I had the opportunity to see several performances of the Hawaii State Ballet at a fundraising event…read morefor Kapiolani Medical Center last week. The Hawaii State Ballet is a local instructional ballet organization that trains for professional ballet. The performances I saw were spectacular and moving. The dancers were graceful and flawless. Costumes were beautiful. I was moved by the performances. I was grateful to these performers that donated time to help raise money for a worthy cause. I will be attending future performances.

I was invited to a ballet recital at the Kroc Center on 5/21/22. What a wonderful experience it…read morewas! So much talent in our state and so glad to know there is place for ballet students to learn the craft. Keep up the awesome work. Look forward to attending another ballet performance.

My party and I attended an early preview of the opera Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini with an…read moreItalian libretto. The story takes place in the port city of Nagasaki, Japan during the early 1900s. A young, beautiful geisha (Cio-Cio-san aka Madama Butterfly) falls in love with an American naval officer (B.F. Pinkerton). She chooses to forasake her family and religious beliefs in order to marry him and become his devoted wife. (***SPOILER ALERT***) This opera evoked so much emotion. The love, tenderness, and passion shared between the two main characters was so palpable, I almost felt like I was invading their privacy. Cio-Cio-san's love, devotion, and unyielding trust in her husband was truly admirable yet also her tragic demise. My heart broke for her in the end. Everyone wants a happy ending to a love story, but this was not it. This instead was gripping and heart wrenching. A portrayal of innocent love that's crushed by the harsh reality of the true world. The actors/actresses singing and performance were absolutely amazing! I enjoyed everything about this opera from the orchestra, to the props, costumes, and background effects. This was such a pure delight for me and what opera (imo) is all about.

Good show. Nice temporary location at Moanalua. There was a nice display about Honouliuli war camp…read more Very nice voices and effective set. Too bad I was so far back I couldn't see their expressions. Very informative and makes one think about past, present, and future.

Excellent classical ballet training, with emphasis on proper technique. Attended classes offered at…read morea handful of ballet schools on Oahu, and the instruction at HCB is by far the most sound and foundational. Other schools may be larger/fancier or offer more grand performance opportunities, but the personalized training at HCB is easily superior and their teachers unmatched. That's not to say that there aren't also amazing opportunities for HCB students to perform for the community, get exposure to guest instructors, or experience various dance styles. These things are definitely available under the umbrella of serious ballet training, personal growth, and a deep respect and appreciation for the artistry of ballet. The teachers at HCB are incredibly astute in what they're doing, while also being very nurturing, compassionate and caring. The intimate school environment is family friendly and highly supportive of each dancer. During the four years my daughter has been a student here, she has made wonderful friends and is much improved, in many ways, because of Honolulu Classical Ballet.

My daughter has been attending classes here for the last 4 months and she absolutely loves it! Ms…read more Romi Beppu (former principal ballerina of Boston Ballet and Ballet West) is absolutely fantastic and the Prima instructor Ms. Lauren is super with the kids! 10 week sessions are very reasonably priced. The Prima's will be putting on their first recital this December too!

Walking into the Hawai'i Theatre, you're instantly transported into another era. An era of soft…read moreelegance and timeless artistry. From the moment you pass through the doors, you're surrounded by a blend of old-world elegance and Hawaiian warmth. Built in 1922, the theatre has hosted everything from silent films and Broadway plays to concerts and Hula performances. Today it seats about 1,400 guests, offering an intimate experience where every seat feels close to the stage. The acoustics are excellent, the seats are comfortable, and the staff and volunteers are friendly, welcoming, and genuinely helpful. There's also a small bar and lounge with high-tops, perfect for enjoying a drink and conversation before the show. Inside the theater, you see tall, fluted Corinthian-style columns that are richly detailed. The curved arch overhead is decorated with mosaic-style tiles in warm tones,and I absolutely LOVE the lush deep red velvet curtains that frame the stage. They add so much warmth and elegance. Having attended many shows throughout the years, I've always been mesmerized by the mural above the stage and decided to do some Googling while waiting for the show to begin. I learned it's Lionel Walden's Glorification of the Drama. The painting depicts a grand procession of mythic figures -- a golden-robed muse in her chariot, attendants, musicians, a lion handler -- all celebrating the power of theater. The central figure, often interpreted as the Personification of Drama, leads the way. Knowing that part of the mural was once lost to water damage and later painstakingly restored makes it even more meaningful. Parking is easy at the municipal garage on Bethel Street, just a block away. The short walk is now well-lit, a welcome improvement from years past when it was dark and sketchy. Entertaining audiences for over 100 years, the Hawaii Theater is a recognized as a National Historic Landmark. Attending a show here, you're not just watching a performance, you're also living and breathing a beautiful piece of Hawaii's historic culture.

