Kumu Hula Michael Pili Pang comes to Chicago!!!
HULA AUANA WORKSHOP - Saturday, April 7th 9:30 - 11:30 am.
Early Bird Pricing: $60 until 3/15/18, $75 thereafter.
Location: Carleton of Oak Park, 1110 Pleasant Street, Oak Park, IL 60302.
About Kumu Hula Michael Pili Pang
Kumu Michael was ten years old when he started hula in Honolulu. His teacher was Kealoha Wong, a dancer of the great Maiki Aiu Lake. Maiki Aiu Lake is recognized as one of the hula leaders at the forefront of the Hawaiian Renaissance, a movement that began in the 1960s to restore the knowledge of Hawaiian cultural traditions. After high school, he danced with Mrs. Lake until her passing in 1984.
In 1985, he went through his second 'uniki (hula graduation) under Mae Kamamalu Klein, who was Mrs. Lakeʻs first Kokua (assistant) Kumu Hula. There he received his kihei (garments) and title of Kumu Hula. Kumu Michael also studied chanting with Pualani Kanaka'ole Kanahele.
He was the first Kumu Hula to be awarded an MFA in Dance with an emphasis on Hula from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He is a creative trend setter in the hula world. Kumu Michael says this about the influence of his MFA on hula. “…You can take a hula and look at it's structure - how it was created, why they dance it, what are the links that make this Hawaiian hula. It taught me how to use body gestures and helped me to understand another level of kinetic movement - of moving my body through space.
Where once it was just ho'onana(watch), ho'olohe(listen), ho'opili(mimic) - now I can take it all apart and explain the details of each gesture and movement. I learned how to break down the movement.
However, although I can make a dancer a better technician, it doesn't mean that the eha (essence of the dance) is always there. Eha is one thing that the University does not teach, and alo to alo (face to face) experience with the kumu hula is very important.
You have to be dedicated, physically and mentally present, to be a great hula dancer. For us, it's not just learn a hula and do it on your own. For example, our style of hula - the hula ku'i style takes a tremendous amount of teacher/student relationship to pa ka na’au (get it in your body, mind and heart)"
Kumu Michael heads up Halau Hula Ka No'eau, a hula academy in Honolulu. He has graduated 22 kumu hula (master teachers) on Hawaii Island and Oahu. It is always a wonderful opportunity to study with him.
