Day 1 - Happy New Year - starting new with 365 Days of Hula

Happy New Year!  It's the first day of 2014!   I set up this blog almost 2 years, with a passion for Polynesian dance & hula, and the desire to challenge myself, become healthier, and lose weight.   I have continued to dance over the last 2 years, but not consistently, and I haven't blogged about it. I still have the same goals and desires.  Today I start NEW!

I did a great job on my first blog post in 2012 explaining my thoughts behind this blog.  If I wait to recreate that post I will never actually post anything, or get started on my goals, so I'm just getting started!  I'll share a little each day of my story.

Big news! In June 2013, I became a certified  HOT HULA fitness® instructor!   I started teaching classes a month ago, and I'm looking forward to an amazing 2014!  I couldn't be happier.   In September 2013, I found my "sister" in HOT HULA fitness® - an old friend.  We totally connected & she has challenged and encouraged me to actually start TEACHING!  We taught our first class the day after Thanksgiving 2013.  So Much Fun!

I have enjoyed dancing with my nieces and sister here and there over the last few years. I am really blessed to have one niece that has stuck with it.  She is amazing, very talented.  After just a few months of classes, she was asked to join a Polynesian dance performing group.  Such an honor.  I look forward to practicing with this niece more in 2014.

I spent time with my family today planning our 2014, and setting our goals.   I have many goals, but several center around getting healthy, moving more, dancing often, and helping others.

For 2014, I plan to dance or exercise EVERY day, with some sort of "hula" or Polynesian dance - - - either by attending Polynesian dance classes, teaching & attending HOT HULA fitness® classes, practicing my HOT HULA fitness® at home, and practicing other Polynesian and hula dance.  Plus I will walk, do resistance training, and master another form of dance fitness (more to follow about that).   In addition to getting fit through dance fitness, I want to polish my Polynesian dance skills, and learn/master basic choreography for each of the following islands:  Samoa, Hawaii, Tahiti, New Zealand, and maybe others.  

Today I went through 3 awesome HOT HULA fitness® videos on youtube.  This is a wonderful new option that makes practicing at home so easy!!!   I did the videos for week 1 and 2.   This is the same "siva" (Samoan word for dance) choreography that we are teaching in class, so this was good practice.  It was about 1/2 hour total.   It felt great to move after two weeks of holiday visitors & meals, and emergency room visit and health issues.  MOVING MORE IN 2014!  

The videos can all be found on this youtube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_a_focl132rYt9cMgRyn3Q

Start with this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3x-3l8wFiQ&feature=c4-overview&list=UU_a_focl132rYt9cMgRyn3Q

Enjoy the journey!  Happy New Year!  May 2014 be the best year ever, for everyone!

Day 5 ... dress rehearsal

I had a fun afternoon with my nieces, practicing for their performance this Sunday at the Dragon Boat Festival.  It was great to see the dances with costumes!  LOVE the costumes!!!  I also practiced with them, so I could possibly perform with them for our family reunion.  We worked on both Tahitian and Hawaiian style dancing.  The Hawaiian was on the floor, and my knees felt much better, and I was able to practice with them!

Day 4 ... healthy all day!

My niece is here for the day - she is so motivating and inspiring.  She spent hours dancing today - Dance Central, hip hop to iTunes, and hula.  And we ate 100% healthy all day!!!  It was a great day!

Day 3 ... niece practice at home

Fun practice session today with my nieces.  Love getting in a workout!  And really loving having our own dance studio at home.

Day 2 ... dance camp

Today was I was to say goodbye to my sweet son, he is attending a leadership camp for a week.  Good news, my sweet niece came to stay with me for a few days, and have our own "dance camp."   Tonight we practiced hula!  And my niece tried about Dance Central on XBox.  She is a delight to have around!

Day 1 ... Starting over

It's been a while since I've blogged. Life got crazy - was ill, went to Australia, started a new job, my husband was in the hospital, my son had 3 trips, I started 2 new volunteer jobs, ...

Well enough! I still feel that hula and Polynesia dance is the best form of exercise for me. I haven't quit, and I have danced a few times a week.

Today we started again! We practiced the hula and Tahitian choreography that the girls will be performing at the Dragon Boat festival.

I threw out my back a week ago, so it was really hard to dance. But I did it!

My niece is amazing - a beautiful dancer, inspiring and motivated!

Burning!!!

We are getting back to basics today! Dancing to a 5 minute song, fast, kapa, omi, box - repeated until your legs are burning!!!

And of course practicing Tahitian and Hula choreography that my 7 year niece will perform with the performing group.

I'm tired!

Two a days

Second hula practice today with my niece. That's #9 since Thursday. She's a trooper!

Sunday morning hula

What a great way to start a beautiful Sunday morning! Hula with my niece. She's amazing! We are still working on learning the Lili'u E choreography. She's doing great.
Now off the Church, then we will meet up again tonight. I need to dance tonight!

2 sessions today

I had the privilege of practicing hula with my nieces twice today! Perfect day!

We focused both sessions on learning the new choreography for Lili'u E. luckily I have a video of it. So we took small segments and repeated over and over and over until we got it perfect - focusing on both choreography and technique.

Only a few more days to master it, before rehearsal on Wednesday. We can do it!

Nieces 'Ote'a

The kids have the day off of school today, so we slept in and then danced! My sister and 4 kids came over. My niece and I really worked on the 'Ote'a choreography for a hour. Our teacher altered the choreography for the kids, so we worked on memorizing it. And we really worked on the technique for the kapa. Over and over and over! T niece and I are going to practice twice a day for the three day weekend. Hope the have that and the Lili'U E mastered by Wednesday! Lots to do!

