Eight Taiwanese performing arts groups are gearing up to captivate European audiences with their exceptional performances at two prestigious international festivals－Festival Off Avignon (外亞維儂藝術節) in France and Edinburgh Fringe Festival (愛丁堡藝穗節) in the UK this summer.
The four Taiwanese groups, namely Formosa Circus Art (福爾摩沙馬戲團), Lei Dance Theater (艸雨田舞蹈劇場), Hung Dance (翃舞製作), and Kuo-Shin Chuang Pangcah Dance Theatre (莊國鑫原住民舞蹈劇場), will be participating in the 57th Festival Off Avignon, scheduled to take place from July 7 to 29.
Lei Dance Theater will present "Flow" (逐流), which seeks to help the audience engage with their inner selves through its choreography, while the Formosa Circus Art will showcase "Circus As Folks" (嘛係人), which delves into the inner world of circus performers and explores how they balance their onstage and offstage roles.
Hung Dance's production titled “Birdy (羽人)” explores the mental state of being anxious and unsettled through physical interaction between dancers. Meanwhile, "Sakero" by Kuo-Shin Chuang Pangcah Dance Theater was inspired by rituals performed during the Amis harvest festival.
The 76th Edinburgh Fringe Festival will run from August 4 to 28. The works that will be featured at the festival’s “Taiwan Season” program include "World in A Word (一字一世界)" by Double & Cross Theater Group (両両製造聚團), "#Since1994" by Eye Catching Circus (創造焦點), "The Way Back (回家)" by The Double Theater (複象公場), and "Duo" by 0471 Acro Physical Theater (0471特技肢體劇場).
The Avignon Festival and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe are internationally acclaimed art events that attract art enthusiasts and serve as cultural stages for performance groups worldwide. This year, the Ministry of Culture continues to support Taiwanese performing arts groups to participate in the festivals as "national teams," with the aim of showcasing Taiwan's cultural prowess and fostering possibilities for future collaborations on the global stage.