Basic Hula Steps

Basic hula motions/ steps:
Ka lewa- imagine a figure 8 movement behind your ʻpikoʻ. With weight on R foot, L hip is up. When weight is on L foot, R hip is up. This is a continuous motion that should not stop, but flow up and over like water. This motion is the hardest to execute and master. It should be added in every hula motion learned after this. The Lewa is the basic movement executed within all of the other hula steps.

Hula - also known as ka holo is your most basic and famous hula step. Always starting on your R foot; step together, step, touch. You will end with the your weight on the R foot and the “touch” is with the L ball of foot, then repeat to the left. Knees are bent. Steps are usually comfortable at no farther than shoulder width apart.

Kaʻo - also known as Ka lewa…with a step like you are walking motion…

Ka ʻaupuni - With weight on L foot, step on R towards L and follow with a ʻami. Usually done with a 4 to 8 count beat with knees bent. Continue around till coming back to face front.

Ka ʻami - with heels a few inches apart, toes slightly pointed out, knees are bent and movement is isolated to below the waist. Start with the beat to the back R side and move your ʻelemu from back R to a dip to front L side and out back to R front and repeat.

Lele ʻUwehe - Raise up on ball of feet and R steps over to R side step (1), L points front (2), bring L in next to R and bend at same time (3), lift heels and back down on 4th count, hold. 4 counts all together. Can be repeated on the other side for L lele ʻuwehe.


Hand motions can be just as difficult to execute as the feet motions, especially when doing ʻauana. Hula waves are the hand undulations that vary for different halau and all are acceptable. Some wave using very subtle movements with very little wave and fingers held close together. Some waves use big motions with a lot of wrist movement. I prefer to use some where in the middle with the lead being the wrist. What that means is that the wrist will be the initial lead in any hula hand wave motions, and the fingers simply follow in rhythm.
Later you may want to get the video for this hula to see just how the wave motion is done. The following are common motions of Hawaiian phrases you will read often in my style of hula.
Remember: Kuhi no ka lima, hele no ka maka. Where the hands go the eyes will follow.
Your right hand is normally the direction to follow with your eyes unless direction is given to follow the L hand. It is the basically normally used here.

Love motion - this motion is commonly done by bring both hnds from away from the body out at the sides towards crossing arms over chest. To a hugging like motion. This motion is reversed in the same manner from crossed at chest to outward.

ʻIke motion - always used to express a looking or seeking type motion. One hand is usually cupping at one eye and other hand is out 45 degree (d.) to signify the direction the eye should be.


Kaulana motion - this is often done with R out front p/d and L up high over head. Hands and arms are in a large L shape. Kaulana motion can be varied depending on the mele and face different directions, but this is the ‘basic’ description.

These are just a few 'common' descriptive motions. I will add more later. See if you can find these motions in a hula video!
.... until next time....remember:
~If your hips aren't moving, you're not dancing hula~
me ka ha'aha'a,
Mo'ikeha