Tickets for the final trilogy performance may be preordered by email at poohala2002@yahoo.com, or by calling Covington at 938-6357. If there are any tickets available on the day of the performance, they can be purchased beginning at 4:30 p.m. at the theater box office.
SPECIAL TO WEST HAWAII TODAY
To culminate the 150th anniversary of the Beamer-Solomon Hula Halau O Poohala, Waimea’s traditional hula school will present the third and final “Eia ka Hula (Behold the Hula), E Hula Mai Kakou (Come and Dance)” trilogy performance from 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 4 at Kahilu Theatre in Waimea. Doors open at 5 p.m. and seating is first-come.
This performance will document and share through hula, music, visuals including Herb Kane masterpieces, and family stories, the final chapters tracing the footsteps of the hula school’s five generations of wahine (female) dance masters whose contributions have perpetuated this Hawaiian dance legacy into the 21st century.
The focal point of this third and final presentation will be the accomplishments of fifth generation loea (hula master), kumu hula Hulali Solomon Covington, whose impressive style as a choreographer has earned the halau numerous local and national awards and made possible the performance of the “Eia Ka Hula” series before audiences in prestigious theaters in New York, New Mexico, Japan, Tahiti and throughout the state. The halau also has been invited to present a portion of “Eia Ka Hula” when it represents the United States in July at the Folkmoot International Friendship Dance Festival in North Carolina alongside dance troupes from 20 nations.
Loea is the title given to an individual who is proficient and entrusted to become the cultural keeper of a particular style of hula, chant or music. Loea are allowed to enhance the characteristics of the style, whereas, a kumu hula is an instructor of a style of hula from a specific school of thought.
Covington’s style of dance teaches the art of precision body movement. To master the complexity and the proper execution of the Beamer-Solomon halau’s basic foot patterns takes seven years of dedicated practice.
Members of the halau also are instructed by Covington in a dance discipline woven with traditional Hawaiian core values of aloha, love, lokahi and unity. Students’ adherence to these values prepares a dancer mentally, spiritually and physically to perform as a soloist and within a group.
With the assistance of her sister, Malama Solomon, who serves as kakau olelo for the halau, and her daughter, Leiomalama Tamasese Solomon, who is the halau’s lead dancer, Covington has overcome the ongoing challenges of perpetuating a traditional native cultural dance in the 21st century. The key to the continuance of the art form is Covington’s and Malama Solomon’s abilities to connect Native Hawaiian hula manao (thoughts) dating back to the 1700s to students and families as they live in today’s world.
Featured guest artists include kumu hula Keala Ching and dancers from his foundation, Na Wai Iwi Ola, as well as Na Mele O Poohala (musicians) lead guitarist Russell Paio, bass player and falsetto singer Nathan Grace and Hawaiian slack key guitarist Ikaika Marzo and alakai (halau assistant) Stephanie Apolo. Providing additional media arts support are Joy Downey and Ari Bernstein.
Tickets for the final trilogy performance may be preordered by email at poohala2002@yahoo.com, or by calling Covington at 938-6357. If there are any tickets available on the day of the performance, they can be purchased beginning at 4:30 p.m. at the theater box office.