"I'm tired, but all I want to do now is take classes," said petite Mayuko Ayabe, a dancer from the University of Hawai'i-Manoa, summing up her feelings near the end of a grueling six-week session at the American Dance Festival.

Ayabe, along with fellow UH dancer Arturo Mariano, was able to attend the annual festival, held at Duke University in Durham, N.C., along with dancers from around the world.

While the festival is taking place during June and July, other dance programs, including a four-week session for teenagers, performances by an international array of dance companies, special films and a three-week Dance Critics' Institute sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, keep the campus buzzing.

Dancers from as far away as Mongolia come together, many on scholarships. Animated discussions in a multitude of languages can be heard in dorms, classrooms, the cafeteria and on the commons.

Having been trained in ballet from the age of 4 in her native Japan, Ayabe rediscovered her love for dance when she enrolled at UH, switching her major from communications. She said studying modern dance, although new to her, proved a challenge and a joy.

Mariano also had his interest in dance kindled during college. In his case, it took place at Leeward Community College. "I needed an elective, and dance was one of the options," he said. "I kept on studying because I loved it so much." Mariano transferred to UH in 2002 as a dance major, graduating this spring with a BFA in dance.

Before they left for the festival, Ayabe and Mariano seemed completely at ease. In a ballet class on campus, one could sense their anxiety at the challenge before them and the prospect of participating in one of the country's leading dance events, but it was evident that they were well-equipped for the experience. Ayabe displayed an exquisite sense of line, spot-on pirouettes and effortless jumps. Mariano, built with a long torso and neck, exhibited a natural grace and athletic ability, along with a tendency to favor earthbound movements. Obviously enjoying the ballet workout, his execution of the classroom combinations often was accompanied by a broad smile.

Once in attendance at the American Dance Festival, the dancers said the classes offered gave them a chance to explore many different forms. Resting at a cafe in Durham, Mariano declared, "I've enjoyed being in the repertory classes. You get a chance to bond with other students and also learn more about the choreographers' styles and see their process."

The soft-spoken Ayabe singled out learning various styles of modern dance. "At first I couldn't learn the combinations, but now I feel more able to memorize," she said. The former ballet student learned to adapt to the more casual "release" technique, which requires the dancer to give in to gravity, challenge oneself with off-balance movements and accustom oneself to rolling, falling and sliding.

Both were thrilled to have the opportunity to view and be part of dance performances. (On average, two groups per week appeared onstage at the festival). "Seeing what's being performed has opened my eyes," said Mariano. "I've been able to make connections and meet people from all over the world."

In addition to the six hours of classes she attended four days a week, Ayabe was recruited by three choreographers to participate in their works, which ranged from a serene meditative modern piece to an African dance. Mariano found himself challenged by being cast in an ultra-modern ballet piece by William Forsythe.

Summing up his ADF experience after a grueling two-hour improvisation session, Mariano said, "I really thought it was going to be so long, but it's breezed by so fast. There's just so much opportunity to learn."