Hula Hui O Kapunahala

An absolute gem of a program for any age! Accessible, affordable, inclusive of all ages and knowledge, I can't begin to say enough good things about the team who runs the show on this one!! With my three year old who has never done any sort of dance or language lessons at all, they were beyond welcoming and understanding. Beyond kind, beyond welcoming, you can feel the family these people have developed and they continue to open their doors and their hearts to so many. Thankful that my keiki could be a part of this crew!

Our 3.5 year old daughter started taking Zoom hula with Auntie Robyn and Auntie Carolee in early 2021. Classes have been held virtually due to the pandemic and are held Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays for 15-30 minutes. (In normal times, classes would be once a week at the Nuuanu Y). Imagine teaching hula to a bunch of 3-6 year olds in person. Now imagine doing that on Zoom 3x a week. The patience these kumus have!It was truly amazing to see how quickly our daughter learned the songs (we are not fluent in ōlelo Hawaii), and the dances themselves. They have taught the kids numbers, colors, and other basic words in addition to songs and dances. They also teach ukulele once in a while.We had the lucky opportunity to do one public performance with the halau at Kahala Mall during the holidays. Auntie Robyn and her team were able to do all of the prep (with all of her classes of other ages as well) over Zoom, helped outfit the keiki with dresses and shoes the halau has collected over the years. They do everything possible to help keep costs down. Halau dues are nominal - what they offer for the keiki goes above and beyond what they charge.Auntie Robyn and Auntie Carolee truly love to teach and perpetuate a love and understanding of hula. It is clear through their interactions with the keiki, and the bond the girls have created with one another, despite doing this virtually for an entire year. Thank you, aunties!

Our daughter started attending zoom hula classes in 2021. She was 4 then (she's 5 now) and has learned so much over the past year. Right now, there are 3 Zoom classes a week (Tues/Thurs 15 mins and Sat 30 min). The girls learn vocabulary related to the songs they are dancing to, as well as other basic age-appropriate vocabulary such as colors, emotions, and numbers through a variety of games (Ex. Simon says). Besides cultural knowledge, our daughter has gained confidence, listening skills, and a community of hula sisters! We are so excited to start in person classes next month (April 2022). Aunty Robyn is patient and fun! I think we're all a bit tired of Zoom but our daughter still looks forward to hula!

Hawaiian Studies through Hula Hui o Kapunahala includes hula, language, song, chants, ukulele, guitar, and more. Classes range from young to young at heart.

Hula, ukulele, guitar, aloha, and ohana. That's the feeling you get with this hui. Hands down the best decision I made enrolling all my children here.