Seabury Hall Performing Arts presents
Common Ground Dance Festival VI
a collective of Maui’s youth-based movement arts programs
in concert with the Seabury dance & hula programs
Directed by David Ward & Vanessa Cerrito
Saturday December 7 @ 7pm - Sunday December 8 @ 3pm
`A`ali`ikūhonua Creative Arts Center
Seabury Hall, Makawao, Hawai’i
Adults $15, Kupuna $12, Students $7 (Keiki 4 & under free)
Reservations and Information: seaburyhall.org/arts
Following the huge success of last few year’s Common Ground concerts, we are back with another spectacular festival of dance and movement arts from Maui’s most prominent dance-makers, educators, and young performers!
“It’s been a dream of mine,” says Seabury Hall Dance director David Ward, “to bring youth groups together on a common ground to share our art while building stronger relationships and respect for each other and our collective contributions to arts education.”
Now in its sixth rendition, Common Ground continues to reach out to bring arts organizations together, building bridges that connect us in a common goal of creating safe and inspirational spaces for the youth of Maui to learn, thrive, and express themselves.
This year’s lineup includes Seabury Hall’s Dance program with our Hula program, under the direction of Kumu Kamahiwa Kawa’a. Our returning guests include Evolution Dance Academy, under the direction of Meghan & Tito Reyes, and ZenShin Daiko, under the direction of Tony Jones. We are excited to return and share our passion for dance and movement arts, which includes modern, ballet, jazz, hip-hop, swing and dynamic taiko drumming.
“One of the highlights for me,” says Vanessa Cerrito “in past festivals, has been looking backstage and seeing the young performers huddled in the wings watching with such enthusiasm while other students performed. For them to see the diversity of material and the quality of expertise on this small island, it’s inspirational.”
This year’s festival promises to be filled with joy and passion. Our guest artist, Julane Stites from Portland, OR set two new works on our dancers, a beautiful Piazzolla Tango on stools, and the fast paced swing piece, Sing, Sing, Sing by Benny Goodman. Ms. Cerrito is staging new ballet works that include Tritsch-Tratsch, Blue Jay, and staging Waltz of The Snowflake from the Nutcracker. Mr. Ward is creating a suit of swing era pieces he’s calling Big Band, Blues, & Swing.
