Iona Pear
The Iona Pear Dance Theatre lights up
the stage with "Worshiping Sun."

The sun rises
at Hawai‘i Theatre

Gold body paint, massive thrones and an ascending soloist shine in Iona Pear Dance Theatre's performance of "Worshiping Sun."

In its first staging since a mid-1995 debut, "Sun" rises at 8 p.m. tomorrow and Saturday at Hawai'i Theatre.

Artistic director Cheryl Flaharty draws inspiration from the Japanese Butoh dance form, and from Hawaiian, Japanese, Egyptian, Middle Eastern and European sun myths.

Tickets are $20 to $30 at Hawai'i Theatre box office and Connection outlets. Or charge at 528-0506 and 545-4000. For information, call 262-0110.

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Kung hee fat choy!

In nearby Chinatown, five clubs unleash 15 lions to launch the Chinese New Year of the ox at 6:30 p.m. tomorrow. The site is the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, 42 N. King St.

Lion dances, firecrackers and food booths blanket Chinatown Friday night only. Meanwhile, the Chinatown Cultural Plaza stage hosts performances, as follows:

Friday: 5 p.m., Royal Hawaiian Band; 6 p.m., lion dance and firecrackers; 7:30 p.m., Kimo Wong kung fu; 8:30 p.m., Lily Siou's School of Six Chinese Arts (songs, dances, acrobats, kung fu); 9 p.m., Narcissus queen; 9:15 p.m., Hawaii Chinese Kenpo; 10 p.m., karate.

Saturday: 5 p.m., Phoenix Dance Chamber; 5:30 p.m., Lin Shu Fang Chinese folk dance; 6 p.m., comedian Frank DeLima and Na Kolohe; 6:45 p.m., Waikiki Acrobatic Troupe; 7:15 p.m., Chinese Lion Dance Association kung fu; 8 p.m., Narcissus queen; 8:15 p.m., Kuo Min Tang Physical Culture Association lion dance; 9:15 p.m., Kong's Siu Lum Pai Kung Fu Association; 10:15 p.m., Gee Yung kung fu.

For details, call 533-3181.