hula

hu·la

H0316600 (ho͞o′lə) also hu·la-hu·la (ho͞o′lə-ho͞o′lə)n. A Polynesian dance that in traditional form dramatizes a song or chant, especially through arm movements and hand gestures.

[Hawaiian.]

hula

(ˈhuːlə) or

hula-hula

n (Dancing) a Hawaiian dance performed by a woman[from Hawaiian]

hu•la

(ˈhu lə)

n., pl. -las. a sinuous Hawaiian native dance with intricate arm movements that tell a story in pantomime, usu. danced to rhythmic drumming and accompanied by chanting. Also called hu′la-hu′la. [1815–25; < Hawaiian]

hula

An essential feature of Hawaian culture, the hula is accompanied by chanting and the actual style of each performance is determined by the chant. originating in the 1970s, in which two partners perform elaborate stylized turns.

Thesaurus

Noun

hula - a Polynesian rain dance performed by a womanHawaiian dancing, hula-hularain dance - a ritual dance intended to bring rain

Translations

hula

the horizontal hula

vulgar slang The act of sexual intercourse. My brother spends his weekends cruising the bars around town in hopes of doing the horizontal hula with someone.See also: horizontal, hula

horizontal hula

n. copulation. (Contrived.) She wanted to do some of that horizontal hula. See also: horizontal, hula

hula

hula,

traditional Hawaiian dance usually performed standing with symbolically descriptive arm and hand movements and gracefully sensual undulations of the hips; it is also done in a sitting position. Hawaiian myth ascribes hula's invention to Hi'iaka, sister of the volcano goddess Pele, and its safekeeping to the goddess Laka. Originally part of religious ceremonies, it was danced by groups of specially trained women who illustrated the various accompanying texts (mele), which were chanted by men. Instruments were limited to percussion–sharkskin drums, gourds, stone castanets, and bamboo rattles. Missionaries, who arrived in Hawaii in 1820, labeled the dance heathen and succeeded in having it banned. Nonetheless, it continued to be clandestinely taught and danced. Hula was again encouraged during the reign (1874–91) of David Kalakaua, Hawaii's last king; in this period it was expanded in text, song, movement, and costume. Although it was again subject to official disapproval after American annexation (1898), the hula was revived in a commercialized form in the 20th cent. Chant accompaniment yielded to music, drums and gourds to ukelele and guitar. The sensual swivel of the hips was accentuated, and the dance became a tourist staple and a feature of Hollywood productions. In the 1970s, however, a Hawaiian cultural renaissance revived interest in traditional hula.

Bibliography

See D. B. Barrèere et al., Hula: Historical Perspectives (1980, repr. 1997), R. Laes and R. Goldsmith, The Art of Hula (1996), N. B. Emerson, Unwritten Literature of Hawaii: The Sacred Songs of the Hula (1999), and A. Seiden, The Art of Hula (1999); documentary films, dir. by R. Mugge, Hawaiian Rainbow (1987) and Kumu Hula: Keepers of a Culture (1989).

hula

, hula-hula a Hawaiian dance performed by a woman

Acronym

Definition

HULA➣Hawaii Ultimate League Association

hula

hu·la

hula

hula-hula

hu•la

hula

hula

the horizontal hula

horizontal hula

hula

hula,

Bibliography

hula

HULA

hula

Synonyms for hula

noun a Polynesian rain dance performed by a woman

Synonyms

Related Words