Across from Barwick Field, perched on the side of the hill and next to age-old banyan trees, sits a place where a world of dance awaits not-so novice dancers. Every summer for as long as one can remember, "Dance Awareness" has introduced the world of dance to students in grades 1-6. Under the direction of Charlys Ing since 1989, this popular class ingeniously combines dance instruction and creative activities, introducing five forms of dance with remarkable results in just five short weeks.

Many of the students are often new to dance and want the chance to get a taste of different forms. Some don't have time during the school year, so this Summer School offering is the perfect time to enjoy the extracurricular activity. The dance instructors, who are often products of Punahou's Dance program from past years, expertly teach the students.

Three sections of two-hour classes are held Monday through Friday. The first section comprises first-grade students, the second section of second- to third-graders, and the third group of fourth- to sixth-graders. Each of the five forms of dance - ballet, jazz, tap, musical theatre and hula - is taught one hour at a time on a rotating basis during the week. In total, students get two hours every week of each form. In the fifth week, the course culminates in the "Grand Finale," an informal performance for parents and friends.

"The biggest challenge is to give students some fundamental knowledge in each of the five dance forms and teach them choreography that they can learn in five weeks," explains Ing. The kids range in ages from six to 12 years old, with varying abilities, so this can be quite a task. Ing and faculty develop the theme and choreography. According to instructor Jackie Dowsett '98, a professional dancer with expertise in ballet and musical theatre, teachers develop their program by observing their students in each class and evaluating their experience level in the first week. From the second week on, students begin to learn technique, routines and choreography that will be used in their final show. Faculty also create the props and costumes. By the fifth week, the students put it all together, learn to turn away from the mirror, and prepare for a live audience.

In this year's Grand Finale, the overall theme for the youngest group was "Under the Sea," in which they performed ocean-themed numbers in each of the dance forms. The second and third-grade group danced and sang a number from the play "Annie," and performed along to music from "Cinderella" and "Slumdog Millionaire." Lastly, the fourth- to sixth-grade group performed pieces from Broadway musicals, including "Mary Poppins" and "Phantom of the Opera."

Every year the audience marvels at the professional level of the production and the performance of novices who just a month prior may not have known anything about dance. "When people come to see it (the final program), they go ‘Wow!'" says Ing. The exhilaration, which students, teachers and audience feel every year at the finale, keeps "Dance Awareness" a perennial summer favorite.