A “Kaleidoscope of Dance” will be on display this weekend when 93 Island Dance Academy dancers take the stage to showcase new skills and techniques developed over the year. Island Dance Academy producer Suen Hughes started directing the “Kaleidoscope” shows in 1996 to give her dancers the chance to perform on stage outside of a full-length ballet to show off their talent and stage presence to an audience. Hughes and instructor Megan Kimata are co-directors for this year’s show and have spent six months planning and implementing all the details for the performances.
Kimata and fellow instructor Kira Okazaki created all the original choreography for the tap, jazz and ballet dances. Island Dance Academy, or IDA, interchanges its annual show between “Kaleidoscope” and a storybook full-length ballet. Last year, the dancers performed “Sleeping Beauty” after a four-year hiatus due to the pandemic.
“Since there is not a set storyline. ‘Kaleidoscope’ allows teacher and students to create different pieces that don’t need to go together. The kids really enjoy that,” Kimata said.
“To prepare for this show, each class is learning how to perform in different styles, portray different emotions and play different characters, which is a lot of fun.” This year, three high school seniors, Jada Leite, Akane Todd and Tiffany Yamashita, will be honored as they take their final bow as dancers with IDA. “Some of our dancers make their debut at age 4 and have been wi.