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Ghirard, Kent
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Kupuna
Name:
Ghirard, Kent
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Middle
Names and Meaning:
None shared.
(
N/A
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| Birthday: |
Sept 1, 1918
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| Birth
Place: |
San Francisco, California
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| Brief
Biographical Summary: |
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Kent Ghirard was born in California and became fascinated with hula at the age of 12 when his family visited Hawai`i on vacation. He received his first hula lessons from Marguerite Duane, professional dancer and friend of Hilo Hattie. After he moved to Hawaii in 1947, he studied with Alice Keawekäne at the Bill Lincoln Studio, and he later taught privately and also held classes at the Betty Lei Studio. He learned several kahiko from Mary Kawena Puku`i but concentrated his hula efforts primarily on `auana (modern) hula for tourist audiences. His dancers were known for their perfect grooming and professionalism, and he was regularly hired by the Hawai`i Visitors Bureau. Kent considers his hula style as simple, utilizing only basic hula steps. His "Hula Nani Girls" dance troupe became the first Hawaiian group to tour Japan in 1955.
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| Visuals: |
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 | | Still dancing after all these years, 2003 |
 | | Ua pau!, 2003 |
 | | Kent and his ipu heke, Waikïkï, 2003 |
 | | Talking story at home with Nona Beamer, Waikïkï, 2001 |
 | | Kent and his Hula Nani Girls on the Beach at Waikïkï |
 | | Kent with pü`ili (split bamboo) |
|  | | At the old Hawaiian Village at Ala Moana Park, 1950's |
 | | Kent with his dancers and musicians at Honolulu Airport |
 | | The rainbow-hued Hula Nani Girls |
 | | Kent's Hula Nani Girls with their `ulï`ulï |
 | | Kent sharing a chant he learned from Mary Kawena Puku`i |
 | | Sharing a favorite hula, Waikïkï, 2003 |
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Hula
Types Discussed |
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None
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