World Dance Saturdays
(posted 5-21-07)

Our next WORLD DANCE SATURDAYS class series is about to start!

Hawaiian Hula
with Tammy Blackseth
Four consecutive Saturdays in June
from June 2 to June 23
Noon to 1:30 pm

With more than 36,000 Pacific Islanders in the Bay Area, the ancient art of hula is enjoying a renaissance here. Hula is an art form with three parts - poetry, music and dance. The story is chanted (in ancient Kahiko style) or sung (in contemporary Auana style), while the dance (hula) visualizes the meaning and feeling of the story. Kings, queens, flora and fauna are the focus of hula’s many stories, which emphasize a love of nature and magic of the Hawaiian islands.

Our five-class hula series will start by teaching the basic steps of the dance.  Mastering these steps improves coordination, precision, balance and grace. The class will then learn a lovely hula you can perform at your next celebration. Along the way, Tammy will share her knowledge and love of the culture & values that inspire hula and the Hawaiian lifestyle. 

Instructor Tammy Blackseth is an accomplished dancer and hula instructor, and a long-time member of Inside Outside Fitness.  The paternal side of her family lived on the Hawaiian islands for four generations, until they relocated to Napa, CA where Tammy was raised.  Tammy earned a dance degree from Mills College, and her interest in sacred dance led her “full circle” back to hula.  She began studying hula at Hula Halau O Lelani in San Leandro, then spent five years with the award winning Na Mele Hula O'hana.  She currently studies under her kumu hula Mikioi Iwamoto at Halau O Ka Ua Lililehua in San Leandro.  Tammy has led hula workshops at dance festivals, retreats and schools, and brings considerable charm, grace and talent to her classes. 

Our usual class fees apply for World Dance Saturdays ($15 for a single class, 10 classes for $90, or included as part of our unlimited 3-month and 1-year membership options).  But we DO ask you to sign up in advance to reserve a spot for the hula series. To sign up, stop by our front desk, call (510) 655-8308, or send us an email by clicking here.

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