Iona dancers exemplify the spirit of 'Destiny'

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Editor

Lizbeth Grote, appearing in a striking costume with glittered silk leaves as arms and a skirt fashioned from velvet, portrays a tree in Iona Contemporary Dance Theatre's "Destiny," which looks at the changes facing humanity and the planet. 'Destiny' A new production by the Iona Contemporary Dance Theatre 8 p.m. today and Saturday, 4 p.m. Sunday Hawai'i Theatre $25, $35 528-0506

"I've known for a couple of years that I would do a show called 'Destiny,'" Flaharty said. "The title came early ... and I work intuitively. The production is more theatrical than just dance, because the 14 dancers in the company have a lot of spoken text as well as a lot of dancing. There's video. When you make a name change (formerly, the organization was called the Iona Pear Dance Theatre), the change is a matrix for the entire company."

Two years in the making, "Destiny" looks at the changes facing humanity and the planet, Flaharty said. "It's a little prophetic and profound," she said.

Three trees — dancers appearing in striking costumes, with glittered silk leaves as arms, and skirts fashioned from velvet and foam knots and bead work — figure in the opening piece and exemplify the spirit of destiny.

"You never know what you're getting into, until you're in the middle of production," Flaharty said of the laborious task of creating costumes. "The trees are the primary symbol of this work. It's like when I did our Hawaiian myths and legends show, creating capes that draped to the floor; these mega-works are my destiny."

Though conceived well before the events of Sept. 11, Flaharty said that rehearsals began a week after the tragedy. "So we did meditation, movement improvisations, and it's always been part of the philosophy of our dance company to connect with the forces of life and the universe. Definitely, the moment impacted us; it sort of put a broader perspective on World War II, which also was very planetary. Tumultuous events often have a positive side; there's polarity in the world, and something like 9/11 brings the world together. We start to recognize that the barriers between us are very few; we share a sensitivity and compassion and the humanness of where our planet is going."

With "Destiny," Flaharty has dropped the Pear in the company billing. "During earlier Mainland tours, people assumed that Iona Pear was somebody; I didn't want to put my name in the company name and Iona is a very old-world word, which, in Hebrew, means white dove. I think it's the very symbol of spirituality resonating in the company."

Flaharty has a honey of a finale number, when six ascending dancers appear as glittering icons.

"We use Costco honey over the body and add glitter; then glitter really sticks," she said. "But yes, it is a little sticky. The scene, with gold costumes, looks like some Asian painting and the dancers hit the showers when it's over."