HEARTLAND HULA HAPPENINGS

A source for information on events, classes and performances of Polynesian music and dance here in the Midwest.

Events

Dancers and Musicians: please send me info about your events.

July Events

July 21 - Novi, MI: Novi Civic Center - Novi, Michigan. Open House hosted by PACCM Hula Dance Class (Philippine American Community Center of Michigan).. For more information Contact Flora.

July 25 - Waterford MI: Canterbury On The Lake-Waterford, Mi. Luau Party - Hula Showtime 5:30 p.m. Hosted by PACCM Hula Dance Class (Philippine American Community Center of Michigan).. For more information Contact Flora.

August Events

August 4th, Roseville, MN. Annual Spaghetti Fundraiser for Halau Hula Ka Hoku 'O Akau. 5:30 - 8:30 pm. at the Roseville Legion. Please email them for additional information

August 18th: St. Peters, MO: Hui Hula 'O Punahele's 4th Annual Ho'ike in the Donald S. Schook Performing Arts Theater, at St. Charles Community College, located in Cottleville, MO. 7PM Free to public. For more information, contact Dori

August 17th - 19th: Kansas City, MO: Ethnic Enrichment Festival. Many different ethic performance groups, including: Kona Winds performing at 9PM on Friday, August 17th, Reflections of Polynesia performing at 9:30 pm on Friday, August 17th, for more information, plese check the Ethnic Festival's Website

August 18: Lincoln Nebraska. Trade Wind Dancers 7:00 - 8:00 pm, Antelope Park in the John Shildneck Bandshell. Free

August 22 -Southfield, MI: Senior (50+) Appreciation Night. 6:00-8:30 p.m. @ Burgh Historical Park in Southfield, Michigan. The evening will feature a special presentation by the PACCM Hula Dancers PLUS Southfield's own SWINGLAND Band featuring JAzz legend George "SAX" Benson - This is a FREE Event - spnsored by the City of Southfield Human Services and Parks & Recreation Departments in cooperation with the Comission on Senior Adults (COSA). For more information, please call the Southfield Adult Recreation Center 50+ @ (248)-796-4650

August 25: Hamilton Ohio. Hula For Our Kids Health Benefit Luau. Presented by the Spirit Of The Pacific Islands. ?? 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Hughes Center at Camp Campbell Gard. 1771 Gephart Rd. - Hamilton, OH 45011. Childrens activities, cash bar, buffet, life concert with country star Tammy Cochrane, Live Island Dancers/Fire Dancers. Click here for flyer. For ticket information, call (513) 907-9914 .

September & Beyond Events:

September 8, Omaha, NE: Annual Luau hosted by Kuuipo Island Dancers. Doors open @ 5:30 pm Show @ 7:30 pm at Digz Party & Sports Arena (For directions visit: the Digz Website). (food & drink are available for purchase). 140th & Old L - Omaha, NE. Adults $10 in advance & $12 @ the door - Chidren ages 6-12 $6. For tickets call 712-256-1433 or email Holly

Sept 29th: Jenks, OK Hula Extravaganza. at River Crossing in Jenks from 1-3p, Hula Halau O Leilani . Contact Leilani

Oct 20: Tulsa, OK Saturday 3p-4p at Oktoberfest. Hula Halau O Leilani . Contact Leilani

Oct 21: Tulsa, OK Sunday .12:30p- 1:30p at Oktoberfest. Hula Halau O Leilani . Contact Leilani

Workshops:

Having a workshop? Please let me know and I'll post your info here.

October 5 - 7, Indianapolis Indiana: Ha Hui Hula Polynesia's FINAL Dancers's Dream Weekend featuring Kumu Hulas Keith Awai and Cy Bridges. For more information, please contact Cheryl Bell

February 2008 (date tba), St. Louis, Missouri: Riki Liufau of Award winning Nonosina Polynesia, Inc. and Derek Keil of Teriki's Polynesia will share their extensive knowledge of Tahitian Dance. This year a Tahitian Drumming Workshop is also planned for those with basic knowledge of all principle/basic tahitian beats. The event is held in St. Peters, MO. Contact Dori for additional information, or visit their website.

Ongoing Classes

Please tell me about your classes, I'll put your information here.

St Louis, MO: Hui Hula 'O Punahele's is a school whose purpose is to perpetuate an authentic understanding of the Hawaiian & other Polynesian cultures and arts. Whether they are of Polynesian desent or of another ethnicity, all members of the halau consider themselves Hawaiian-at-heart and make it a goal to conduct themselves with respect for each other and the Polynesian culture. The hula halau (hula school) is based in St. Peters, MO, but students travel from all over the St. Louis Metro area to dance and learn. Classes are taught at St. Charles Community College on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Classes are available for both children & adults. To register for classes www.stchas.edu. For more information contact Dori ttimandori@sbcglobal.net

