Arts
Read More ›
Local Hula Classes Available for Moms and Babies
Mothers are encouraged to bond with their infants during this 45-minute workout
This article originally appeared in the February 2015 issue of Seattle magazine.
New parents have been known to go to great lengths to wangle a much-needed nap for their babies (and themselves): long car rides, pushing the stroller mile after mile…and now, hula classes. Especially if Marcie Mahinakealo Cheung, a longtime dancer and cofounder of the new dance program A Honu World of Hula (ahonuworldofhula.com) has anything to say about it. Along with business partner and 40-year hula veteran JoanMarie Ke‘alaileiha‘aha‘a Hughes, Cheung started offering soothing mom-and-baby hula classes last September at Mukilteo Athletic Club. During the classes, mamas sway in time to traditional Hawaiian tunes while toting little ones in carriers.
“About half the kids are asleep by the end of class,” she says. “I like to think of it as hula therapy; it’s a very laid-back, calming environment.”
Mothers are encouraged to bond with their babies throughout the 45-minute workout—which is inspired by a similar style of class that is taught in Hawaii—trying out hand motions and perhaps working up a light sweat. “You are carrying around an extra 10–20 pounds, after all,” says Cheung, who teaches classes with 1-year-old son, Owen, in tow.
A Honu World of Hula also offers an “Island Jams for Toddlers” class for children ages 1–3, where tykes can learn a few moves while listening to Hawaiian songs and stories, as well as beginner hula lessons for kids ages 3 and older. Hula babies drop-in session, $12; full six-week session, $60. Classes meet at Mukilteo Athletic Club (Mukilteo, 12138 Mukilteo Speedway; 425.748.4497) and Romp (Bellevue, 13500 Bel-Red Road, Suite 7A; 425.348.0960); register online at ahonuworldofhula.com.
Follow Us
SENSORIUM Takes on Our Screen Addiction
Dance, drag, and immersive art collide in an eight-week exploration of our phone-obsessed lives, with a few surprises along the way.
What do drag queens, smartphone addiction, art installations, and an old luggage shop have in common? According to longtime Seattle choreographer Alana O’Farrell Rogers, a lot. “There’s no dead time anymore,” says Rogers, explaining how the proliferation of smartphones fills the empty spaces that once served as time for rest or connection. Where we snuggled…
Salt-N-Pepa on Breaking Barriers and Staying Power
Ahead of their performance at Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture gala, the hip-hop pioneers talk about creative ownership, connecting with new generations, and the songs that still resonate.
The Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP) will host its annual ICONS of Pop Culture Gala in Seattle on October 22, honoring five artists and institutions whose work has helped shape entertainment and culture. This year’s honorees are martial arts and film legend Bruce Lee, fashion designer Jeremy Scott, the video game franchise Halo, hip-hop pioneers…
Studio Sessions: Christopher Paul Jordan
Drawing on childhood memories, neighborhood history, and salvaged materials, Christopher Paul Jordan’s latest show at Cornish’s Behnke Family Gallery explores how the past stays with us.
Start in the middle. It’s good advice for telling a story, and a way into Christopher Paul Jordan’s paintings. By the time you encounter them, their materials have already been something else, and who knows what they might move on to become. The Tacoma interdisciplinary artist works with salvaged objects, including screens, picture frames, canvas,…
Rearview Mirror: Wedding Bells, A Furniture Launch, and the Symphony’s New Look
Things I did, saw, ate, learned, or read in the past week (or so).
WEDDING BELLS I’ve been a bit absent from this column lately, but I think I have a pretty good excuse: I got married! It’s already been three weeks since my September 19 wedding, but I’m still reflecting on the magic of the day. My fiancé, well husband now (I can’t get used to saying it!),…