Love this hula school! Wonderful people who appreciate the hula culture. Love seeing everyone perform from the very little kids all the way to the retired. A great place full of Aloha! read more

Makani Kai Hula - Performing Arts Near Me - San Diego, California

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6/4/15: Week 2 of hula... i love it! Our instructor is amazing -- she teaches in a way where we quickly catch on and learn them. - She corrects our postures, adjusts our hands, feet, etc. Hula looks/seems easy.. but let me tell you its a workout!!! - i should just cancel my gym membership and come to class everyday. The beat/sound of Hawaiian music is so relaxing and exciting. I hope to excel in hula and one day have my own solo performance ha! read more

Makani Kai Hula - Performing Arts Near Me - San Diego, California

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As a performance troupe, I'm sure they are great. As a halau, they're so-so. If you're somebody looking for a hula school, how well you'll do here ultimately depends on what you're looking for. If you're looking to play Hawaiian dress-up and learn modern hulas that are literally always love songs, then go for it! There are plenty of women who love this aspect of Makani and embrace it. If you're searching for a school with cultural depth and variety, this may not be the place for you. I was there for 7 months before I got frustrated with the monotony. Some women were extremely friendly and wonderful human beings. Some women seem to be in it for the beauty, drama, gossip, and all those extremely feminine aspects of hula that seem to be more reflective of a modern, American halau. At first you're given some cool assignments to help you learn about culture, but eventually that is all tossed aside and you learn to look and feel more like the caricatures on Hawaiian posters instead of seriously tough hula dancers. It wasn't terribly physically stimulating either because you probably won't learn kahiko for a long time if ever, and god forbid you get on Laka's bad side, you'll never come back from it. I know many women love it, but for others like myself, it's an artificial environment where focus on competition bragging rights, favoritism, and beautification run rampant. read more

I've been with Makani Kai for over a year now, and I just want to say that Makani Kai isn't just dance school, it's family now. I have previously danced with other halaus throughout NorCal/SoCal and let me tell you that Auntie Laka is the NICEST kumu ever! My previous kumus were so focused on winning and it made dancing horrible! Auntie Laka is all about LOVE LOVE LOVE. If you're looking for a place to belong, it's here. Other halaus that I've danced with I quit super soon just because they made it all about winning competitions and it never became fun anymore. Makani Kai is all about the love of the dance. I'm so shocked at how close I've become with some of the hula sisters in the time that I've been here. I'm usually extremely introverted and I was at first when I joined, but honestly I've never felt more at home away from my real family than here at Makani Kai! Everyone is SO FRIENDLY! You'll find yourself spending time with the hula girls outside of class! I wish I joined Makani Kai earlier! I LOVE YOU OHANA! read more

Makani Kai Hula - Performing Arts Near Me - San Diego, California

F.Y.I: The sound of Hawaiian music always seems to catch my attention. The excitement of little girls dancing hula and chanting lyrics brings me back to my childhood days of dancing. Although there were no live drumers giving the dancers a beat to move their hips to, it was a pleasure seeing these little girls so happy to be dancing. The studio was only a room but walking in the studio, you could feel the traditional customs through the decor and the "Ohana" in all the dancers and their parents there. The little girls were practicing for an upcoming show and even though I had to wait a little to speak to the teacher, i did not mind waiting because the dancers were getting their costumes. The teacher was very friendly and informed me of the prices of the classes ($55/month for classes once a week). I definitely want to go back and drop-in on one of the classes. I know my hips will appreciate dancing to the beat of drums. So stay tuned for an update on Makani Kai Hula! Aloha Yelpers! read more

Hula Class is so much fun! Definitely a workout..hips, thighs, and legs! Can't wait to start performing at local San Diego events and shows read more

Makani Kai Hula - Traditional dance instruments - Performing Arts Near Me - San Diego, California

My Bestie beautifully orchestratred a surprise Party for me this past weekend and we had MAKANI KAI as the entertainment..It was amazing from beginning to end. They performed about 4-5 routines and they had everyone's attention. I love how Christine Miranda explained each song before it started to help tell the story of the dance. What an amazing birthday gift!! It was awesome. They even did some crowd participation, which was pure comedy! I also love the balance of the quick tahitian dance number to the slower love songs.... and the last song about Ohana was the Perfect fit to complete the tune of the evening. All my family and friends enjoyed the show as well!! Thank you so much..or shall I say "MAHALO"! read more

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I love love love Tahitian dance. I had my first lesson at just $10 the other night and it's a nice ab workout! After just an hour, my body from the abs down was feeling the burn. My grandfather is Hawaiian so I've been dieing to learn the hawaiian and Tahitian dance form for years. I finally got the courage to do it and fell in love immediately. Right after the class I signed up for monthly at just $55 (AND they rolled in the first class into the monthly fees!) I'm a fan for life and will continue to come weekly! read more

I booked a show with Makani Kai to perform at a birthday luau I had last month. It was the most awesome experience! They went above and beyond my expectations! They arrived on time, and started the show on time. Uncle Ed was a character and was a great MC. They performed different styles of dances with an explanation of each. They were fantastic! I can't say enough positive things about this experience. All of them were very friendly and happy! Even the payment transaction went smooth. I would recommend this group by far! read more

Since the UKULELE has become more and more mainstream I thought it would be fun to learn to play the instrument. Started taking ukulele classes here in 2011. enjoyed learning an easy instrument that only had 4 strings. It was fun because I was introduced to Hawaiian music which wasn't part of my usual song lists. It is fun to go to class and get to meet new people and friends. Still jamming every week at the studio. We even get to play music for the dancers which really ads to the Hawaiian fun. Talk to anybody there and get info, the "Ohana" is warm and caring towards all. read more

We hired the Makani Kai Polynesian Dance Troop to come to our home and perform at our twin daughters' 4th birthday party. Christine was our contact person, and she was friendly, professional, and always prompt in responding to my questions. Three dancers came to our party to perform. They arrived early and then did the most AMAZING job entertaining the kids! They mixed fantastic dancing with interacting with the children, teaching them dances and letting the kids try their instruments. They performed for an entire hour, keeping a group of fifteen 3-6 year old children transfixed and involved. All of the adults had a wonderful time as well. We would definitely hire Makani Kai again, and would be happy to recommend them! read more

Makani Kai put on a great performance! Their professional troop performed for my aunt's birthday party. They started by capturing everybody's attention by blowing conch shells. They had wonderful musicians (several drummers as well as ukulele players) and singers. Their dancers were incredible. They had both female and male dancers- i loved the fire dance and Tahitian dances. They also really knew how to turn their audience (me and all the party goers) from passive spectators to involved participants throughout their performance. Thank you, Makani Kai for making this a very special night for my aunt and putting on a spectacular performance. read more