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

When and Where
Mondays at 6-6.55pm
Pepper Street, SE1 0EL

Join via Zoom
Password: Manuia

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

JUNE 3

  • Introduction to LSHO and Ori Tahiti.

  • Learning:

  • How to tight your pareo,

  • Pehe (drum beat): Takoto.

  • Arm positions: Tarava

  • Directions: Huri (Turn)

  • Steps; Toma, Toma toma and Tairi’i tamau.

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

JUNE 10

  • Introduction to our drums: Toere, Pahu/Tari parau and Fakete/Fatete and their sound on the Pehe (drum beat).

  • Pehe of the day: Puarata.

  • Basic steps: Tairi’i tamau, Tumami, Afata, Otamu. Tane steps: Ueue, Totoro and Pa’oti.

  • Little choreo with Puarata.

 

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

JUNE 17

  • Revisiting the steps we did in the last two weeks.

  • Learning a new phere and choreo to it: Borabora.

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

JUNE 24

  • Introduction to Aparima.

  • Learning about Heiva I Tahiti and a few Ori Tahiti dancers.

  • Revisiting our Pehe combo: Bora bora.

  • Learning our basic arm positions.

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

JULY 1

  • Working on our basic arm positions.

  • Learning about the revival of Ori Tahiti.

  • Learning basics steps: Varu, Fa’a ruru, Tua ne’e and Fa’arapu.

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

JULY 8

  • Learning about our ending post.

  • Learning: Varu, Tua ne’e, Fa’a ruru, Fa’arapu and Ope.

  • Learning combos with the pehes Paea and 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

JULY 15

  • Revisiting the pehe combos of the pehes: Samba and Paea.

  • Learning about proper technique while moving, weight changes, foot placement and how to gain strength in our ankles.

  • Learning Lokelani’s Paea combos.

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

JULY 22

  • Performance day! Videos will be available for 2 weeks from now.