Ramsay Wharton went down to their Dole Cannery studios to tell us more.

Two stars of the New York City Ballet headline Ballet Hawaii's production: Tiler Peck in the title role and Joaquin De Luz as Albrecht.

Peck began her dance training at the age of seven, studying privately with former Bolshoi Ballet Principal Dancer Alla Khaniashvili. She entered the School of American Ballet, the official school of the New York City Ballet, in 2003; became an apprentice in 2004; joined the Company in 2005 as a member of the corps de ballet; and in 2006 was promoted to soloist, appearing in such works as Balanchine's "The Nutcracker," Jerome Robbins' "Mother Goose," Peter Martins' "Swan Lake" and "Romeo and Juliet," Susan Stroman's "Double Feature" and Christopher Wheeldon's "An American in Paris." The recipient of the Princess Grace Foundation Award-USA Dance Fellowship, she also has performed in "The Music Man" on Broadway, in the Radio City Music Hall "Christmas Spectacular" and at the opening ceremony for the 1998 Goodwill Games.

Madrid-born De Luz is a veteran of the Victor Ullate Ballet Company, Pennsylvania Ballet and American Ballet Theatre where he was a soloist and danced many leading roles. Among his many awards have been the gold medal at the Second Nureyev International Ballet Competition and the Rising Star prize. A principal dancer with the New York City Ballet since 2005, he has danced many lead and original roles. He also has appeared as a guest artist at numerous dance events, as well as with the Ballet Meditrraneo and with the American Ballet Stars Tour of China.

Broadway's John Selya stars as Hilarion in "Giselle." He is the Tony and Drama Desk-nominated performer from "Movin' Out," for which he won the TDF/Astaire Award for Best Male Dancer in a Musical and the Theater World Award. He most recently appeared on Broadway in "The Times They Are A-Changin.'" Trained at the School of American Ballet, he joined the American Ballet Theatre in 1988 and Twyla Tharp Dance in 2000. One of Hawaii's most popular visiting stars, he has appeared in "Coppelia" and "Nutcracker" for Ballet Hawaii and is teaching in the 2008 Summer Intensive Program.

The supporting cast for "Giselle" include Savanna Lowery and Jonathan Stafford from the New York City Ballet and Hawaii-born Noelani Pastastico from Ballet de Monte Carlo. Other roles will be filled through auditions including aspiring young dancers from the Ballet Hawaii School, the Mainland and Japan.

"Giselle" showcases the music of Adolphe Adam. It is being staged by Robert Barnett, long-time former artistic director of the Atlanta Ballet who will be in residence for Ballet Hawaii's Summer Intensive Program, with choreography after Marius Petipa, Jules Perrot and Jean Coralli. It features an exciting first act of bright, uplifting, energetic, classic choreography, followed by a second act of ethereal dancing in traditional white tutus and flowing movement. It is the story of a young village girl who falls in love with a nobleman disguised as a peasant. When Giselle discovers the deceit, she dies broken-hearted. Albrecht comes at night to visit her grave and is condemned to dance until his life spirit is taken from him by the Queen of the Wilis. The wilis are the ghosts of betrothed girls who have died before their wedding day. The unyielding love of Giselle saves him, but at daybreak, she must part with him forever. Giselle and Albrecht pledge their love for each other before she returns to her grave.

Ballet Hawaii's production is supported by Bank of Hawaii, Horizon Lines and AIG Hawaii. It is supported in part by the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts.

Click here for more information on Ballet Hawaii and their production of Giselle.

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