It was a treat to watch Guy Hagi and Phil Rosenthal chat about the Somebody Feed Phil show…read more Will call opened early, was well staffed and efficient. Security did a nice job checking bags, and held my dinner leftovers on an entrance table, as food isn't allowed in the historic theater. It was easily retrieved after the show on the way out;) Restrooms were bright and lines moved quickly. Hot tip: fellow guests said that their $20 drinking glass in a safety cup is refillable at a discount on your next visit (they were enjoying wine, another had pineapple juice). If non alcoholic, that refill is free. Hmmm, we might have to try that next visit!

Writing in from New Jersey, and still thinking about this show!…read more From the moment you walk in, you're placed into this beautifully curated museum of oddities that immediately sets the tone for the rest of the evening. It's immersive, thoughtful, and has a little bit of history. Once inside the theater, the stage design continues that experience, reflecting King David's travels with what feels like carefully collected souvenirs from his travels around the world. I loved how the history was woven in so seamlessly. It actually sent me down a rabbit hole learning more about Hawaii's last monarch afterwards haha. The show itself? Phenomenal. Aki and Ken are not only incredibly skilled magicians; both masters of sleight of hand and parlor magic respectively, but also genuinely hilarious. Their chemistry carries the entire experience, and they stayed perfectly in theme with the Hawaiian Victorian atmosphere in the magic they performed. I won't spoil anything, but I will say I was left completely mind-blown. There were moments that genuinely didn't seem possible, and just when you think you've caught your breath, another reveal hits. It just kept building, which is the type of magic I really enjoy watching. The venue is intimate and seats about 60 guests. There truly isn't a bad one in the house. Being that close makes everything even more impressive because there are no trap doors, no mirrors, nothing to hide behind. The magic happens right in front of you, and somehow that makes it even harder to believe. They also do a great job with audience participation, which adds to the fun without ever feeling forced or awkward. The show does sell out, so definitely grab tickets ahead of time. It's absolutely worth it, and I'd recommend it to anyone visiting Honolulu!

Oh my goodness, buy the tickets!!! This show is amazing!!!!…read more I found it through some Google search I did when trying to find something fun for my family and I to do for my birthday. I thought it was some ad for a show in the mainland or a scam because I've never heard of it before nor have I ever seen the theatre it was in. My daughter is 7 and I thought, "She's never seen magic before. Maybe she'll like this." Totally forgot all about it then on my birthday was scrambling to figure out what to do for fun and Google slid it back in to my searches. The ticket prices aren't bad especially if you're local. They have a bundle that gets you 1 adult and 1 child ticket for $99. The tickets for the 3 of us came out to just about $200. The ticket includes validation for Valet parking and a rum punch cocktail. The drink must've been good because I turned around for a second and my husband tanked it. It's at Hilton Waikiki Beach on Kuhio across from the Alohilani Hotel (the old Pacific Beach). I'm glad I read my confirmation email well because I thought it was at Hilton Hawaiian Village. The parking for the hotel is only Valet. We went on a Monday night to the 7:30 show and Valet was gnarly, backed up into the street. Be aware of the time it can take to get your car valeted. The show is on the second floor. The line forms right above the main hotels entrance doors. Our plans got pushed back a bit so we were running late. We ended up far back in the line and sat in the 4th row. It really didn't matter though because you can see the action from everywhere. Our magician was Shoot Ogawa. I'm not gonna give away anything about his tricks because you should get that feeling in real time. He is UNREAL. UN. REAL. Even the tricks that were supposed to be "small" were mind blowing. It was awesome to unanimously have the crowd go "WHATTTTTT" and "HEYYYYY." I know I let out a couple WTF's. I know the adults in that room had to all be skeptics, so to equally be blown away feels comforting. Like ok I'm not crazy, this stuff is inexplicable!! While he does his tricks he also talks a lot about life, his journey, humanity. He talked a lot to the kids encouraging them. He talked about how negative opinions aren't yours too keep, and knowing your value is inside. IT WAS AMAZING!!! He was preaching and cracking jokes and magicianing all at the same time the ENTIRE show. They don't allow video recording, only photos which explains why I couldn't find ANYTHING worthwhile on YouTube. Honestly, after watching the show, I appreciated that. It made everything so much more entertaining. Afterwards, you can take pictures with him and they have some merchandise you can purchase. They have little magic kits available for purchase, so on the way home we were all trying to be magicians as we ran through all the tricks that absolutely BLEW OUR MINDS. Literally the most stressful part of the entire experience was the Valet parking and dealing with Waiks traffic at night. None of that though made this experience any less worth it. BUY THE TICKETS!!! You WON'T regret it!!!!

