Welcome to the Foundation Course,
Welcome to the 'ohana!

Welcome to the Beginner Foundation Course!
If you would like to join our Whatsapp groups– the main chat and/or the LSHO announcements group– please click the links below. If you join the Main group, please make sure to say hello and add a small intro+picture of yourself so that the rest of the ‘ohana can say hello!
Main Group
Announcements

Studio: Studio West End - 4A Streatham St, London WC1A 1JB

Join via Zoom
Password: Ohana

What to wear:
Anything comfortable to move in— No jeans or stiff trousers please. Please bring a pareo or sarong, or a 1mtr piece of non-see-through fabric if you are able.
What to bring:
Please have water and a notebook to hand. Bring any questions/thoughts/concerns/ideas about the preparation assignments.

Before we get started…

Check out the videos below in order to gain an initial understanding in which dances belong to Hawaiian Hula, and which belong to the Tahitian ‘Ori as many people confuse the two.
In this course, you will be studying the Tahitian ‘Ori!

Hawaiian Hula

Tahitian 'Ori

There are two main styles within 'Ori Tahiti. The 'ōte'a and the ‘aparima. Many people are more familiar with the 'ōte'a, conjuring images of women with coconuts and long grass skirts, shaking their hips rather impressively. While this is the case sometimes, you will learn that it goes so much deeper than that!
In this course we will focusing on the 'ōte'a.

'Ori Tahiti: 'aparima

'Ori Tahiti: 'Ōte'a

Check out London School of Hula and 'Ori’s award-winning 'ōte'a and 'aparima above!

Read The Foundations

Ōrero

List of Steps

Pehe

Week 1: Preparation

  1. Read through the list of steps paying attention to your pronunciation.

  2. Make sure you’ve watched the videos and read the docs above.

Week 1: Session Recordings

MARCH 6

  • Introduction to Ori Tahiti/Tahitian dance.

  • Words: Vahine: Women and Tane: Men

  • Basic steps: Toma, Toma toma, Tamau, Tairi’i tamau, Otamu, Afata, Ueue and Pa’oti.

STRETCHS

  • This stretches are helpful if you body feels tight during the day and if you do them daily it will help you improve your dancing.

Week 2: Preparation

1. Do the basic step exercises every day for the length of one song, 3x through the pehe.
*Remember: Start from the ground up. Plant your roots and grow up towards the sun. Don’t arch or squeeze the hips. Shoulders pulled back and down. Exhale and keep your core engaged, but loose. Breathe from your belly button.

2. Research the word Mana. Do a free write about it, or follow the prompts below.
What does this word mean in the context of your life? What would you like it to mean in the context of your life? Do those things align? How can you ensure these things align more?

Week 2: Session Recordings

MARCH 13

  • Introduction to a Pehe (drum beat): Puarata.

  • New steps: Tumami and Tōtoro.

  • Puarata combo:

    Vahine: Tamau, Tumami, Afata and Tōtoro.

    Tane: Pa’oti, Tumami and Ueue.

 

Week 3: Preparation

  1. Do the exercises learned in Week 1+2: Takoto and Puarata. Bonus points if you practice every day!

  2. Set aside time to stretch every day if you don’t already. If you’re unsure of stretches you can do, check out Youtube and find an appropriate yoga/stretching video.

  3. Listen to BoraBora (above) and try to break down the beats

Week 3: Session Recordings

MARCH 20

  • Pehe: Borabora

  • Introduction to the drums: To’ere, Fa’akete/Fa’atete and Pahu/Tari Parau,

  • Steps: Taere tamau, Amaha and Tu’e.

  • Borabora combo with not arms:

    Vahine: Amaha, Afata, Taere tamau and Tumami.

    Tane: Amaha, Pa’oti, Tu’e and Tumami.

    HOMEWORK

  • Practice this Pehe combo at least once a day to feel comfortable with the steps because we will be adding the arms next week!

Week 4: Preparation 

  1. Practice Takoto, Puarata, and BoraBora. Bonus points if you can practice each Pehe every day!

  2. Try to keep up your stretching routine!

Week 4: Session Recordings

MARCH 27

  • Basics practice.

  • Adding arms to our Pehe combo Bora bora.

Week 5: Preparation 

  1. Practice, practice, practice!

  2. Stretch, stretch, stretch!

  3. Listen to Paea (above) and try to breakdown the rhythms

Week 5: Session Recordings

VARU PRACTICE

Apologies everyone because due to technical problems we didn’t have a recording of last class but we have this video you can practice your Varu from minute 35:12.

Week 6: Preparation 

  1. Practice, practice, practice!

  2. Stretch, stretch, stretch!

  3. Listen to Samba (above) and try to breakdown the rhythms

Week 6: Session Recordings

APRIL 10

  • Steps: Vahine: Ruru, Tuanee, Ori Opu and Fa’arapu. Tane: Taparuru and Tuanee.

  • Pehe: Samba.

  • Pehe combo to Samba.

Week 7: Preparation 

  1. Practice all of your Pehe combos. Pay attention to all the details!
    - Try a run focusing on your feet
    - Try a run focusing on your arms

Week 7: Session Recordings

APRIL 17

  • Revisiting and cleaning up our Pehe combos: Puarata, Bora bora, Paea and Samba.

  • All Pehes from: Drum Beats of the Pacific Vol.2 album.

  • Bring black top and flower in your hair for the performance next week!

Week 8: Preparation 

  1. Practice your All Pehe Choreo

  2. Invite a friend or two to watch your mini performance (if you’d like!)

Week 8: Session Recordings

APRIL 25

  • Revision of our basics and practice for performance.

    VIDEOS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR 2 WEEKS FROM NOW.

APRIL 24

PERFORMANCE