2022-2023 Activities & Events

At Hālau O ʻAualni, we focus on different aspects of the Hawaiian and Polynesian cultures outside of dance. Here’s a glimpse of what our classes at Hālau O ʻAulani include as well as a few of the events we participated in.

Sunday Classes & Master Classes

Our regular Sunday classes at facilities located at 3700 S. Four Mile Run Drive in Arlington, Virginia include hula basics, hula classes (separate classes for beginners, keiki – children, kupuna – those of a grandparent’s generation, kane – men, and wahine – women), ukulele class (keiki, beginners, and intermediate), and enrichment, which focuses on other aspects of the Hawaiian culture aside from hula and other Polynesian cultures. Here are some of the topics we covered during Enrichment this year: we learned about ʻohe kapala, how to make lei, how to play and teach others how to play Hawaiian games like Kōnane, Palaʻie, and ʻUlu Maika, the history of Spam and how to make Spam musubi, how to make accessories (we all made our own Tahitian accessories that we are wearing for the Tahitian section), and Tahitian basics and dance.

We generally have master classes with one of our Kumu Hula or Master Instructors at least once each term (sometimes twice a term or back-to-back weekends!). We love when we get to spend time with them and soak up the knowledge they bestow upon us!

July 30, 2022 – Island Lūʻau Night with the Bowie Baysox

We have participated in the Bowie Baysox’s Island Lūʻau Night special game event since its inception.

August 13 & 14, 2022 – Hula Lite Workshops

Hosting public workshops for the community helps us achieve our mission of sharing the culture with others.

September 24, 2022 – Via Colori, Stafford Festival

January 28 & 29, 2023 – National Museum of the Amerian Indian (NMAI) Winter Blast: A Weekend of Indigenous Games

We are always thrilled to participate in events at NMAI. Our haumana learned how to play Hawaiian games during our Enrichment Class so we could teach museum visitors at this event. Our musicians played music throughout the day and we offered introductory hula lessons.

March 25, 2023 – Hawaiʻi State Society of Washington D.C. (HSS) 2023 Cherry Blossom Princess Coronation

Celebrating Heather Hong-Fong as she takes her reign as the 2023 Cherry Blossom Princess. Heather joined Hālau O ʻAulani at the age of five and we watched her grow up, graduate from college, and now take her reign as Princess.

June 11, 2023 – King Kamehameha I Lei Draping Ceremony, U.S. Capitol Building, Visitor Center, Emancipation Hall, Washington, D.C.

Hālau O ʻAulani presented lei to Saint Damien and King Kamehameha I.