FRANKFORT — Nothing beats the cold of winter like Hawaiian dance. Watching takes you away from the freezing temperatures and transports you to warm island breezes and wave-kissed beaches surrounded by lush tropical landscapes.

In search of this respite I traveled to Frankfort on a Monday evening to seek out Mary Beth Hewitt, who teaches Hawaiian dance styles out of her house/studio. Hewitt teaches the dance of the islands to students and takes her group on tour for appearances throughout the area.

"Hui Na Kawaiuaili," Hewitt’s dance group’s name, translates roughly to — take a big breath here — the river of sacred knowledge, which is passed on from generation to generation of the people of Hawai'i.

“We perform for all kinds of events, everything from corporate fundraisers, to assisted living facility luaus,” said Hewitt. “Our style is 'ohana,' which means family oriented. This means, children perform with us when we can get them in the show. Summer is a popular time for our group to dance of course, but we’re open to any time of the year if someone requests us.” 

Hewitt said she was born an Army brat so growing up she lived all over the states, Japan and Germany. While in Japan they would visit the Hawaiian Islands when her father was on leave.    

“What I remember most about Hawai'i as a child was the Hawaiian hula dancing and the Tahitian dancing," she said. "Although I grew up learning ballet and tap and modern dance I never forgot those beautiful island hula dancers.”

One of the basics that hula dancers need to learn are the foot motions with the bent-knee position and the hip sway called "ka'o."

The seven students who make up the younger dancers of Hewitt’s troupe — Zoe Sofia-Sikkeb, Delaney Perkins, Lydia Tracey, Piper Tracey, Ruby Tracey, Marnie Tracey and Abby Gallant — range from Kindergarten age, to first-, second- and third-grades.

Talking to the kids and asking what they liked about their dancing I heard: “Learning a dance from a different culture,” “You get to wear costumes and it’s fun,” and “I’m learning how to dance, that’s why I like it so much.”

“After students learn to keep their knees bent, shift their weight from side to side to create the hip sway they learn to 'holo,' travel and move in any direction within their own space," said Hewitt. "After that they learn how to use their hands to tell the stories of the Islands, the legends, myths, and history of their 'Ali'i' (royalty).”

Hula also tells stories of the beauty of nature, as well as the destructive power of nature as in the chants that intone the name of Pele, the goddess of the volcano.

There are two basic modes of hula. First is the Hula Kahiko. This is the ancient style using only chants, drum beats and implements such as the "uli uli," which is a feathered gourd and is a form of body prayer and a way of passing on the spiritual legacy of the Hawaiian people. 

“The ancient form of hula requires the 'kumu hula, the master teacher, to direct the group though the use of the 'ipu heke [double gourd] and oli chants, which the hula dancers respond to all together as a whole group,” according to Hewitt.

“They must also learn the stories and the chants," she said. "In ancient Hawai'i the hula dancers were on a very high level of the Hawaiian priesthood.  At a young age they were separated out and specially cared for and trained for the spiritual role of hula rites and rituals for their Ali'i [royalty, i.e. kings and queens, chiefs etc….]”

"Hula auana," which means literally to "wander away from the old ways," came out of the days of the Monarchs after the Hawaiian Islands had been conquered and colonized by European invaders, and came under the domination of the United States government.

The missionaries had banned hula, but eventually the Hawaiians recreated hula in a secular mode, which is now known as the "traditional" style of hula.

“This style is noted for its romance and beautiful poetry, stories of love and the heartbreak as well as the joy of the Hawaiian people,” said Hewitt. “The costumes come out of the Victorian era of the long gowns that emphasize the dancer’s 'hour glass' form. The music incorporates the guitar and ukulele with very high-pitched singing.”

The grass skirts were not originally a part of the Hawaiian costumes. The skirts, which are not grass but strips of tree bark, are originally from Tahiti and were introduced to Hawai'i more during the early 1900s as sort of a modern Waikiki style of dance.  But the Hawaiians have used the ti leaf, which looks sort of like grass.

“Our group is under the direction of our own kumu hula [master instructor], K. Leimomi Kawewehi Hoover, who lives with her family in Rochester N.H.," she said. "Much of our choreography comes directly from her.  Leimomi was born and grew up in Honolulu and studied with the master hula teachers of Oahu.”

Hewitt said she moved to Frankfort to be closer to her son, Shane, and her grandchildren, who live in Bangor. 

“Shane ended up in Bangor because I was a student and graduate of Bangor Theological Seminary from 1987-1991,” said Hewitt. ”When I left to become a pastor in another area he decided that he wasn't going anywhere and now he has a big family of his own. I started dancing as soon as I got here and haven't stopped since, so it's going on nine years that I've had a performance ready Hawaiian/Tahitian dance troupe.”

I’ve always been a little befuddled by the Hawaiin language. Humuhumunukunukuapua’a, which means Picasso triggerfish, state fish of Hawaii, was always one of my favorites. Say that one five times real fast. I’m lucky to get it out once.

“Anyone can contact me at 207-233-5310 for information on appearances and our classes. Mahalo. A hui hou kakou (Thank-you. Until we meet again),” said Hewitt.

Appearing in the videos: Lauren Ginn, Julia Patterson and Sarah Grindle in Ote’ a Kahia with the choreography by Mahealani Uchiyama.

In, I po lei momi (My precious pearl lei) with choreography by Keali Reichel are Mary Beth Hewitt, Pam Grindle and Patti Bunker.