OzAsia Festival presents stunning dances

Red Sorghum by Qingdao Song & Dance TheatreThe Adelaide Festival Centre is preparing to present its OzAsia Festival, running September 3-20. This year’s festival will present three stunning dance pieces, including Tao Dance Theatre’s 6 and 7, Qingdao Song & Dance Theatre’s Red Sorghum and Shandong Acrobatic Troupe’s Dream of The Ghost Story. As always, the goal of this premier Australian event is to foster deep artistic collaborations between Australian and Asian artists.

 

The most anticipated dance program might be Tao Dance Theatre’s, which will be presented September 19–20 at Dunstan Playhouse. The troupe will present the Australian premiere of 6 and the world premiere of 7. Having taken China by storm, Tao Dance Theatre has experienced soaring success abroad as well. Over the last six years, the troupe has visited more than 20 countries on five continents. Tao Dance Theatre often collaborates with leading Chinese artists across genres, including theatre, experimental music, film, visual arts and installation.

 

“We’re thrilled to have this company come to Adelaide as they are pretty hot right now,” noted the Centre’s Petrina Egan. “The company takes their showing of 7 to Saddlers Wells in London after Adelaide.”

 

However, before Tao Dance Theatre arrives, OzAsia will open on September 3 with the Australian debut of Qingdao Song & Dance Theatre. This company will present Red Sorghum, a passionate and moving drama adapted from the novel by Shandong’s Nobel Prize winning author Mo Yan. Combining dance and unique music composition by Cheng Yuan, the work tells the story of a group of characteristic villagers, their courage and bravery fighting against the Japanese occupation, and their individual struggle for love, life and destiny. This show was the winner of the 2014 Wenhua Grand Prize, the China’s Ministry of Culture’s highest award for professional arts.

 

Another production SA dance enthusiasts shouldn’t miss is Dream of The Ghost Story by the Shandong Acrobatic Troupe, being presented September 5-6 at Festival Theatre. This is a magical and ethereal production of good vs. evil based on a classic Quing Dynasty fable, in which the spirit world meets the living and love knows no boundaries. Ghosts, foxes, immortals and demons are brought to life with outstanding performances, breathtaking acrobatics and dream-like staging. Featuring more than 50 performers, Dream of the Ghost Story is a visually stunning experience for the whole family.

 

For more information on these dance performances or the other events taking place as part of the OzAsia Festival, visit www.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au/ozasia-festival.

 

Photo: Red Sorghum by Qingdao Song & Dance Theatre. Photo courtesy of Adelaide Festival Centre.