Island Dance Academy and the Palace Theater in downtown Hilo present “The Nutcracker.”
Island Dance Academy and the Palace Theater in downtown Hilo present “The Nutcracker.”
Performances are at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with a 2 p.m. Sunday matinee.
Featuring whirling, twirling ballerinas, tap-dancing soldiers, sword-fighting combatants and more, this is a longtime holiday tradition for Hilo, started by Suen Hughes, Island
Dance Academy’s director, in 1989.
As a special bonus, Rick Mazurowski will introduce the shows with Christmas music played on the Palace’s magnificent pipe organ.
Airi Broomell stars as the Sugarplum Fairy, with Elizabeth Walker as Clara and Harper Highfill as the Nutcracker. Amaya Motoishi dazzles in her role as Spanish Chocolate, and Fujimi Yabuki shines as the Dew Drop Fairy.
Along with new choreography and the reworking of traditional dances by Megan Kimata, the production is ever changing, adapting to the dancers’ strengths.
General admission seating is $20 in advance, $25 the day of the show. Tickets are available online at hilopalace.com and at the Palace box office, 38 Haili St.
