Hula Heaven!
The East Fourth Street Community Garden hosts an epic dance show.
Craving a trip to the tropics? This Saturday, June 3, from 1PM to 3PM, Brooklyn
morphs into the Big Island when students from Lotus Music and Dance,
taught by Makalina, come to the East Fourth Street Community Garden.
Dancers for this free show will be Deb Gottier, Alexandra Gray, Kim
Toscano, and Petra Van Noort—and Makalina herself will make a special
appearance. After the show, inspired audience members will be able to
take a short class.
Born and raised in and around the Pacific Islands, Makalina Gallagher
spent most of her life in the Marianas, the Carolines, and Hawaii. A
graduate of Fordham University with a B.A. in theatre and drama, she has
studied ballet, jazz, modern and tap in New York City.
She has
performed with the Tiny Bubble Band and with her Hawaiian Express
Dancers on Channel 13 WNET (PBS), NYC Telethon, and at the Manhattan
Center for Bette Midler’s 4th Annual Hulaween Ball. She has also
performed on the Food Network with Donna Hanover (featuring Roy
Yamaguchi of Roy’s Restaurant) and with Gordon Elliot’s Doorknock
Diners.
She has appeared on Good Day New York on Fox 5 with Mike Woods
and Don Ho, as well as on WB11’s Morning Show. With the Tiny Bubble
Band, she was featured on MTV Beach House to promote the movie American
Wedding, and was also seen in Times Square promoting the FOX show North
Shore. Makalina teaches Polynesian dance styles at Lotus Music &
Dance and serves as coordinator for their Arts-in-Education programs.
She is the organizer of the NYC Ukulele MeetUp group, and has performed
with her hula students at Asian Pacific Heritage events for former NYC
Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the Liberty Outrigger Challenge, and CAPA
(Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans), among many others.
The East Fourth Street Community Garden has served the neighborhoods of
Windsor Terrace and Kensington for nearly 40 years. You can find it
between Fort Hamilton Parkway and Caton Avenue.
