Hula Groups Sway to Kitschy Breezes

Every wiggle tells a story. At least that’s what two hula groups purported to do on Friday at California Plaza’s Water Court.

Under a brightly shining noontime sun, the locally based Hula Halau O Kamuela Elua, directed by Kunewa Mook, presented a mostly educational program, as Mook sang, played the ukulele and talked about everything from leis to his travel itinerary (he heads halaus--hula schools--in Burbank and Hawaii).

As danced by a gaggle of adolescents and young women, the characteristic dipping, sensuous swaying and florid hand gestures of traditional hula didn’t exactly transport one to the Islands, but they proved pleasant enough.

At the evening concert, with fog hanging heavy over the downtown fountain-spewing plaza, the troupe presented a truncated program of traditional chants and hula dedicated to volcano goddess Pele.

The main event, however, was the hourlong performance of Na Lei Hulu I Ka Wekiu. Directed by Patrick Makuakane, the 16-year-old San Francisco company is known for its progressive hula--hula mua--with the native Hawaiian making use of more modern hula moves (hypnotically smooth undulations) than traditional hula (deep plies), and set to contemporary music. Like Liberace with a lei--sans piano or ermine cape--Makuakane presided over a show that seemed more shipboard revue (the kitsch factor was rampant) than cutting edge.

His version of Hawaii’s paniolos (cowboys) saw six men in Stetsons faux-lassoing and squatting in cocky unison, and could have sprung from Santa Monica Boulevard. Five women in red strapless gowns gyrated and struck poses to Peggy Lee’s classic, “Fever.” Effortless gliding punctuated a piece in which gingham checked dresses ruled: Think “Little Hula on the Prairie.” The biggest crowd-pleaser? Makuakane’s nightclub homage set to techno music, where brightly feathered costumes and bawdy booty-shaking prevailed.

All said, this native was restless.