In the second half of this year, five Taiwanese performing groups—Bulareyaung Dance Company, HUANG YI STUDIO＋, HUNG DANCE, Twincussion, and choreographer Liu I-Ling—will embark on tours across the United States, performing at various arts festivals and cultural venues in New York, Washington, D.C., Houston, and more. To boost their international visibility, the Ministry of Culture (MOC) held “Taiwan-U.S. Art together!” on Tuesday, June 17.
Minister of Culture Li Yuan and AIT Director Raymond Greene were both present to cheer on the five troupes. Other distinguished attendees included the chairman and directors from the National Culture and Arts Foundation, National Theater & Concert Hall, National Taichung Theater, National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts, as well as the Foundation of Scholarly Exchange.
In his remarks, Minister Li stated that U.S. is a significant ally of Taiwan, bearing profound meaning in terms of culture exchange. The Minister pointed out that the performing arts market in the U.S. is highly competitive, and the high cost of visas makes entering this market challenging. The fact that Taiwanese groups receive invitations from arts and cultural venues in the U.S. demonstrates their strength has been widely recognized.
Minister Li also emphasized that the MOC has long supported Taiwanese troupes in performing overseas, assisting them in organizing cross-regional tours and increasing their presence on the international stage. The Minister wished the five groups great success in their upcoming performances and expressed willingness to deepen shared values and bonds between Taiwan and the U.S. through cultural exchange.
The U.S. tours of the five participating groups will gradually roll out later this year. The Bulareyaung Dance Company will tour in July and August; HUANG YI STUDIO+ in August; Liu I-Ling in September; Twincussion in November; and HUNG DANCE from November to December. Each group will perform at major arts festivals across the United States, including New York’s SummerStage in Central Park, the Battery Dance Festival, the Fall for Dance Festival, and Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in Massachusetts, as well as at cultural venues in Washington, D.C., Houston, and other cities.
At the press conference, the five performing groups showcased excerpts, videos, and presentations of their outstanding works. Twincussion performed excerpts from their tour repertoire featuring marimba and percussion, while Bulareyaung Dance Company introduced the creative process behind their two works, Luna and Colors. Choreographer Liu I-Ling shared the artistic concept of her dance piece “… and , or….”, and HUANG YI STUDIO+ presented the acclaimed dance piece Ink via video and elaborated on the interaction between human performers and robotic elements. To conclude the event on a meaningful note, HUNG DANCE delivered a magnificent performance of their work BIRDY, leaving a lasting impression on the audience.
In addition to the five performing groups, this event also invited recipients of the "Fulbright-Taiwan Ministry of Culture Arts Professionals Grant", as well as participants who have recently attended APAP and ISPA, the Curatorial Exchange on EXPO CHICAGO, and artists involved in various Taiwan-U.S. cultural programs over the past few years. They attended the event to share their experiences in the U.S. and to connect with one another for potential future collaborations in Taiwan-U.S. cultural exchanges.
Press Contact:
Shu-Bin Wang, Media Liaison Unit, MOC
Tel: 02-8512-6074
Muni Chi, Department of Cultural Exchange, MOC
Tel: 02-8512-6728