Aloha Dance Studio, with a studio in Kukui Grove Center in Lihu‘e, recently took home a cache of hardware from the JUMP Competition and workshops held on O‘ahu during Memorial Day weekend.
The award-winning performances from that workshop will be part of the two-show, “At The Edge of Glory” recital at the Kaua‘i War Memorial Convention Hall in Lihu‘e on Saturday, with the first curtain up at noon. The second show is scheduled for 5 p.m.
“We sold out the last show, so we split them in two, with more than 200 students performing between the two performances,” said Tiffany Dick of Aloha Dance Studio. “Both shows will showcase our company teams in their award-winning pieces, as well as all our students from age 3 to adult, showcasing their talent in ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, acro and much more.”
Tickets are $15 preshow and available by emailing office@alohadancestudo.com. Tickets will also be available at the door for $20.
“Congratulations to our Aloha Dance Studio Junior, Senior and Elite Companies,” said Dick. “All of our soloists took home high gold during the JUMP Competition.”
Soloist taking high gold honors include Keisha Suga, Erin Teves, Caitlin Plowman, Jaslien Valdez and Maia Valdez.
Groups earning awards include the Junior Jazz Group earning high gold for “Pop Drop Roll.”
Other high gold winners include “Supermarket Flowers,” second place in Teen Lyrical; “My Name is Jonas,” third place in Teen Tap; “Paparazzi,” third place in Teen Jazz; “White Flag,” second place in Teen Jazz; “Move a Little Faster,” palladium, third place in Duo/Trio Group; “Giam;” “Burn it Up,” palladium, third place Teen Group, third place Teen Hip Hop; and “Focus on Work.
In addition to the upcoming Saturday recital, Dick is also concerned about improving and getting the Aloha Dance Studio location ready for students. The new space is located at Lihu‘e Town Plaza in the 4100 block of Rice Street.
“Of course, the space came up suddenly, and now, to find funding to renovate,” Dick said. “We have finally found a space to do dance and tumbling. Now, to renovate. It will take the community coming together to help with the costs.”
Dick said the new space will have two dance rooms and a tumbling room, along with lobby and retail space. Plans are to have the new studio replace the current home facility on Kolopa Street once the company settles in. The Kukui Grove studio will be retained for “everything we do there.”
“I also started our nonprofit side starting this year to start applying for grants to scholarship kids with low income that can’t afford activities, and also to work with the ‘at-risk’ kids through the schools with recommendation from counselors,” Dick said.
Construction and renovation work has already started on Rice Street, as evidenced by the roll off trash container parked storefront. The goal for getting the space ready is approximately $40,000.
“Eveything’s been out-of-pocket, and there is not much left in funding to complete,” Dick said. “We still need to finish drywall, mud and tape, get paint materials for the entire space, baseboards, and this doesn’t include any of the labor costs,” she said. “Plus, try to move in sooner than later. We need our community’s help to make this possible to open for the Kaua‘i Gymnastics Academy tumbling kids.”
To donate or for more information, visit alohadancestudio.com.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
