IONA's 35th
ANNIVERSARY
GALA
Saturday, November 8, 2025
Capitol Modern (Hawai'i State Art Museum)
6:00 - 7:30
Cocktails and Appetizers
Roaming Performances
(Scroll down to see the timeline)
7:30 - 8:30
Dinner - 2nd Floor Courtyard
Special Performances
8:30 - 9:30
Dessert and Dancing - Art Garden
The IONA Minglers
FIRST FLOOR
Silver Carpet
6:00 - 7:00
Front Steps
Performed by Deviki Goodman-Robinson
NAMAKA
6:00 - 6:45
Art Garden
SHOW: Oh My Goddess!
Premiere: 2023
Performed by Elizabeth Maximin
TREE GODDESS
6:00 - 6:45
Art Garden
SHOW: Destiny
Premiere: 2002
Performed by Kimberly Loo
RAINBOW BUTTERFLY
6:00 -6:45
Art Garden
Performed by Rose Wolfe
NAUGHTY ANGEL
6:00- 6:45
Art Garden
SHOW: La Madonna
Premiere: 2004
Performed by Nathaniel Whittaker
GAIA REIMAGINED
6:00- 6:45
Art Garden
World Premiere
Performed by Azure Ng
DOROTHY
6:00 - 7:00
Roaming: First and Second Floors
SHOW; DESTINY
Premiere: 2002
Performed by Lindsey Kapu and Brandon Caban
KAMASUTRA COUPLE
6:00 - 7:00
Roaming: First and Second Floors
SHOW: Kamasutra Supper Club
Premiere: 2002
Performed by Dennis B. Miller and Michelle Poppler
GABRIEL ANGEL
6:00 - 7:00
Roaming: First and Second Floors
SHOW: The Mythology of Angels
Premiere: 1992
Performed by Jody Morse
REDEFINING THE CROSS
6:00 - 7:00
Roaming: First and Second Floors
SHOW: DESTINY
Premiere: 2002
Performed by Sami L. A. Akuna and Sarah Hodges
AZEMMUR
6:50 - 7:00
Art Garden - Pool Show
Originally premiered in 1987, set on the first Iona Pear dancers in New York City.
Performed by Spencer Dehnavi, Katelyn Wyatt, and Camryn Villano
ROCK LOBSTER
7:05- 7:10
Art Garden - Pool Show
SHOW: Akasha
Premiere: 2010
Performed by Nathaniel Whittaker, Brandon Caban, Taimane Gardner, and Koko Charli with Elizabeth Maximin, Sarah Hodges, Lindsey Kapu, Spencer Garrod, Katelyn Wyatt, and Camryn Villano
DOG DANCE
7:10 - 7:13
Art Garden - Pool Show
SHOW: Dominion
Premiere: 2015
Performed by Rose Wolfe, Devaki Goodman-Robinson, Azure Ng, Madison Audette, Jody Morse, Viviana Mancuso
MONEY
7:15 - 7:25
Art Garden - Pool Show
World Premiere: 1991
Performed by Sami L. A. Akuna, Malia Gallegos, David DeBlieck, Caroline Sutton Clark, Maile Baran-Primacio, Dennis B. Miller, Jennifer Stierli, Joy Agner, Michelle Poppler
DESSERTS AND DANCING
8:30 - 9:30
Please join us in the Art Garden
for Birthday Cake and Dancing!
Performance by the IONA Minglers
SECOND FLOOR
MADONNA OF THE SACRED FRUIT
6:00 - 6:45
2nd Floor Lobby
SHOW: La Madonna
World Premiere: 2004
Performed by Maile Baran Primacio
KUAN YIN
6:00 - 6:45
2nd Floor Lobby
SHOW: La Madonna
World Premiere: 2004
Performed by Danielle Noriko Paschal
EARTH BODHISATTVA
6:00 - 6:45
2nd Floor Lobby
SHOW: The Living Earth
World Premiere: 2009
Performed by Taimane Gardner
ANIMAL BODHISATTVA
6:00 - 6:45
2nd Floor Lobby
SHOW: The Living Earth
World Premiere: 2009
Performed by Justin Young
MITTENS
6:00 - 6:20
2nd Floor Ewa Gallery
World Premiere
Performed by Sami L. A. Akuna, Malia Gallegos, Caroline Sutton Clark, David DeBlieck
PASSAGE INTO TOMORROW
6:00 - 6:25
2nd Floor Leahi Gallery
SHOW: Passage Into Tomorrow
World Premiere: 1992
Hiroshima Memorial Exhibit
Performed by Sarah Hodges
PERSEPHONE
6:00 - 6:20
2nd Floor Leahi Gallery
SHOW: La Madonna
World Premiere: 2004
Performed by Spencer Dehnavi
FERRIS WHEEL
Two Performances:
6:30 and 6:45
2nd Floor Ewa Gallery
Performed by Andrea Torres
AMATERASU
6:45 - 6:50
2nd Floor Leahi Gallery
SHOW: Worshiping Sun
World Premiere: 1995
Performed by Jennifer Stierli
There's an Angel on my Doorstep
6:50 - 6:55
2nd Floor Ewa Gallery
SHOW: The Mythology of Angels
World Premiere: 1992
Performed by Caroline Sutton Clark
and David DeBlieck
GRAVITY
6:55 - 7:05
2nd Floor Lobby
SHOW: Worshiping Sun
World Premiere: 1995
Performed by Kimberly Loo
DINNER
7:25 - 8:30
Please be seated for dinner
on the 2nd Floor Courtyard
Special Performances by The Company
TONIGHT'S MENU
Cocktails and Appetizers
Istanbul Hawaii:
Harem Dreams, Turkish Mule Cocktails
Spanikopita, Baba Ganoush Tart
Mud Hen Water:
Lu’au with Roasted Heirloom Carrots & Inamona Dukkah
Grilled Hakurrei Turnips with Kombu Dashi and Pickled Leeks.
