Remembering a Past Belly Dancing Retreat on the Big Island, 1995

In 1995 we held a Summer Solstice retreat at Kalani Hanua Ocean Side Beach Resort. My guest instructor was Z Helene and the theme was Dance of Elements: fire, water, earth, air, and ether. Each day was devoted to a different element and we had five different costume contests!

When we went to the Volcano, we convinced the park rangers to move the orange barricade aside so we could videotape ourselves doing a dance in front of the active lava flow rolling into the sea in the background (of course, we were a safe distance away). It was an exhilarating experience. The wind was really strong and blew our veils and skirts in the air like flames. The sand was virgin black obsidian glass crystals birthed from the process of hot lava hitting the salt water. It was extra abrasive under our feet and glistened in the sun. Listen to Armando’s poem on our Voices of Bellydance page.

There are different kinds of lava. Some forms of hardened lava look like characters you expect to talk to you and then another kind called Pele's hair appeared as fine as weavers threads. You can really see how life races to rebuild itself after a lava flow. It barely cools and things are growing and adhering to it. You can see the evidence and measure the stages of natures tarnaciousness by the date markers on the different lava flows within Volcano National park. Very fascinating!

We enjoyed the warm ponds just down the road from Kalani and right on the beach. The steam vents were my personal favorite. They are a fascinating and very rare phenomena that truly deifies description, but I’ll try. . .