The Big Show

Today, we performed in our Hula School's annual "Big Show".

My mom and I just before the show starts.


Holly with Mom and Poh-Poh


Top row: Jeni, Frankie, Linda, Mimi
Bottom row: Kim, Miranda and Pat.


Top row: Mihoko, Naomi, Diana, Koren
Middle: Noriko
Bottom: Jessica, Alicia, Melissa


Cindy, Pearl, Julie


Pat, Cindy, Miranda

Our Day at the PNE

Today, we were dancing at the PNE, so we went early to do some of our favourite PNE things - like go to the Superdogs show, and seeing the Acrobats. Paul was able to come with us this year, so we also decided to take advantage of our free ride passes. My mom and I went to watch a bit of the free Lea Salonga concert - it was crazy! I have never seen so many people at the evening concert (I think every Filipino person in the Lower Mainland was in attendance!).

We convinced Holly to ride the pirate ship with us . . .  any guesses on how it went?
















All smiles before ride starts . . .



And then there was some screaming and crying involved!



This is more her pace - she's either just a little young still, or she takes after me when it comes to the roller coaster-type rides!





And then we danced . . .









My Aunt Gloria and Uncle Ken came to watch, along with my cousin Alison and her little boy, Owen!

Kitsilano Showboat

Tonight, we danced at the Kitsilano Showboat. It was a beautiful evening, and Paul was even able to come down and watch us!

Hula Show Fundraiser

Today we participated in a fundraiser for Doctors Without Borders helping the tsunami relief effort in Japan.

Here is my mom with some of her former co-workers at the "photo op" area of the room.


My mom and I danced in a few of the numbers together (along with the other ladies).


I mistakenly thought Holly had a birthday party to attend, so she was wearing her pretty party dress - her braid is done for her Maori number.


So serious . . .    hula is supposed to be fun! I guess I'm really concentrating on not forgetting my steps!


Now this is more like it! Holly is clearly enjoying the Maori poi ball dance!




This number was fun - Lula Rockahula (from our dance competition).

Hula Competition

Today I competed in my very first hula dance competition. Grace, Frankie, and I took First Place in the Comedy Group division at the Pacific West Dance Festival. The Festival runs for about 2 weeks, and includes ballet, tap, hip hop, Polynesian, Chinese, and Indian dance - among many others. Ok, it sounds impressive, but I have to be completely honest - we were the ONLY entry in our division! We did, however, still have to meet a minimum score to win. Originally, I had asked Frankie to do a comedy duo with me, and then we added Pat - but Pat had a very unfortunate fall about 6 weeks ago and broke her ankle! Grace kindly stepped in for 2 dances (I also performed in a group number) and here we are!


The trophy that Frankie is holding was actually donated by Josie, our teacher!


Later in the afternoon, our girls won First Place in the junior group poi division. (We didn't tell them, but they were also the only entry in their division!). They were very excited to win and performed very well! Josie doesn't always want or let the younger kids enter - she doesn't want them to be crushed if they lose, and also doesn't want them to expect to win all the time if they do in fact win. I think they had fun and for both myself and Holly, it was a great experience all around.

The Big Show

Today we had the "Big Show" for our hula school. It's what our hula master ("kumu"), Josie, calls it. All year we practice for the big show and now it's finally here! Too bad Paul missed it, since it's our (mine and Holly's) first one.

We had to go early for a rehearsal on the actual stage before the show. You can see Holly in the middle watching her teacher, Rani, and Cassie standing to Holly's left.














A short clip of the "Hibiscus Hula" in rehearsal (yes, if you can hear it, it's Mickey and Minnie Mouse singing).


This is the poi ball song (poi are practised by the Maori in New Zealand) - the song is called Piki Mai:


Practising their Tahitian dance - Te Hora Bora Bora!

















This group performed a dance called Seabreeze:
Mimi (Cassie's mom), Kim, Anita, Cindy, Siobhan, Molly, Me (top row)
Sulay, Frankie, Diana.














Couldn't resist including this picture of Frankie.














Holly was in 3 dances - yes, she has more costumes than I do! This one is for the Hibiscus Hula.





































I had to sneak a shot during the show because the ushers were making people put away their cameras! Because some of us were only doing 2 dances, we bought tickets so we could sit and watch the show in between our performances.














Holly got flowers after the show! And we took a picture with Josie after our first "big show"!

PNE!

Today, Holly and I danced at the PNE - here I am in the back row 2nd from the left:





























Holly and the other little girls at the end of our performance, singing Aloha Oe.
















After we finished our performance, we were able to stay at the PNE for the day. One of the shows this year was the Peking Acrobats. Their show was amazing!


































After the Acrobats, we went to see one of Holly's favourite groups - the Doodlebops!















Holly posing with one of the City of Burnaby's eco-sculptures. This one was made for the 100th anniversary of the PNE.















Bobsled girl . . .















. . . or snowboarder?!




















We also checked out some of the amazing work entered in the Sand Sculpture competition.






















































































Here are some of the "Can-struction" piece of art: Inukshuk . . .



















. . . Whack-a-Mole!















A cool melting ice cream cone . . .



















. . . and even bumper cars!















Pillsbury Dough Boy . . .



















. . . and Holly's own creation!



















Holly enjoyed painting on an old bumper car - a free-for-all area where you could go crazy with paint!















And of course we HAD to go to Casey Bear's Street Party! She's not as shy as she was a few years ago - she ASKED to take picture with all the characters here, and even gave hugs willingly! See if you can recognize them all (Clifford the Big Red Dog, Curious George, Casey Bear, Cinderella, Super Why and just a regular Panda!).