We teach at VYbE Dance Company in Markham on Sunday afternoons — three papa hula (classes) running back-to-back, from keiki to advanced mākua. Your first class is on us — come dance, see if it's a fit, no commitment.
Three papa (classes) on Sunday afternoons at VYbE Dance Company. New dancers are welcomed any time — come this Sunday or the next. Kūpuna (elders) are warmly welcome to drop into Papa Lei Hoku at whatever pace feels right.
Our young dancers. Age-appropriate choreography in both kahiko (ancient) and ʻauana (modern) styles, with kahea (the calling) and Hawaiian words woven into every class. Coordination, confidence, and protocol — all begin here.
Try a free classOur welcoming adult class for every experience level. Basic hula steps and hand motions, the ʻōlelo (language) behind every mele (song), and the protocol and Hawaiian values that frame the practice. Most students start here — and stay for years.
Try a free classPhysically challenging and committed. Independent study of ʻōlelo, mele, and moʻolelo (history) is part of the work. Consistent attendance required.
Try a free classHula begins and ends with intention. Your first class will feel calm, welcoming, and a little unfamiliar — and that's exactly right.
The hālau is volunteer-led. Our fees cover the studio, mele, and the small costs of running a school — and they're kept deliberately low so cost never keeps someone from dancing.
Rates may have moved since they were last published — Kumu Joanne will confirm current fees when you inquire. Scholarships available for any family or dancer who needs one. Sliding scale, no questions asked.
Ask about classes & feesClass is the foundation, but it isn't the whole practice. Our dancers learn alongside the dance — traditional crafts, cultural protocol, the mele behind every motion — and help shape the community we share with the city.
Lei-making, lauhala (pandanus leaf) weaving, kāpala (printing) and other hands-on traditions are woven into the year — sometimes as workshops, sometimes in the lead-up to a performance, always taught with the same reverence as the dance.
Every summer our dancers help organize, set up, host visiting hālau, and run the day at Mel Lastman Square. AlohaFest is built by hand by our ʻohana — and being part of that is one of the deepest parts of training with us.
Hālau dancers attend hoʻolauleʻa (cultural gatherings), workshops with visiting kumu, mele and ʻōlelo study, and — every few years — travel to dance with our sister hālau in California. Hula is a doorway; we keep it open.
Most of these come up on the first phone call. If yours isn't here, write to us — every question is welcome.
Yes — most of our adult dancers started exactly there. Hula doesn't reward prior dance training the way ballet or jazz might; it rewards listening, intention, and showing up. You'll be fine.
Never required. Some dancers train for years just for the joy of it. When you're ready, there are gentle opportunities — community hoʻolauleʻa (gatherings), the AlohaFest stage, the occasional cultural showcase — and Kumu Joanne will let you know when you're ready, not before.
Absolutely. We invite families to come observe a keiki class anytime — please email ahead so we know to expect you. Many of our keiki families start that way.
One class a week is the foundation. Some sessions add an optional extra rehearsal in the lead-up to AlohaFest or a performance. We respect that families and dancers have full lives — show up when you can, always.
VYbE Dance Company is ground-level with accessible parking and washrooms. If you have specific needs — sensory, mobility, anything — please mention it when you write and we'll make sure you're welcomed properly.
Yes — we perform at weddings, corporate gatherings, school assemblies and community events across the GTA. Write to us directly and we'll talk through what you have in mind.
Many of our keiki are shy at first — Kumu Joanne is patient, and the older dancers in the room often help new keiki settle in. Hula is gentle by design. You're welcome to stay in the room until your child is comfortable.
No. Hula carries deep spiritual roots — it began as sacred dance — and we honour those roots with respect (oli, mahalo, protocol). We do not ask anyone to adopt a faith. We do ask everyone to come with respect for where the dance comes from.
Whether you've danced your whole life or have never set foot in a hālau, there's a place for you here. Reach out to Kumu Joanne to arrange a visit.