The 25 women and 10 men competing are a mixed lot. Most have Hawaii ties. The halau has been a hedge against homesickness. But now, because of kumu and the halau, I feel like I have part of Hawaii here, too. As the dancers arrived for practice, they added their offerings to the potluck table, fried noodles mingling with the fried chicken.
Food is another hedge against homesickness.
Chang misses most, but there are others, and their absence can add a challenge to presenting hula so far from Hawaii. Chang finds he needs to explain more to the audience, who usually expect Tahitian-style movement and know nothing of the stories of hula. There are compensations to be made in teaching, too. The students here more have to envision what these places look like that they are dancing about, especially if they've never been there. I got pictures that I show them.