The International Waikiki Hula Conference kicks off today at the Hawai`i Convention Center. From November 7-9, visitors from around the world will gather to share their love for hula, and experience hula in the land of its birth. Participants have the opportunity to learn from kumu hula, interact with fellow dancers, and perform on various stages throughout Waikiki.
For more information, visit www.waikikihulaconference.com.
Springtime is here, and it’s bringing music to our ears.
This May, we’re participating in the second-annual “Mele Mei,” a month-long celebration of music and hula from Hawai`i. Performances, held throughout Waikiki, will include musicians Amy Hanaiali`i Gilliom, John Cruz, Teresa Bright and many more.
The Hawai`i Convention Center will be hosting the Na Hoku Hanohano Music Festival, a series of awards presentations and workshops to honor and promote music made in Hawai`i. The multi-day event kicks off May 5 with the Lifetime Achievement Awards ceremony, and includes two music workshops on May 25 and 26. The Festival wraps up with the 35th annual Na Hoku Hanohano Awards on May 27. Tickets are available online.
The Center is also home to this year’s Waikiki International Hula Conference from May 11-13. The Conference will feature 40 kumu hula, as well as 80 workshops and seminars that cover modern and ancient hula, chant, history, costume, lei-making, Hawaiian language, songs, music, and implement-making. There will be 10 Ho`ike Hula shows, a vendor mall with Hawaiian-made products and crafts, and a closing concert. Registration is limited and closes May 1.
Eager students participate in one of many hula workshops during the International Waikiki Hula Conference. Photo courtesy of International Waikiki Hula Conference.
Value of the Month – December
Starting from back: Joe Davis, General Manager; Jennifer Nakayama, Director of Operations; and Sean Coffey, Director of Event Management serve up some delicious desserts to the HCC `Ohana during the Holiday Luncheon.
As we continue to live by our ho`okipa values each month, we reflect on the value of No`ono`o pono in the month of December. No`ono`o means “a thought, to think, reflect” and pono is “goodness, uprightness, righteousness, or to be just.” This value reminds us each day “to think righteously.” This means counting our blessings every day, having an attitude of gratitude, thinking the best of each person, including ourselves; focusing on what’s going right, recognizing people’s strengths, being the solution, and encouraging and serving others with a heart that’s pono…because it’s the right thing to do.
As we reflect on the past year, we have so much to be grateful for and wish to extend our warmest Mahalo to our clients, guests, visitors, partners, neighbors, community, peers, family and friends for making 2011 a very memorable year for all of us here at the Hawai`i Convention Center. We welcomed many national, international and local events to the Center and are optimistic that 2012 will be an even greater year!
HCC staff enjoyed the delicious bento lunch and the fun program that followed.
A hui hou (until we meet again), malama pono (take good care).
With warmest Aloha and Holiday Greetings from our HCC `Ohana (family) to yours!
Mele Kalikimaka me ka Hau`oli Makahiki Hou!
~ Hula in the Land of its Birth ~
Can you hear the mele (music and singing) yet? This event will fill our center with so much! Here in Hawai`i we talk about the “mano`o” of each person – the energy and spirit that is inside each person. Hula of course helps it to shine, and the dancing, the musicians, the chanting, the costumes, and the high vibrating energy all contribute to these days of magical moments.
The International Waikiki Hula Conference offers the rare opportunity to come to Hawaii to learn, share and experience hula in the land of its birth, with a variety of respected hula masters, many of whom do not travel outside Hawaii to teach. For our local hula people, it is the chance to enrich their hula experience from many sources in one place, and to meet fellow dancers and kumu hula from around the world.
You’re invited to come join the “>Waikiki Hula Conference, take classes, watch performances, and learn about Hawaiian-made products and crafts, including hula implements, costumes, clothing, accessories and gifts.