Dancers with Ballet Hawaiʻi will take to the stage to perform "Urashima Taro" and "By George" this weekend.
"Urashima Taro" tells the Japanese fairy tale about a fisherman who, after rescuing a small turtle, is rewarded with a special visit to the Dragon King's undersea palace.
Music for the piece was composed by Takashi Koshi. He has been the live accompanist at Ballet Hawaiʻi for decades now. He said he started writing the music for this ballet at age 15.
"You just got to do music and do dance, and the discipline that's required will shape your mind and shape your outlook on life," Koshi said.
"By George" is a celebration of the music of George Gershwin.
The performances will showcase students from the school's Summer Intensive training. They will include featured guest artists from Eugene Ballet, Carolina Ballet, Cleveland Ballet, and Sacramento Ballet.
Both "Urashima Taro" and "By George" will be performed on Saturday, July 22. Tickets are available now.
This interview aired on The Conversation on July 18, 2023. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