Kansas City, MO: Hula Hale O Kiakahi, Director: Debbie Kiakahi Rommel (formally of the Aloha Pumehana Dancers.) Beginner class to start Monday, August 6th, from 6:30 to 7:30. Also available, Monday class 10:00am to 11:15am. Advanced class (Hula background needed) Monday night 5:00 to 6:30. If you interested in taking Hula lessons, please call Debbie Rommel at: 816-452-1186 I teach Kahiko, Auana and Tahitian Dance. I have 25 years of experience in Polynesian Dance. I have been performing for all these years and have just recently taken on the job of teaching. I do not consider myself a Kumu Hula but I am in the process of studying in that direction. My first teacher was Barbara-Jean VanScoy. Barbara-Jean moved to Hawaii about 1984 or 1985. I have been dancing since. My current Kumu Hula is Tina Momilani Eggert. I have been studying under her for about 5 years now. The reason I decided to start teaching is I think it is time for me to share my love for the Hula with others. I was getting calls from people
around the area who wanted Hula lessons and I think (and hope) that I will be a good teacher. Come and join us, Aloha and Mahalo, Debbie

Out of area events/workshops:

These events aren't in the midwest, but might be of interest:

Saturday, September 15.: Arlington, VA: Kumu Hula Keith Kalanikau Awai returns to Arlington, Virginia, for another in his series of popular Hula Lite hula workshops. If you wish to register now, just mail your check together with your name (and Hawaiian name, if any), address, phone number and email address to: Halau O ‘Aulani, 4309 Holmehurst Way West, Bowie, MD 20720.

Saturday, September 29, College Park, MD The Makaha Sons and Friends will perform in concert at the University of Maryland! Halau O 'Aulani is honored to join The Makaha Sons (Uncles Jerome, John and Moon), Hoku Zuttermeister, Keoki Kahumoku, and Herb Ohta, Jr. for this special
Hawaii celebration. Tickets are now on sale. For more information please visit the Halau O 'Aulani Website.

Online Performances

Video Streams that you might be interested in seeing:

July 2-31 Ala Moana Hotel Brings Hawaii Entertainers to the Web This summer - enjoy a number of Hawai`i's favorite entertainers from the comfort
of Ala Moana Hotel's beautifully renovated Pakele lounge or from your own home! Through July 31, Hawaiian music fans will be able to enjoy well-known Hawaiian entertainers at Ala Moana Hotel's Pakele Lounge as well as via the internet. Once a week, the Pakele Lounge will host a live, two-hour concert, which will feature well-known local entertainers such as Justin, Na Kama and Pilioha. Thanks to an exciting new partnership between Ala Moana Hotel, AlohaVideo.TV and LavaNet, Inc., the Ala Moana Hotel now has the capacity to help spread Hawaiian music and the aloha spirit, throughout the internet. All shows begin at 5:30 p.m. (Hawaiian Standard Time) and can be seen live and in person at Ala Moana Hotel's Pakele lounge as well as over the web at www.AlohaVideo.tv/pakele_stream.htm. Concerts are held on Wednesdays and seating will be limited.

Click here for link to video stream

Ala Moana Hotel's concert series schedule includes:

July 2 Walter Keale and Mike Kaaawa with guests for a CD release party

July 11 Ku`uipo Kumukahi and Pilioha.

July 18 Ledward Ka`apana. His mastery of stringed instruments, particularly
slack key guitar, and extraordinary baritone and leo ki`eki`e (falsetto)
voice have made him a musical legend.

July 25 Na Hoku Hanohano Award Winners Showcase Pakele Lounge will bring
an assortment of Hawaiian music to Ala Moana Hotel with this exciting
concert that will showcase the winners of the
Na Hoku Hanohano Awards.

July 31 Special Concert Finale featuring PALI and special guests Randy
Lorenzo of Peter Moon Band and Charles Recaido with Kohala Kalapana will
also be there to join in the exciting concert finale.

About this site:

I created this site in an attempt to have a source of information about Polynesian events in the midwest. I got the idea from Suzanne who runs a similar site for bellydancers: Midwest Bellydance Happenings. Thank you Suzanne for all of your hard work and dedication to the bellydance community and for inspiring me to try and do the same here.

Performers: please email me with information about your events. (Information needed: Where the event is, What date(s) the event is, what the event is and who to contact for more information (email or phone), a website if there is one, and cost to attend if known.

How this will work:

First and foremost: please email me with information about your events. Once a month I will take all of the information you send to me and create a listing by date of what is happening and where.

What information is needed?

What kind of events am I looking for? Any public events with Polynesian music and dance.

Any and all performances of Polynesian music and dance that are open to the public. Hosting a luau? Workshop? Perforning at an Ethnic Festival or other kind of festival? I'd love to hear about it. Do you teach classes? Do you know of any restarants or night clubs that regulary feature Polynesian Music and dance? Please let me know. My goal is to make this your source of information - and I can't do it without you.

Why the heck am I doing this?

Because I love this art form. I travel around the midwest frequently and often wish that I knew of any performances I could attend while I'm out of town. I am not charging for this service, but I do ask that any events be appropriate for all ages (no "adult" events please).

About me:

I am the co-director of the Trade Wind Dancers based in Lincoln, Nebraska. I discovered this artform several years ago when my dance teacher asked me to learn just a few hulas to help fill in for an upcoming event. I was instantly hooked, and have been learning as much as I can ever since. I try to attend workshops and other peoples performances as my schedule (and pocketbook) allow. The Trade Wind Dancers are one of three troupes based out of the Athena Studio of World Dance also in Lincoln. Our sister troupes are the Athenian Dancers (a Greek style bellydance troupe) and Flamenco Nebraska.

CONTACT WEBMASTER

Last updated: July 20, 2007