Ruffin’ It

Positioned amidst the lush surroundings of Kauai, the Kauai Line Dance Group, connected to the Hawaii Line Dance Festival, establishes a venue for individuals united by an ardor for line dancing. The group, circulating through varied locations such as Kauai Bowl and Kenji Burger Koloa, coordinates activities from dance sessions and workshops to participation in competitive events.

Within the contextual framework of a video featuring host Olivia Ruff, an exploration of this line-dancing milieu unfolds. Through interaction with VanNghi, perceived as the “master line dancer of the island,” Olivia navigates the social and procedural facets of the group’s dancing sessions. VanNghi elucidates, “Line dancing is meant for everybody of all ages,” emphasizing the inclusive nature of the activity. Further, she notes the forgiving structure of line dancing, where “if you mess it up the first or second or third time, there are multiple opportunities to get it right.”

In a subsequent explanation about the format of the classes, VanNghi highlights the consistent addition and repetition of learned dances: “Tonight, we’ll just learn one dance, and then in the subsequent classes, what we’ll do is we’ll practice what we learned in the past, and then we’ll learn one new song every time.”

Exploring the geographical expanse of the group’s influence, VanNghi illustrates that the spheres of the North Shore, East Side, and the South Side are “all learning a lot of the same dances.” With an aspiration to perhaps congregate these spatially varied participants into a united event, she shares, “The goal is to eventually throw some kind of honky-tonk, maybe in like April or May.”

Providing a peek into the unexpected cultural convergence in Hawaii, VanNghi mentions, “People don’t really know when they come visit Hawaii; they get surprised by how much country is being played.” She communicates the existence of a mutual space where people from various geographical locations like “Alabama, Texas, and Indiana,” find common ground in the familiar rhythms and practices of line dancing, where they “can all come together and be doing the same thing.”

Engaging in a conversation regarding the interaction of locals and visitors, VanNghi reflects on the amalgamation of energies within the dancing space, stating, “It’s a great place to come meet some locals, stretch your legs, do something that you maybe wouldn’t have expected yourself to be doing here on Kauai.” This sentiment underscores the group’s receptiveness towards visitors and the collective creation of memories through a shared, kinetic experience.

In the concluding remarks, the emotion from the class is summarized as “so much fun” and “a kicking good time,” with an encouragement for those in Kauai to “put your hair down and have a good time and not worry about anything and just move to the music.” Through the weaving of procedural and emotional aspects, the Kauai Line Dance Group appears as a structured yet energetically vibrant and welcoming community, offering an unexpected but genuine slice of cultural activity on the island of Kauai.

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In the scenic expanse of Princeville, Hawaii, the Princeville Makai Golf Club positions itself not only as a notable destination for golf enthusiasts but also as an attraction offering varied experiences for visitors with divergent interests. While the club’s Makai Course, “a Robert Trent Jones Jr. design,” is emblematic for its six oceanfront holes and status garnered through commendation in publications like Golf Digest, it also seeks to present more than a typical golfing experience, extending into offerings like disc golf, tennis, and more elusive activities like sunset golf cart tours and yoga sessions. The latter, naturally meshing into the golfing realm as one of the golf instructors, Andrew Schmidt, quips that “golf is yoga with a golf club,” further integrating an element of mindfulness into the experience.

The ethos and the landscape of Princeville Makai Golf Club are enveloped by its breathtaking vistas, to the point where National Geographic once recognized it “as one of the most scenic golf courses in the world,” choosing it to represent all of North America in a global selection. Olivia Ruff, exploring the club for her audience, brought forward not just the beauty but also the varied experiences one might partake in during a visit. The availability of “Makai Grill,” for instance, which provides “food made ready to order for breakfast and lunch,” is cited as a part of the broader experiences the club intends to provide to its visitors.

A distinct offering by the golf club is the sundown cart tour which, unlike many traditional golfing activities, doesn’t necessitate golfing proficiency. As a guide at the club detailed, it’s “a guided tour, and we stop at the most scenic stops on the course.” This tour seems particularly geared towards imbibing the natural spectacles the location has to offer, with the winter months presenting views of “the humpback whales and the Laysan albatrosses,” while summer evenings offer the enchanting sight of the “sun burn[ing] right into the ocean.”

When considering the golfing experience itself, Schmidt, who brings over “20 years” of teaching expertise, introduces novices to the nuances of the sport, elucidating aspects from initial stance to the final follow-through of a swing. Visitors seeking to learn are instructed to “aim the club where you want it to go first, then build your stance, and then put your weight forward, hands slightly forward, and then turn back, turn through.”

A further exploration into their other offerings reveals an effort to broaden the appeal beyond the conventional clientele of a golf club. For example, the “brand new disc golf course,” as well as tennis courts and associated memberships, make it evident that there’s a conscientious attempt to diversify the experiential offerings, thereby appealing to a larger demographic.

Conclusively, the Princeville Makai Golf Club, while anchored firmly in its acclaim as a top golfing destination, aspires to curate a selection of experiences that transcend the golfing niche, welcoming a range of visitors to explore the natural spectacle of its locale while potentially engaging in an array of activities. Whether engaging in a leisurely round of golf, embarking on a scenic sunset tour, or partaking in a meal at the Makai Grill, visitors are immersed in an environment where the luxuriance of nature commingles with recreational offerings.

For those interested in engaging with the offerings of the Princeville Makai Golf Club, reservations and further exploration of their offerings can be facilitated through their official website.

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