Swan Lake Comes to Upcountry Maui June 1-2
KAHULUI—Join in on a classic performance at Seabury Hall’s ‘A‘ali‘ikuhonua Creative Arts Center as Alexander Academy Performing Company (AAPC) presents Tchaikovsky’s timeless masterpiece, Swan Lake, from Saturday, June 1st to Sunday, June 2nd.
Across four mesmerizing performances, over 200 student dancers ages 3 to adult will showcase their exceptional talent and skill. Swan Lake, renowned for its complex choreography and demanding lead roles, remains the pinnacle of ballet artistry.
This year, we are thrilled to welcome back professional ballet dancer Nathaniel Hunt, currently captivating audiences in both the Broadway Company and the first national tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, who will grace the stage as Prince Siegfried alongside our AAPC cast. Adele Fabbio and Ululani Laepaa began their Swan Lake journey 10 years ago, and now, as graduating seniors, they return to this cherished production.
“This is our first time repeating a Spring production in my 14 years as executive director,” says AAPC’s Danelle Keenan. “The score is one of ballet’s greatest and artistic director Absalon Figueroa has a talented group of dancers to choreograph. We have grown so much as an academy since we presented Swan Lake ten years ago; the cast is larger, and our costuming is exquisite. This is going to be a special experience for everyone involved.”
You can find photos from AAPC’s 2014 performance of Swan Lake and other assets here.
“Swan Lake is the most famous classical ballet for a very good reason; Tchaikovsky’s music. The score inspires the dancers to push their storytelling abilities using ballet as a vocabulary, transporting the audience to a fantasy world of royalty, magic, love, betrayal, and the struggle between good and evil. The ballet is a visual spectacle including iconic dance sequences and choreography performed worldwide,” says Artistic Director Absalon Figueroa.
The iconic costumes of Swan Lake help to tell the story and are inspiring for the audience to behold. The white swan Odette is delicate and ethereal, contrasting with the black swan Odile, who is strong and strives for attention. This year Odette, Odile and the Swan Corps de Ballet will wear custom made tutus, constructed by an army of Maui volunteers, using proper techniques found in professional ballet costume shops.
“Our dancers deserve to have the best possible costumes we can provide, even though we are located so far from the rest of the world,” says Costume Director Jennifer Oberg. “When a dancer is not comfortable in their costume, they might dance smaller. I want them to feel confident and dance to their fullest potential.”
On Saturday, June 1st at 2 p.m., be captivated as Alexander Academy’s Contemporary program sets the stage for an unforgettable performance prior to Swan Lake. Then, on Sunday, June 2nd, groove along as the Academy’s Hip Hop and Jazz programs kick off the show with electrifying energy.
General Admission Tickets are $15 to $35, with keiki tickets available. Reserve your tickets at https://swanlake.eventbrite.com.
For more information, please visit www.alexanderacademy. info.