Hau'oli Makahiki Hou!!

2010 has been a good year for Isla Pacifika. We've had a lot of fun shows, great experiences throughout the year, and a growing family! One of the most memorable experiences of 2010 has to have been the Millennium Park Workouts. Although we were rained out the first day, our second and third days were awesome...teaching tahitian basics under the sunny skies in downtown Chicago! What more could you ask for.

We were also fortunate to participate in the Ohana Nights at Tiki Terrace. Another fun experience for all of us...and for some of us, it was the first time to get up on stage. We definitely felt the love and support from our neighboring halaus. Mahalo Nui Loa!

From local festivals and private events to our weekly classes, we had one busy year and a lot to be thankful for. We look forward to the coming year being filled with excitement and surprises, new costumes and dances, new members...and a new family member too!

Hau'oli Makahiki Hou!

Implements and Poi Balls!

Holidays are coming up and Isla Pacifika students are learning new dances!

Coming up in the future of Isla Pacifika students, we will learn an implement dance. The students will use the ipu, pu'ili sticks and uli uli.

Also, the girls will visit New Zeland and learn Maori Poi Balls!

It's "Back To School" time!

Summer has pretty much ended and many of us are trying to hang on to whatever is left of it. But reality settles in as you wake up to cooler temps...so what can we do to get back our summer groove?

Try a free polynesian dance class with Isla Pacifika. You'll work up a sweat as We teach you the basics of hula and tahitian dancing. No dance experience necessary. We just want to have some fun! A little hip shaking with some island music is a great way to hang on to the summer...and burn some calories while you're at it.

So join us on Wednesday night from 8:20-10:00 PM!

4057 N Damen Ave.
Chicago, IL 60613
*Studio entrance is on Belle Plaine Ave.
CTA: Irving Park Brown Line

Hope to see you there!

Growing an Ipu

I have been wanting to try my hand at growing an ipu. You can buy the seeds from our friend at wwww.ipufarm.com or on ebay from seller hukilau1991. I have seen both company's ipu and they are both nice. It is hard to buy an ipu online, since there are different sizes and thickness to the ipus. But if you want a certain one, both can help you.
Ever since I saw the ipu farm at PIFA, this idea has been growing. Even though we have a few ipu and a ipu heke, it is a different feeling when you make your own. I bought the seeds online and they came with the instructions.
I planted the seeds in a warm and sunny area and have been keeping the soil moist. Unfortunately I started my growing season a bit late, so we will see how well my ipu do. About after a week of keeping the soil moist, the plants started to sprout. Since the season is a bit different in Chicago, verses the Florida or California weather (where the 2 companies are from) I will see how well I can grow the plants.
I did not plant all my seeds this year, so if it is not so successful this year, I always have next year. Plus I can always buy more seeds!

Hula Days 2010

Hula Association of the Midwest is sponsoring a Hula Days October 8 to October 10. The event will be held in Itasca.


Workshop Schedule
Friday October 8, 2010
7:00pm Learn chant with Kumu Hula June Tanoue
Saturday October 9, 2010
9:00am – 3:00pm Workshop with Kumu Hula, Uluwehi Guerrero

Saturday October 9, 2010
Evening Uluwehi Guerrero Concert & Participants' Hoike in the hotel's ballroom.
Sunday October 10, 2010
9:00am – 3:00pm Workshop with Kumu Hula, Uluwehi Guerrero

Go to www.hulamidwest.com for details and to register.
If you are not a member for the Hula Association of the Midwest, you can also join on their website. It is a non profit organization so help spread the Aloha spirit and join!

Singglot

Join Isla Pacifika at Singgalot July 18th!
The Filipino American Historical Society of Illinois is having a presentation in Schaumburg, IL.

On Sat/Sun, July 17-18
American Indian/Filipino American Cross-Cultural Connections: A Journey of Discovery – Art, Music, Poetry, Martial Arts Demo, Igorot Rhythyms, Food

Isla Pacifika will be Hawaiian dancing on July 18th. Admission is free, so please join us!



For more details visit: http://www.fahschicago.org/

Millenium Park Family Fun Event June 30

June 30th Isla Pacifika will be performing at the Chase North Promenade Family Fun Tent in Millennium Park!

The show starts at 1 pm.

We are excited and ready to show our Aloha spirit to Chicagoland. We will be dancing and teaching Polynesian dances. Come join us tomorrow and bring your children. Then afterwards, enjoy the sites and fun things to do in Millennium Park. It is supposed to be a nice, warm sunny day, so come join us!

Tiki Terrace June 27 for Halau Night

Isla Pacifika will be performing at The Tiki Terrace for Halau night! We are excited to be performing. Come show support for our halau and join us for drink and dinner!



Tiki Terrace is located at the NE Corner of Lee/Manheim and Oakton.

1591 Lee St. Des Plaines, IL 60018

We are approximately 4 minutes North of O'Hare airport.



(847) 795-TIKI - (847) 795-8454

eat@thetikiterrace.com

Millenium Park Workouts

Millenium Park has Saturday Workouts in the Park during the summer. Isla Pacifika was invited to join. We did our Saturdays in June and had a blast! It was wonderful spreading the Polynesian culture in the Chicagoland! The people participating were wonderful.

We still will be performing in the Tent at Chase Promenade North on June 30th and August 3rd. It is the family fun festival, and will be fun for the kids!

Workout for free tahitian-style...

