Gerilyn Kahealani Cherland has been practicing hula for the past 45 years. She studied under Kumu Lia Kamminga and received her title of Kumu on September 10, 2018. As a retired educator she enjoys watching her student learn proper hula technique as well as learning about the Hawaiian culture. Join her on Tuesdays at 5:30pm for the Beginner Class, 7 pm for the Intermediate class and Thursdays at 7 pm for an authentic cultural experience.

Founded Havasu Hula in June of 2018. She and her husband retired from education in California and made Havasu their home. Kahealani has been practicing hula for over 30 years. She seeks share her aloha of the Hawaiian culture with others. Students in her class learn the fundamentals of hula as well as `Olelo Hawai’i through learning the words of the mele (song). Classes are 60 minutes in duration consisting of stretching, practicing technique and learning choreography/vocabulary.

Hula is one of those dance styles that provide benefits in more than one area. It’s not only about the body; it impacts your mind and spirit, as well. Hula gets your heart rate up, but even better than that, it’s not a high-impact type of cardio that will hurt your joints. Although at times, it does call for fast-paced actions, it’s mostly about smooth and graceful movements.

Hula requires a lot of muscle isolation to achieve specific steps that involve arms and hips at the same time, and do it gracefully. It also puts your memory to work, not just by having to memorize choreography, but also understanding and learning about the myths, stories, and legends related to each dance. Hula also generates cultural awareness. Learning about hula dance and its background brings you closer to Hawaiian culture. That is an essential part of accurately interpreting the songs and chants you will dance.