Boot camp style class

WOW - class was very hard tonight!  I have never sweated more in my life.  Our teacher was amazing - just kept us moving.  It was like a boot camp, workout, and Tahitian dance all in one.  Our teacher is very talented at playing the ipu, so she tends to use that more in class than recorded music.  The sound of the ipu is very pretty, and motivating - and the strong beat makes it easy to follow.  We worked legs and arms, over and over and over.

Before our class is the kids class, that two of my nieces take.  I bring my nieces to class, and it is a real joy to stay and watch them dance.  They spent almost the entire class working on the 'Ote'a choreography.   By the time the class was over, the 11 girls really had it down!  During class it is fun to visit with the other moms, you get a real sense of belonging.  But hearing the music makes me want to run in & dance with the kids!

Earlier in the day, my seven year old niece and I spent about 1/2 hour on hula together.  We worked on fine tuning the technique for the kapa and omi moves.  Then we watched 8 youtube videos of our dance instructors group.  I realized that my niece has never been to a luau, or watched Polynesian performance, so I'm hoping the youtube videos will help her catch the vision!

Overall, about 1.5 hours of actual exercise for me today, but 3 hours on hula!  Great day!!!

hula and hike

I was lucky to start the day out with a lovely hike with my friend, sister, mom, niece and nephew.  We did our favorite 2.7 mile loop.  We went the opposite direction this time, so not as much up hill, but still look 1.5 hours.  It was delightful, nice to get fresh air & sunshine, exercise & good company.

While cleaning house, I took a few breaks to practice the Ote'a choreography.

Tonight, my niece and I practiced the Ote'a several times.  I REALLY need to learn the rest of the choreography.  I love love love that music and dance style!  Plus, I break a sweat very quickly with this one.

Class!!!!

YAY YAY YAY!!!  We had class today!  I couldn't be happier!!!  I was so afraid when Monday's class was cancelled that something had happened, and that we wouldn't have class again for a while. What a relief!

 I took my nieces to their class and stayed and watched.  They did great!  I love being a dance auntie!!!  :)

Our class was amazing!  Very hard, great leg workout.  I brought my new ipu, and learned how to use it!  It is so fun to use!  I sweated 100% of the time we were there, but that hopefully means more calories burned!  In addition to learning the ipu, we use our puili's (bamboo sticks).  I love using the hula implements.

By the time I left, I felt like I could do anything, and felt like the happiest person on earth!

I also enjoyed a wlak with my sister and mom earlier in the day.

We took a group photo of the kids & adults classes - and I actually like the photo!  That is a miracle.  My face looks SO much thinner, it is amazing!

Can't wait to see the scale tomorrow!

Hot Hula at home

Hot Hula DVD today ... working on the advanced level.  One of my dreams - to be a Hot Hula instructor!!!

Working on the Ote'a

I am determined to master the Ote'a choreography!  I just LOVE it!  It moves very quickly, but the more I practice, the easier it is to keep up.   Only problem - I only remember the first half.  I am just dying to learn the rest!  It is so hard to remember.

Class cancelled, so bummed!

I am SO bummed!  My two hula classes tonight were cancelled.  I of course understand that on the rare occassion, a teacher needs to cancel.  But I missed it SO much tonight! 

To add to that, my ipu arrived today - which I had overnighted from Hawaii.  I was so excited to bring to class.

Oh well, moving on!  I pulled myself together and practiced the Ote'a at home!

Ote'a and Easter

In honor of Easter, and most of all, a super busy day with Church and family dinner, and fit in a quick review of the Ote'a choreography we are learning!  Good thing about that number is that it moves quickly, and you burn calories fast!

Great dance workout with nieces

My three nieces and I had a great workout today!  We danced for almost 1.5 hours.  We spent about half of the time on our Lili'u E hula choreography.   We are at least now remembering most of it - now to fine tune it so that our movements are really clean, sharp, and together!

We then spent time some on working out to to Tahitian music, working on keeping our legs bent, arms straight, and really working it!  I told the girls that they should feel a BURN!

My favorite part of our workout together was working on the Ote'a choreography.  I have about 60% of it memorized, so I need to really pay attention in class so that I can master this and practice it at home.  The girls just started learning it this week in class.  This is the music for it:
'Ote'a Heivari'i -- by: Mahealani Uchiyama
 http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/tatau/id128970883

This is by far my favorite choreography and music I have danced to in the last year.  It is this style that really got me motivated to learn.  So I am very excited to really master this!  I am hoping that my three nieces and I can perform this at a luau at our family reunion in August. 

If I can learn the choreography, I feel like I could be quite motivated to spend an hour a day practicing it.  You definitely feel a workout by the time you are done!

ipu!!!!

I found an ipu for my hula class!  I'm so excited about it!  I ordered it from Na Kani O Hula.  They were super nice, and accommodating to my rush order needs.  Now I can make beautiful music and dance with my ipu!

http://www.nakaniohula.com/Detail.bok?no=40

Busy day ahead today, so I am blogging early.  I finally have the music to most of the dances we are doing in class, so that is VERY helpful in practicing at home.  This morning I practiced the ote'a choreography, that looks like birds, it's really cool, and fast!

I'm hoping to get some more exercise in later today - a walk and/or Zumba, and hopefully a little more hula before bed.

SO excited about my ipu!