The Island Dance Academy is bringing back its big storybook shows after a nearly four-year hiatus with a performance of “Sleeping Beauty” this weekend.
“Sleeping Beauty” features 77 dancers who will convey the fairy tale through different styles of dance, including classical ballet, jazz, tap and hip hop.
IDA’s last live show was “Cinderella “at the UH-Hilo Performing Arts Center in 2019, so many of the dancers are happy to return.
“Our dancers are extremely excited to be back. Our 4-year old dancers will have their first time on stage, and our seasoned dancers are ready to be back performing for large audiences,” said director Suen Hughes. “We’ve been relearning how to do this with all the details needed to make it happen.”
Kalissa Leslie stars as Princess Aurora, with Jason Aiwohi-Tomlin as Prince Phillip.
Kira Okazki plays the evil Maleficent, the Queen is played Misty Cruden, and the King is Adam Onishi.
The three good fairies are Jada Leite as Fauna, Mari Nitta-Kleinman as Merryweather, and Tiffany Yamashita as Flora.
Lexington Trooien dances the role of Young Prince Phillip, and Kensie Akatsuka is Young Aurora.
The dancers range in age from 4 to 20. To organize such a big performance, Hughes begins writing and choreographing the show a year in advance.
“We want to have everything from the cast, to sets and costumes organized, so we can spend the crunch-time rehearsing,” Hughes said. “It’s so exciting that large audiences can watch us again, and I can’t wait for them to see how wonderful our dancers are.”
The dance academy’s performances of “Sleeping Beauty” will be at 7 p.m. tonight and Saturday, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday at the University of Hawaii at Hilo Performing Arts Center.
Tickets are available at the Most Irresistible Shop in Hilo by cash and check only. Tickets are $20 general admission, and $5 more at the door.
For more information, contact Hughes at islanddanceacademy@yahoo.com.
Email Kelsey Walling at kwalling@hawaiitribune-herald.com.