Hula Styles & Steps

Hula Styles & Steps
http://hawaiianlanguage.com/o-h-steps.html

Source: Pukui, Mary Kawena & Elbert, Samuel H., HAWAIIAN DICTIONARY,
University of Hawai`i Press, Honolulu, 1986.
Pronunciation Guide

`ai [ai]	hula step, dancing style or type
`ai`ami [ai' ah mee]	hula step with little foot movement, but hip revolving throughout the dance; to dance thus `ami = to revolve
`ai ha`a [ai' hah ah]	hula step danced with bended knees; the chanting for this dance is usually bombastic and emphatic; to dance thus ha`a = to make low
`ai kâwele, kâwele [ai' KAH' veh leh]	hula step with one foot making a half circle forward and to the side without touching the floor; usually in combination with other steps as the holo or `uwehe kâwele = to wipe
`ami [ah' mee]	hula step with hip revolutions; to do this step `ami = hinge, joint; to turn on hinges
`ami`ami [ah' mee ah' mee]	jerking of the hips back and forth in a crude or vulgar `ami hula; motion of sexual intercourse; to move on hinges.
`ami honua [ah' mee hoh noo' (w)ah]	exaggerated and rapid revolving of the hips in hula; to do so. honua = world, earth, land
`ami kâhela [ah' mee KAH' heh lah]	hula step with hip rotations with weight on the right hip as the left heel lifts very slightly, then reversing; to do this kâhela = to spread out
`ami kûkû [ah' mee KOO' KOO']	hula step which is similar to `ami kâhela except the revolutions are smaller and faster and in groups of three; sometimes two slower kâhela revolutions are followed by three faster kûkû revolutions; to perform this step kûkû = gourd beat of three thumps on a pad; on the third rise, a slap
`ami ku`upau [ah' mee koo oo pau']	very rapid revolution of the hips in hula; an uninhibited `ami ku`upau = uninhibited
`ami `ôniu [ah' mee OH' niu]	the figure-eight hula step; the revolving hips to form an eight, with weight shifting. `ôniu = spinning
`ami `ôpû [ah' mee OH' POO']	an `ami step with abdomen thrust forward, considered to be in poor taste; to do this step `ôpû = stomach
`ami poepoe [ah' mee poe' poe']	same as `ami kâwele but a new term poepoe = round
kupe [koo' peh]	hula step with the feet still and the knees bent, the body swings three times quite low down to the right, over to the left, and up kupe = to stumble; fig., to misstep
lele [leh' leh]	hula step: the dancer walks forward, lifting up the rear heel with each step, with slight inward movement; sometimes with the `uwehe step with each foot forward; this can also be done backwards; to dance thus lele = to fly, leap, skip, move
`ô [OH']	hula step: the hip is thrust outward, similar to kâwelu, except the foot pivots while turning in the opposite direction. `ô = to thrust
ue, uwe [oo' (w)eh]	hula step: the caller announces the dance to the drummer (who changes the beat) and dancers by calling, "E ue" (e imperative and ue). The right foot is extended forward with toes pointing, while both arms are brought forward to chest level with hands crossed and fingers tipped upward; the left hands stays up, while the right arm and foot swings back in an outward arc. Then the right arm and foot are moved forward, and the step is repeated to the left. Then three short steps are taken forward. In the last step the left hand is forward, and the right foot and arm back. To do thus ue = to jerk, pull, twist, pry, turn, sway
`ûlili [OO' lee lee]	hula step similar to `uwehe except that only one heel is raised at a time; this step has a distinctive beat. `ûlili = tattler bird, whistle, gourd instrument with a whirring sound
`uwehe [oo weh' heh]	hula step: one foot is lifted with weight shifting to opposite hip as the foot is lowered; both knees are pushed forward by the quick raising of the heels, with continued swaying of the hips from side to side (a difficult step); to do this step `uwehe = to open, uncover, reveal, pry open, as a bivalve, to remove evil influence, as by prayer