What a beautiful local theater! We were in Oahu for Spring Break and traveling with our theater…read moreteen so thought to check the listing and luckily there was a show: West Side Story and it fit into our schedule. Easy parking, clean rest rooms, no frills concession, and cute merch. I got the reusable cup too. People were so nice and friendly. We sat at the very back of the theater and enjoyed it. The actors were so talented and so glad we were able to see it. My teen also got autographs and the actors were so happy and willing to sign her playbill. A couple were surprised that they were being asked for an autograph. When in Hawaii, after enjoying the beach and watching the sunset, why not catch a musical produced well run by the local community and supported and loved by the community.

Come From Away is a must see! It's a true story based on…read morethe events of 9/11 that took place in a small town, Gander, New Foundland where planes were diverted after the world Trade Center was attacked. The story is one of goodness and it left me in tears. Love, love, loved it.

Love this place. We're in tap dancing, tumbling, and ballet. Super friendly and supportive…read moreteachers. Very caring, patient, kind, but yet expecting discipline from the students. They work with kids as young as 3, I think and all with the patience of a saint - they can put up with crying, stubborn behavior, fear, hesitation, with a smile on their face and a heart of gold! And Ms Shinogu brings great discipline into the class and doesn't put up with nonsense but she does it in a way that is extremely nurturing and caring. She really wants to support all of the students to be the best of themselves. The Tumbling classes can be hard to get into so if you're interested in tumbling, sign up as soon as class registration opens. Ms Gina was very understanding when we were first starting and helped us navigate our way through the classes and now we're there 3 times a week. One tough thing is that participating in the summer performance is very expensive and somewhat cost prohibitive between the participation fee, costume fees, volunteer requirement, and ticket prices. However, dance students are not required to participate in the performance and can still completely participate in the regular classes! The one awful thing about this place is the parking. 1) there is a free lot (register for 1 hour free, after that it's paid) across the small street but it's so hard to find a stall because it's shared with a lot of other places, the stalls are small, and so many cars can't park within the lines, 2) they can ticket you, even if you have paid - they did rescind it but only after I took the time to figure out how to dispute it, 3) there are a few street parking spaces up the hill but hard to get, 4) you can park at the municipal lot but have to allocate enough time to walk across the street, and sometimes that lot is full.

My oldest daughter started her dance adventure at the age of 3. The Movement Center has allowed my…read moredaughter to explore her passion of dance. They offer an array of classes and the instructors care about their students. The environment is friendly and open. Ms. Gina the Director of the studio is also amazing!

I'm being charged for a ballet class I'm not taking, and nobody is doing anything about it…read more I'm a teen who's taking Hip Hop 1&2, strictly only those classes. Recently, I've noticed that on my account activity, I've been attending a ballet class. I don't attend those classes, and I've been very careful of not entering a class that wasn't my respective class. I asked someone about this and they told me there was a girl in the ballet class that had the same name as me and they would fix it. Fine. Next day, I see it again, I'm being charged for a ballet class. I'm fuming at this point. I call, they say again, it'll be fixed. It doesn't. Nothing I do is getting this issue fixed and I'm sick of having to call everyday because they're not checking the email of who is checking in. I doubt she has the same email as me, and if I have to keep going through this then I don't think I'll be staying at the studio.

