‘Great Leaps’ Returns May 2

University of Hawai’i at Hilo and Hawai’i Community College dance students will take the stage at the UH-Hilo Performing Art Center for “Great Leaps”, the Art Department’s annual semester-ending dance extravaganza.

This year, the performers will dance for two nights with a special Friday evening preview show on May 1 at 7:30 p.m. and a regular performance on Saturday, May 2 at 7:30 p.m.

Over 150 dancers from the two campuses will perform original choreography. A pair of senior class dancers will present reflections of their lives. Ashley Terrell will honor her late father, and Zachary Tman will communicate the importance of friendship through bullying as a child, in an aerial dance.

Dance Ensemble class DNCE 401 will perform “Paid in Blood,” which is choreographed by Dori Yamada. It is based on ideas of contagion and infection of both the tangible and intangible kind. Celebrating the power of positivity, Lawrence Mano will perform “Believe” and Celeste Staton and Monique Clevenger will create a musical theatre romp with soft shoe in the classic “Steam Heat.”

A suite of short dances will be performed by Kea Kapahua’s Jazz class. Students will salute the musical movie era with a funky modern twist ending. Inspired by astronomical movements and patterns that reflect humanity’s connection and place with that universe, Kapahua choreographed a piece entitled “One-Song.”

Among other performances are aerial dances by Annie Bunker, an Afro-Celt-sounding dance by Hawai’i CC’s Modern Jazz class, and numbers by UH-Hilo Modern and Ballet classes.

The May 1^st preview show costs $3 while the May 2^nd regular performance costs $7 for general, and $5 for seniors, UH students, and children up to 17-years-old.

Both performances will be open seating.

Tickets can be purchased by calling the UH-Hilo Box Office at 932-7490 or online at the Performing Arts Center website.