Dinner
Wines courtesy of Fujioka's Wine Times
Aloha Culinary Group: Beet and Goat Cheese Salad, Polenta with Mushroom Bolognese
MW Restaurant: Candy Bar, Strawberry Matcha Cake
MAHALO TO OUR
THEMED TABLE SPONSORS!
$10,000
LEVEL OF SUPPORT
The Big Shebang!
Elizabeth Wong
$7,500
LEVEL OF SUPPORT
Ziggy Stardust’s Legendary Lunar Lounge
Bishop & Company
The Super Novas
Phaedra Ledbetter
$5,000
LEVEL OF SUPPORT
Mahina’s Magical Moonshine Cruise
Mary Charles
AristoCats All Night Kitty Casino
Windward Biofeedback Associates
Andromeda’s Super Cluster Cosmic Circus
MMM Family Foundation
The Incandescent Lunarium
Candice Naylor-Ching
Mystics from Mars
Joan Shapiro
Apollo's A-List Party
Anita Rosenstein
$3,500
LEVEL OF SUPPORT
Gaia’s Garden of Earthly Delights
Betty Marais
Gaia Gone Wild
Alexandra Avery
Botanic Panic at the Disco
WCIT Architecture
Honey Bee’s Pollen-Nation Patriots
Kaui Lucas
The Shroom Room
Cyma Wilson
Welcome to the Jungle!
Patricia LaForce
It's a Mad Mad Mangrove
Still & Moving Center
Zero Gravity and the Astro Naughty Monkeys
Bryan Jordan
IONA's 35th ANNIVERSARY GALA
IONA Founder and Artistic Director
Cheryl Flaharty
DANCERS:
Elizabeth Maximin, Nathaniel Whittaker, Brandon Caban, Taimane Gardner, Sarah Hodges, Lindsey Kapu, Spencer Dehnavi, Katelyn Wyatt, Camryn Villano, Sami L. A. Akuna, Malia Gallegos, David DeBlieck, Caroline Sutton Clark, Maile Baran-Primacio, Dennis B. Miller, Justin Young, Danielle Paschal, Kimberly Loo, Jennifer Stierli, Joy Agner, Michelle Poppler, Jennifer Stierli, Andrea Torres, Rose Wolfe, Devaki Goodman-Robinson, Azure Ng, Koko Charli, Madison Audette, Jody Morse, Viviana Mancuso
COSTUME DESIGN
Cheryl Flaharty
COSTUME CONSTRUCTION
Dee Laris, Rose Wolfe, Carlynn Wolfe, Chris Valles, Cheri Vasek, and lost of wonderful menehune over the years!
STAFF and CREW:
Rich Richardson, John Remis, Denise Aiko-Chinen, Victora G. Kaplan,
Rose Wolfe, Sarah Hodges, Michelle Poppler
Nova Arts Foundation Board of Directors
Vice President, Michael North
Treasurer, Judy Bishop
Secretary, Rai Saint Chu
Peter Carlisle, Leela B. Goldstein, Kamala Nayeli
Ron A Porter, Lisa-Maria Priester, Cyma Wilson
MAHALO FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
IONA CONTEMPORARY DANCE THEATRE
PO BOX 670 KAILUA, HI 96734
PHOTOS: Carl Hefner, Kaveh Kardin, Darren Miller, Sergio Goes, Olivier Koning, Jeremy McQuat
