Watch a short video outlining Prince Dance Company’s mission, history, and three core programs.
Watch a short video outlining Prince Dance Company’s mission, history, and three core programs.
INSPIRE
Prince Dance Company original dance productions
Since 2008 Prince Dance Company (PDC) has been producing one to two original theatrical dance works per year that use professional dancers. We are inspired by environmental and social issues to create and produce full length works for the stage and shorter, site-specific work that exemplifies the best of contemporary dance —physical, dynamic and thought-provoking in its delivery.
Collaborations between the company’s professional dancers and experts from fields as diverse as astronomy to ecology, local schools and Hawaii artists, allow the works to speak on many levels and cover a broad range of subjects not only meaningful to Hawaii but to communities across the globe. These works typically premiere in our community theater, Kahilu Theatre, then tour on other Hawaii islands and in the continental United States.
Perform
Scholarships and production assistance for local performing arts school
In the small rural communities on the north end of Hawaii Island, arts education is critically important to the development of our keiki (children) yet is also sadly underfunded and minimally available. Prince Dance Company partners with a local performing arts school that trains over 200 Hawaii keiki each year in many forms of performing arts, including dancing, singing, trapeze, aerial silks, and acting. Prince Dance Company supports these efforts by providing scholarships for the Institute’s keiki and producing the performing arts school’s spring and winter shows. Each has 100 young artists performing their hearts out on a professional stage, with leis and praises draped upon them after each performance.
Scholarships
On average, $10,000 is raised every year to provide between 20 and 40 student scholarships. Our goal is to grow this fund so that we can be provide as many children as possible the opportunity to experience the performing arts.
Productions
The spring and winter shows are the highlights of our local performing arts school. Hundreds of children perform on the professional stage of the professional state in the largest town in North Hawaii to the admiration and applause of hundreds of community members.
Engage
Academic enrichment programs in schools
Prince Dance Company’s ENGAGE program brings performing arts to students who typically do not receive any other form of performing arts education in school.
In the Dancer in Residency part of the program, a professional dance teacher works with approximately 50-100 students per school to teach the fine arts benchmarks for the respective grade level. These residencies typically culminate in a performance for the school and parents.
The Interactive Dance Performance part of the program has Prince Dance Company producing an original work of performance art that has a specific education theme, such as this year’s astronomy theme, and performs it for all students in grade level groups at schools, allowing the students to watch, participate and learn about dance and the science behind the work.