Ballet Hawaii arose from the ruins of Honolulu’s now-defunct resident professional dance company, Honolulu City Ballet. In the early 1980s, the federal program that had made Honolulu City Ballet possible was phased out, causing the company to close down and leaving only the “Friends of the Ballet,” a group of adamant supporters who restructured themselves into a non-profit organization that presents, promotes, and teaches dance in Hawaii—a.k.a. Ballet Hawaii.
Ballet Hawaii produces a Nutcracker performance each year that features guest soloists from top ballet companies in the nation, students from the Ballet Hawaii School, and live music by the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra. For other performances throughout the year, Ballet Hawaii functions mainly as a presenting organization, bringing acclaimed dance companies from New York and San Francisco to perform in Hawaii.
Ballet Hawaii Information
- Venues: Hawaii Theatre Center (1130 Bethel Street) and Blaisdell Concert Hall (999 South King Street).
- Public Transportation: Good for both. Hawaii Theatre Center (steps from buses 1, 1L, 2, 3, 4, 9, 11, 13, 52, 53, 54, 62, and 88A at Bethel Street/South Hotel Street; and a 2-minute walk from buses 19, 20, 40, 42, 43, 81, 83, 84, 84A, 90, 91, 92, 93, and 96 at Bethel Street/South King Street). Blaisdell Concert Hall (steps from buses 3, 9, 15, 40, 52, 53, and 62 at Ward Avenue/Kapiolani Boulevard; and a 4-minute walk from buses 1, 1L, 2, and 13 at Ward Avenue/South King Street)
- Handicapped Accessibility: Good for both
- Ticket Prices: Prices vary, often considerably, between $25 and $125, depending upon the event.