It's the beginning of June, which pretty much marks the start of summer, even if the weather doesn't always cooperate. So what better time to try something new? Well, here's your chance...and the best part is that it's FREE!

Come down to the Great Lawn of the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park on Saturday. Isla Pacifika is bringing the Pacific Islands to Chicago! You can start the morning off with some yoga and pilates...and then stick around for Tahitian dancing with Isla Pacifika. Shaking your hips is a great way to burn calories!

Free Workout Schedule with Isla Pacifika
June 5 @ 10AM
June 12 @ 10AM
June 19 @ 10AM

Where? Great Lawn of the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park

Hope to see you all there!

Mahalo

Isla Pacifika Events in the Chicagoland

Festival of Cultures in Skokie was a success! It was the first performance for a few of our girls and they did great! Which also helped them to prepare for the Isla Pacifika Recital. Everyone looked beautiful and danced wonderful.

Next, is Millenium Park! We will be teaching Tahitian dance June 5, June 12 and June 19th at 10am. Please come to learn some Tahitian dancing. Best part is it is free!!! If you are looking for good workout, come on out to Millenium Park for the Saturday workouts in the park.

If you are more interested in watching a show and eating some good food, please come join our halau at the Tiki Terrace on Oakton in Des Plaines. We were invited to perform June 27th. Sit back, order some good Island food and drinks, and watch us dance!

It's going to be a busy summer...Isla Pacifika will be at Millennium Park!

Summer is almost here and it looks like it's going to be a busy one!

First, everyone in class is working hard preparing for our class recital in less than two weeks! We're learning many different hawaiian and tahitian dances...a lot of new stuff! The other weekend the girls made pa'u skirts and kukui nut leis. To learn how to make your own pa'u skirt, check out our previous blog post here. Sound exciting? It's just the beginning...

Join Isla Pacifika during the month of June as we teach the basics of tahitian dancing at Millennium Park. If you didn't know, every summer the Millennium Park hosts free workouts on the Great Lawn of the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. Are you ready to shake those hips and burn some calories?

Hula Steps

All steps must be done with knees BENT. Do not straighten while you dance or you will start to bounce or bob up and down. Weight on heels, back straight.

'Ami: Rotate hips in a circle back

Huli: 1/4 turn

Hela: begin with weight on left foot, right foot extends and tap, comes back and switch weight to right, then left foot extends and taps

Kaholo: to travel, Right foot steps to the side, then step left (bring together next to right foot), then right step, Then do same with Left

Uwehe: step in place with right foot, lift both heels quickly of the floor and back quickly, causing knees to open forward. Repeat with the left foot

Kalakaua: Step forward right foot, weight back on left, step back on right foot, weight forward on left, step forward on right weight back on left, step back on right (weight stays on right). Repeat with left foot

How to Wear a Lei

How to Give a Lei
A lei is traditionally presented to another person by placing it around their neck and giving them a kiss on the cheek. Some say a more traditional and respectful way to present a lei is for the giver to to bow slightly and raise the lei in front of themselves, at about heart level, letting the other person take the lei and place it around their own neck. In modern times it is more common for the giver to place the lei around the recipient's neck along with a kiss. Note that it is considered bad luck to wear a lei you plan to give to someone else or for a pregnant woman to wear a closed a lei. Any lei can be made open and pregnant women should always wear an open lei.

How to Receive a Lei
It is disrespectful to decline a lei if one is offered to you. If you are allergic to any of the lei materials, or if you are not in a position to wear a lei that is presented (for example if you are playing amusical instrument) the lei should be put in a place of honor to show respect for the giver. A lei can be worn for any occasion or no occasion and it is fine for you to purchase your own lei.

How to Wear a Lei
A closed lei should be worn on the shoulders with half of it hanging in the front and half hanging in the back. It is fine to wear more then one lei at a time. Graduating scholars often wear so many lei they can hardly see above them."
Found on: http://www.hawaiiforvisitors.com/about/lei-etiquette.htm

Warmer weather have you thinking about the beach?

Who could blame you. It's time to start thinking about the summer that's just around the corner. But you never know with Chicago weather, right?
So what better way is there to get ready than to shake your hips? No, we're not talking belly dancing. We're talking about polynesian dancing with Isla Pacifika.

For those who aren't quite sure what polynesian dancing is, think Hawaiian dancing... Tahiti... grass skirts... flower leis... and luaus. Isla Pacifika will teach you how to dance the hula, how to shake your hips for tahitian dancing, and share with you the culture behind polynesian dancing. We bring the pacific islands right here to you in Chicago.

Join us for our polynesian dance class on Wednesdays

from 8:20 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
4057 N. Damen Ave.
(Entrance is on Belle Plaine Ave.)

Chicago Tribune

Today, Isla Pacifika was featured in the Play section of the Chicago Tribune!
In the classes section on page 4A, there is a picture of the girls taken during class. There was also information about our class, time, location, and how to contact us. Great job and keep on dancing!

Teachstreet Featured our class this week!

They send out featured classes every week to all members of teachstreet. This week, we were one of the featured classes!


Featured Class This Week


Polynesian Dancing in Chicago: Hula, Tahitian, and Chamorro Dance Classes by Isla Pacifika Join us every Wednesday night at 8:20 p.m. and learn the basics of pacific island dancing. Learn how to dance Hula including Hula Auana... Starting January 20, 2010Price: $40.00

Classes Will Resume Jan. 13th

Aloha and Happy New Year! Due to popular demand, classes will resume Jan. 13th. See everyone then!