My favorite studio on island…read more - there's actual parking stalls. YES. Inner city studios are known for having zero parking, but there are actually a few stalls in their lot + street parking + parking @ a nearby shopping center (shh.) - so many different classes for the keiki AND adults. That's right. I know some of y'all secretly want to appear on world of dance and you can fulfill those dreams here. Classes change around every season for the adult classes, but hip hop 1 and street femme on Tuesday nights + hip hop 2 and intro to hip hop on Wednesday nights are here to stay! - all of the instructors are personable! New studios can be intimidating; here's how to navigate this one: 1. The building is a two-story blue building next to Still and Moving Center. Enter through the right door that has a small Honolulu Dance Studio sign on it. 2. You'll see a narrow stairwell on your left. Walk up the stairwell, put your outside shoes on the shoe rack on the top, and slip your dance shoes on (yes, you need indoor shoes specifically for dance, whether that's ballet slippers, jazz shoes, indoor hip hop shoes). 3. Walk over to the registration table on the left and fill out a clipboard to get yourself/your child registered + pay. 4. Wait until the dance instructor calls you in, put your water + belongings on the inner racks, and have FUN! Hope to see you in class!

My granddaughter is taking her first ballet classes at Page Academy…read more The facility is clean and modern. The instructors are really patient with the young children and make the classes interesting, memorable and fun. They are currently prepping the dancers for a spring program. Prices are typical for an hour long activity. We're paying $20 per session. They offer classes for all levels including adult classes. There is a nice waiting area for parents and they can sit and watch the children learn. A restroom is available as well. There is no dedicated parking lot and street parking can be a challenge to find. We parked on a side street.

UPDATE on Apr 29: It took Page 6 (SIX!!!) weeks to reply to…read moremy email, only to say that she was sorry she'd taken "many days" (read: 44 days to be exact) to consider our situation, but her stance was still the same. She even acknowledged that the wording of her time-off policy was unclear. I wrote back 2 days later to let her know that we would come back in April, take May & June off, and complete our year commitment in July. She wrote back the next day, letting me know she consulted with other studio owners and made the decision to release us from our yearlong contract and reimburse me for the months remaining on it. I've attached our correspondence in March. I did not ask to be released from our contract for several reasons: a) I wanted my daughter to stick to her commitment to ballet, as she had promised when we paid nearly $1k for the year -- as a parent, we were deprived of developing her perseverance. b) We felt we should honor the contract, regardless of whether we agreed with it. c) My daughter liked her instructor (not Page), has many friends, and made many others in the months that she attended Page Academy. By ending our contract, Page also abruptly ended several relationships that my daughter worked hard to build. I still do not agree with Page's time-off policy. If I may make a recommendation (as I imagine Page will read this review one day), I think time-off should be allowed 4 weeks at a time wherever those 4 weeks fall. As it stands now, students take the calendar month off (from the 1st to the 30th/31st). But if a student takes December or May off, they receive fewer weeks off than other possible months (and some months have 5 weeks, depending on the day of the lesson). It would make more sense to offer a flexible 4 weeks off (therefore, 4 lessons off) that falls any time of the month. Since Page offers classes 48 weeks (12 x 4) during the year, it is fairer to let the customer choose which 4 weeks (aka month) they can take off. Instead, the current policy forces the student to take a "month" off when there may only 2 lessons held during that time. I hope I've illustrated the inflexibility, poor service & communication, and lack of consideration & care that I experienced during our year as a paying customer at Page Academy. Never should a paying customer have to wait 48 hours, much less 6 weeks (that is 1052 hours!), for a response. Never have I received such awful service. Absolutely horrendous. And please keep in mind that my daughter is 5 years old and has no idea any of this has happened. While I would have preferred that she finish the year, as she promised us and we promised Page Academy, I'm grateful my daughter hasn't asked about why she's no longer taking ballet. I'm not sure how I'd tell her that we were "released from our contract" (the closest definition I can think of is that we were kicked out or booted from the Academy). It's just really sad and disappointing all around -- all because of THEIR poorly-worded policies and time off that we requested that happen to fall during a "month" with only 2 lessons scheduled + inflexibility on prolonging my daughter's course so that her remaining 2 months could be back-to-back instead of piecemeal.