Na Mamo O Pu'uanahulu, earthy and expressive, should make a vivid impression on Mainland viewers. Beamer notes that "chants recorded our history long before newsprint, writing or reading."