2025-2026 Activities & Events

At Hālau O ʻAulani, our mission extends beyond dance. We embrace and celebrate the richness of Hawaiian and Polynesian cultures through a variety of educational, cultural, and hands-on experiences. Below is a glimpse into our classes and some of the activities and events we proudly participate in.

Sunday Classes & Master Classes

Enrollment is open to qualified students beginning at age 5; desire to learn; interest in the different culture of Hawai’i; ability to read and write at appropriate grade level. Children who are age 4, but have significant, prior classroom experience in a school system setting (such as full-day preschool, Pre-K, or structured daycare), may request an exception.

Classes are conducted weekly at regular times in leased space located at the Arlington County Cultural Affairs Division, 3700 S. Four Mile Run Drive in Arlington, VA. The facility meets health and safety requirements.

Tuition includes all Master Classes with visiting kumu hula and instructors as well as all Hula Lite classes.

Our class offerings include:

• Hula Basics – Foundational movements and techniques
• Hula Classes – Tailored instruction for:
  • Beginners
  • Keiki (children)
  • Kūpuna (those of a grandparent’s generation)
  • Kāne (men)
  • Wāhine (women)
• ʻUkulele Classes – Available for keiki, beginners, and intermediate students
• Enrichment Classes – Exploring cultural practices beyond hula, as well as aspects of other Polynesian traditions

Enrichment Highlights

Our enrichment classes provide hands-on, meaningful experiences that connect students more deeply with culture and tradition. This year, activities included:

• Haumāna sharing and celebrating their own Native Hawaiian heritage
• Learning to create a lei poʻo using the traditional wili method
• Learning to create other lei-making styles (kui, eyelash, etc)
• Crafting wire and fabric hair flowers
• Preparing lei for Father Damien and pūʻolo for King Kamehameha for the Lei Draping Ceremony at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center (June 7)
• Exploring Tahitian fundamentals, including drumming and dance
• Learning a cappella choral numbers

Through these diverse offerings, Hālau O ʻAulani continues to foster cultural appreciation, community connection, and lifelong learning.

We typically host master classes with one of our Kumu Hula or master instructors at least once each term, sometimes twice in a term or even on back-to-back weekends! We always cherish the opportunity to spend time with them and absorb the knowledge they so generously share.

Community Events and Performances

We perform at community events to share aloha, educate audiences, and help perpetuate Hawaiian culture. We are especially active during AANHPI Heritage Month in May. Here are some of the events we participated in during the 2025–2026 year:

• Pacific Fun Day (Severn, MD)
• Ono Brewing Company (Chantilly, VA)
• Meade Senior High School Multicultural Festival (Fort Meade, Maryland)
• L&L Hawaiian BBQ Grand Opening (Columbia, MD)
• Lei Making Workshop at Micron Technology (Manassas, Virginia)
• AAPI Heritage Celebration at the Maryland Zoo (Baltimore, MD)
• Lei Making Workshop at Global Furniture (Washington, DC)
• Community performance at Westover Library (North Arlington, Virginia)