Taiwan troupes selected to perform at France’s Festival Off d’Avignon

2019/12/09

Four Taiwan troupes have been selected to feature at the 2020 Festival Off d’Avignon running July 3-26 in France, spotlighting the vibrancy of the nation’s performing arts sector.
 
 Supported by the Ministry of Culture, the groups are modern dance outfits Hung Dance and Resident Island Dance Theatre, Nanguan opera company La Cie MaxMind and multidisciplinary Hsing Legend Theatre.
 
 Hung Dance, founded by Taiwan’s leading choreographer Lai Hung-chung, will present “Boundless,” which won top prize in the Burgos-New York International Choreography Contest in the year of its debut and explores concepts such as isolation and desire to escape from reality.
 
 Fellow modern outfit Resident Island Dance Theatre, started by blind choreographer Chang Chung-an, will perform “Factory 2.0,” an experimental production examining the insecure nature of capitalist society through the innovative use of mobile platforms.
 
 Representing Taiwan’s traditional arts, La Cie MaxMind will showcase “The Drought Goddess—Dream of the World,” a performance weaving ancient mythological thematic elements with Nanguan music. Adapted from “The Drought Goddess,” which was performed at the 2009 edition of the festival, the troupe’s latest variant returns to the stage with a faster, more vibrant atmosphere.
 
 The final group set to take the stage next year, Hsing Legend Theatre, will present “The Youth Party.” Based on eastern and western classics, the show tells the story of an underprivileged young man’s struggle through life by combining acrobatics, martial arts, Peking opera, street dance and theater.
 
 Founded in 1947, Festival d’Avignon is one of France’s foremost art events. The “Off” portion was introduced in 1968 to incorporate avant-garde and spontaneous performances at informal venues such as restaurants and theater schools.

Source: Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)