名稱：malia’s chance to dance
內(nèi)容簡介：
By Beth Greenway
Art by Wayne Alfano

I can’t be late. Not today!Malia thought as she raced across the park.

Today herhulateacher would choose students to dance at theluau.

Malia reached the end of the park.

“Aloha,Uncle Charles,” she greeted her teacher. All the dancers called him “Uncle” in the local way.

Malia joined her hula sisters beneath a shady monkeypod tree. She pulled on a colorful skirt.

Uncle Charles knelt on a woven mat and beat a rhythm on a large gourd. The dancers warmed up with basic hula moves. Malia placed her hands on her waist and stepped back and forth.

Uncle Charles called out, “Hip sway.” Malia stood in one spot and swayed her hips side to side.

After the warm-up, Uncle took out hisukulele.It was time to practice their special dance for the luau. Malia took a deep breath and bent her knees.

“Remember to use expressions. You want to tell the story with your hands and faces,” Uncle said.

Twang, twangwent the ukulele. Malia lifted her arms. She and her hula sisters danced in a row across the grass. They stretched out their arms like birds in flight. Their movements matched the meaning of the happy song.

There was no time to be nervous. Malia was too busy watching her hand motions and remembering her footwork. She also remembered to smile.

“Together! Watch your line,” Uncle called.

Malia’s smile grew. She had made no mistakes. She spun to the strumming of the ukulele and danced over to one side, as if she were on a real stage.

Oh no!Malia had danced in the wrong direction. Malia felt her face burn, but she kept dancing and smiling. She turned in time to the music and danced in the proper direction—two steps behind and two beats late.

The music stopped, and Malia shook her head.I’ll never be picked now.

Class was over for the day. Malia sighed and sat beneath the monkeypod tree to wait for her mother. She had wanted to dance on the stage with her hula sisters. She had wanted to wear a fancymuumuu,a scentedlei,and flowers in her hair. Now she would have to wait forever for her next chance.

Then she heard Uncle saying, “Malia, there you are. Your mother is here. But before you go, I want to know if you would like to dance at the luau.”

Malia blinked her eyes. “Oh yes. But, Uncle, I made a mistake. I went the wrong way!”

“Yes, but you kept dancing and didn’t give up. You may not be the best danceryetbut—you always express the song’s meaning. Today you showed the happiness of the song with your wonderful smile. Expression is an important part of hula.”

Malia was going to dance at the luau! She couldn’t wait to tell her mother. Even if she forgot a few dance steps, she would not forget to smile.