West Hawaii Dance Theatre performs Rikki-Tikki-Tavi Ballet

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Hannah Dean (age 16) in the Spanish-flavored classic ballet Paquita. (Courtesy Photo/ special to West Hawaii Today)
Rikki-Tikki-Tavi (Crystal Li) defended his adoptive family—Teddy (Emma Belle Lambert), father (Timour Bourtasenkov), and mother (Yizheng Logan)—with the help of tailorbirds (Stella Rose Lambert, Shaylee Clark) and muskrats (Mara Wallace, Rayna Morphis). (Courtesy Photo/ special to West Hawaii Today)
Amelie Noro (age 6) flies aa butterfly as part of WHDT’s Rikki-Tikki-Tavi Ballet. (Courtesy Photo/ special to West Hawaii Today)
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On Saturday, April 29, West Hawaii Dance Theatre presented Rikki-Tikki-Tavi Ballet, with original choreography by Timour Bourtasenkov and music by Alfred Schnittke. The show opened with an acte d’overture that included performances by ballet and tap students from ages 3-18 years old, including the Spanish-flavored classic ballet Paquita.

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi Ballet shared the adventures of a heroic mongoose, Rikki-Tikki, who demonstrated great courage and loyalty to protect his adopted family as he stood in the face of danger against two menacing cobras, Nag and Nagaina. Based on Rudyard Kipling’s classic short story.