The Tribune

By JEFFARAH GIBSON

Tribune Features Writer
jgibson@tribunemedia.net

OVER one hundred students will hit the stage during Jubliee Dance Studio’s second dance production set for Friday. 
HOLA! An International Sensation will take audience members around the world to over 20 countries through dance, music and drama. The event will be held at the RainForest Theatre beginning 7.30pm.
“HOLA meaning hello in Spanish will take audience around the world. They will visit China, Japan, Africa, America, Brazil, Cuba and many more countries with us through dance, drama and music. The show’s diversity will keep the audience on their toes and its many twists, turns and surprises will create a superior night of entertainment,” said Kim Kikivarakis, owner of Jubliee Dance Studio.
The group of students have been preparing well in advance for the show. Ms Kikivarakis said they did a lot of work and research to ensure the show is entertaining and fun filled.
“Everything we do is exciting, new and fresh. It takes hard work and a level of excellence to put on a high quality production. We have researched and explored over 20 countries and had to learn their cultures, their traditional dances and then put our own spin on it. We are young, fresh, modern; we think out-of-the-box and our shows reflect this in every aspect. Our show appeals to women, men, children and adults. We like to push the envelope and we love to be different,” she told Tribune Entertainment.
Last year the school held its first production which brought Broadway to the Bahamas with acts from Chicago, Burlesque, Lion King, Cats, Rent, Grease, In the Heights, Sweet Charity, Fosse, A Chorus Line and others. HOLA! is expected to be bigger and much better, she said.
“Our last show, ‘GLITZ: A Broadway Production’, was a hit right out of the gate. It was our first show; it sold out and it has aired on every national television station in the country. This new show is sure to be a stand out just like our first because it is completely different. Completely new because we have never done anything quite like this. It is ambitious and it is diverse,” said Ms Kikivarakis.
“We love to be different, out-of-the-box. We have lots of great guest artists performing. We have a fire dancer; we have a wonderful singer; we have a spectacular hip hop team. We will also have Julien Believe teaching the audience the Caribbean Slide and they can come on stage, and to cap it off we have the greatest Zumba Crew in the Bahamas hitting the stage to close the show. Last year they brought the house down and this year’s blast is expected to blaze the stage again,” she told Tribune Arts.
Jubliee Dance is a modern dance school which specialises in ballet, jazz, and choreography for formal dance. It recently introduced a Latin-inspired Zumba Fitness programme.
Classes are led by Ms Kikivarakis, a trained dancer for over 28 years. She is also a Minister of Dance from the Eagles International Training Institute.

“All classes are driven to excite the mind, body and soul,” she said.