UH Hilo’s Dance Collective celebrates its 10th year with a special show Sept. 18

The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Performing Arts Center invites the community to its 10th Annual Dance Collective concert, to be held Friday, September 18, 7 p.m., in the Performing Arts Center. The show features choreographers and dancers from Island Dance Academy, Center Stage Dance Alliance, N2 Dance, the UH Hilo Dance Community, and more, showcasing original works created specifically for this show.

“Since its inception, the Dance Collective’s primary goal has always been about uniting the dance community, building bridges, sharing resources and creating support between all the various dance entities,” noted Dori Yamada, event producer and assistant PAC manager at UH Hilo. “It is a safe space where choreographers are given the chance to create whatever their hearts desire without censorship, with their pieces often serving as a reflection of the zeitgeist of our times.”

“Creation evokes a sense of catharsis which helps us to make sense of the world around us through shared experience,” said Kassidy Wilson, compliance specialist and dance instructor. A UH Hilo alumna who began her dance journey at Island Dance Academy before attending and dancing at UH Hilo, she currently teaches ballet at Center Stage Dance Alliance.

“This show is unparalleled in its ability to inspire choreographers, dancers and audience members year after year,” she added. “At every show, new individuals take the stage and share their stories, which is the heart of the show’s success for 10 years and why it will continue to resonate and thrive with the support of our community. Now more than ever, art is not a luxury—it is a form of sustenance that we all need.” Wilson has danced in nine Collectives and has choreographed her third piece for this year’s show.

Megan Kimata, owner and director of Island Dance Academy in downtown Hilo, who is continuing the legacy established by Suen Hughes back in 1977, said, “Dance Collective has given me and many of our dancers the opportunity to work with different teachers and experience different approaches to dance. For Island Dance Academy, it’s a great way for our dancers to grow and be part of such a special dance community.”

Founder and Principal Consultant of Ulumano and Council Legislative Assistant to Councilwoman Kierkiewicz, Ku’uhiapo Jeong has danced in seven Dance Collectives, but this is the first year he is presenting a piece of his own work.

“Dori has always been so nice to me and nudged me every year to submit something,” he said. “What made this year different was that I finally decided to go for it. People who know me know that when I do something, I fully commit and luckily, I’ve had a vision in mind for the past few years. So this year, I finally went for it.

“If you have experience with Collective, you know that the pieces are exemplary, just beyond anything that you could imagine,” Jeong noted. “You can really feel the passion, the creativity and the heart behind each piece. I really feel like this year is going to top off any of the years that came before.”

Tickets are available for purchase online at https://pay.hilo.hawaii.edu/pac/tickets/ or by calling the UH Hilo Performing Arts Center Box Office Tuesday-Thursday, 9-11 am, at (808) 932-7490.

Proceeds from the show will continue to go toward perpetuating this event and providing dance opportunities for the Hawaiʻi Island community.