West Hawaii Dance Theatre is pleased to announce its Spring Concert at the Kahilu Theatre, Saturday, May 18, 2024 at 5:00pm. This is the only opportunity to view this unique double bill program.

Featured is Giselle, the undisputed masterpiece of Romantic ballet. Hauntingly beautiful, the story brings together an engaging mix of human passions, supernatural forces, and the transcendent power of love. From the sunny optimism of Giselle’s idyllic village life to a moonlit world of mystery where ghostly maidens Wilis drift through the forest in spectacular patterns with lightness and fragility, this historic production features some of ballet’s most dramatic scenes.

Choreography is based on the original by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot, and set by WHDT’s Founder & Artistic Director Virginia Holte. The hauntingly beautiful music is by Adolf Adam and Fred Burgmuller. Background by theatre technicians Gary and Taly Morphis.

The cast includes intermediate, advanced, and pre-professional classical ballet students from WHDT and Hilo’s Island Dance Academy, providing a first ever Big Island East Side-West Side dance collaboration.

Special Guest Artist, Principal male danseur Yevhenii Kuchvar from the Dnipro Opera & Ballet in Dnipropetrovsk Ukraine, will be featured in the production. He is joined by guest, and graduating senior Henrik Meier from Switzerland and four of WHDT’s graduating seniors, Hannah Dean, ‘Ailani Martinson, Rayna Morphis, and Mara Wallace, all in leading roles.

Pictures at an Exhibition, is our Acte d’ouverture. This piece was inspired by our students' art work. Each class chose a theme, and created their own original artwork which is featured as the backdrop. Their instructor chose music and choreographed dances to match. Each dance piece is woven together with composer Modest Mussorgsky’s Promenade theme music, providing a beautiful original blend of art and dance. Choreographers include WHDT’s Assistant Director Midori Satoh, and instructors Megan Joy Chapman, Alana Heuer-Salazar, Rayna Morphis, Ellie Nyquist, and Jenna Ojeda.

West Hawaii Dance Theatre’s Spring Performance is sponsored in part by the Atherton Family Foundation and the Kohanaiki Fund of the Hawaii Community Foundation.

Tickets and Information:
West Hawaii Dance Theatre
https://whdt.org/giselle/
Call/Text (808)217-6103
E-mail: info@whdt.org

WHDT is a Non-Profit Educational Arts organization under IRS Code 501 (c)(3). Founded in 1989, its mission is to educate the public in dance and other art forms in an environment of cultural excellence. It is supported in part by Valerie Cartwright & Richard Olazaba, Hawaii Community Foundation, Hoku Concert Series, HPR Community partner, and our local businesses and families.