We're All About You

We Understand How Difficult Finding That Hawaiian Connection Can Be

Life doesn’t always go the way we expected. And that includes where we work and live.

It’s just not right that we should have to give up the things we value, like our cultural experiences and the places that we hold dear, just because of life’s circumstances.

At Hula Halau ‘Ohana Holo’oko’a, We Get It.

This is why our founder, Lisa Chang, created a school of Hula. She has applied her 30 plus years of study and instruction to create a school of Hula, where everyone is family.

Our School of Hula

Hula Hālau ‘Ohana Holo‘oko‘a started informally in 1998 after Lisa had received several requests to teach hula. After receiving Auntie Linda’s blessing to teach hula in Oregon, she began hula instruction in her home with one class of five beginning adult students. Since that time, the hālau has grown to over 100 students in 14 classes, and her students range in age from 3 years old to 90+ years old. Although most of her students have some connection to Hawai‘i, the hālau is open to anyone with aloha in their heart and a passion for hula.

Hula Hālau ‘Ohana Holo‘oko‘a means “School Of Hula Where Everyone Is Family,” and in keeping with this spirit Lisa shares her aloha with members of the hālau, who in turn share their aloha, with hugs and care, with all of their hula sisters and brothers. Through this bond with her students, Lisa helps to preserve the Hawaiian culture through language, song and dance.

Our Instructor

Lisa Fujii Chang began her formal hula training in 1987 with Hula Halau ‘O Pi’ilani in Santa Clara, California under the instruction of Kumu Hula Linda Pi’ilani Dank, Auntie Linda, born and raised in ‘Ele’ele, Kaua’i, was trained by Kumu Hula Helen Kekua Waia’u and taught hula for over 45 years.

After six months, Auntie Linda moved Lisa up to the advanced class. The highlight of Lisa’s dance career was taking first place in the Hula Kahiko and Hula ‘Auana Group Division at the Ia ‘Oe E Ka La Hula Competition in 1989. Lisa was promoted to ‘olapa in 1991 and was honored to assist with classes and continue her training. She danced with Hula Halau ‘O Pi’ilani until she moved back to Oregon in 1994. Lisa continued to train under Auntie Linda until Auntie Linda’s passing in 2009.

Hula: A Form of Dance Accompanied By Chant Or Song

Hula was developed in the Hawaiian islands by the Polynesians who originally settled there. Hula tells a story through the dance and hand motions.

There are two different types of hula. Ancient hula, which was performed before Western contact with Hawai‘i, is called hula kahiko. It is accompanied by chant and an ipu heke (double gourd drum) or pahu drum. Modern hula which emerged under Western contact, is called hula ‘auana. It is accompanied by song and musical instruments such as ‘ukulele, guitar or string bass.

Hula is taught in schools called hālau. The word hālau can be broken down into hā which means breath and lau which means numerous. In a group of hula dancers, the breath of dancers combine.

A hālau is a school with a common goal of learning and dancing. In a hālau everyone is your hula ‘ohana (family). You must treat everyone with respect and kindness and you will learn to be humble, pleasant, patient and gracious.

A hālau is more than learning to dance hula. You will learn the Hawaiian culture, language, history, chants, songs and stories.