NANI FRIEDMAN
ALOHA, IŹ»m Nani
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Kumu Mark says that at the Academy of Hawaiian Arts we dance to inspire the next generation of dancers. I remember being 11 years old, watching the AHA wahine performances at the āIa Oe E Ka La competition in Pleasanton, and thinking to myself,
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WOW, I want to dance like THAT when I grow up.
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I was so inspired by the power, the energy, the captivating soundā in short, it was badass. I knew from dancing as a keiki that hula was athletic, physically demanding, powerful and precise. But I had never seen hula where women were pounding the stage, using implements like warriors, loud and resonant, in a low stance shoulder width apart, ready to fight someone, all with the level of precision expected from the highest level of skilled dancers.
Ā My mom and grandmother were both born and raised on Oāahu, and I grew up on the Peninsula in the Bay Area. When my mom was 5 years old, she started dancing hula with Kumu Hula Bella Richards down the road from her home in Kailua. When I was 6, my mom asked me if I wanted to try dancing hula with her at the San Mateo branch of Kumu Hula Aloha Dalireās haĢlau. I had no idea about the hula world I was about to enter or that it would be one of the most important parts of my childhood. My hula sisters quickly became my best friends, and in the summer after 2nd grade I competed in my first Keiki Hula competition on Oāahu. It was the first of many competitions as the little blonde haole girl in the line. Over the next few years, I learned discipline, to pay close attention and listen, and the foundations of how to dance as one with a group.
I joined the Academy of Hawaiian Arts in the middle of 2022 as the haĢlau accepted new students for the first time after the pandemic. I immediately appreciated the tight-knit supportive community, learning about Hawaiian language, history, and traditions, and that there was a path for me to push myself to new heights as a dancerā to learn how to dance like a badass.
Being a part of the Merrie Monarch training process, I continue to feel the inspiration that I felt as an 11-year-old. I have been so inspired to start to see our powerful mele as we layer the different components together as a group. I can feel the power and fire in my body as the mele comes alive. What Iāve realized is so special and difficult is learning how to steward that fire in a way that burns bright and is alive with energy, but is also controlled and purposeful, without sparks flying all over the place. Iām so grateful for this opportunity to learn so much from this process, challenge myself to learn quickly, and rekindle my love of hula and hula community.
Before joining AHA, it had been 12 years since I had danced hula and 8 years since I played team sports. Here are few lessons I have learned or been reminded of in Merrie Monarch training:
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- Malama kou kino ā taking care of your body ā is everything, and it requires time and dedication. It has felt so good to get more in touch with my body. While tedious, stretching and foam rolling my sore muscles has been one of the most important things for me to prepare for practice and help my body recover. I started strength training in April of this year, and surprised everyone in my life when I started drinking protein powder smoothies for breakfast.
- Give every repetition 110%. When Iām tired or my brain is trying to keep track of so many pieces of the dance, it can be tempting to give 90%, but we canāt afford that. Every repetition that we do a motion wrong or go easy, our body stores in its memory, and we go backwards. I see how hard all the dancers in the haĢlau push themselves physically, which helps me recommit to 110% as we start the verse again.
- Basics, basics, basics. Now that we are learning the mele, I am reminded of the importance of mastering posture, foot placements, hip movement and bending down while we practice basics. The basics all need to happen on autopilot by the time we bring everything together.Ā
Thank you for your support of our Merrie Monarch journey!
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