The Crown Theater has long been a mainstay of Taipei's professional fringe theater, hosting many alternative acts and providing a gathering place for people in taking theater and dance in unconventional directions.
In addition to playing host to local groups, the organization has also made a point of bringing in many foreign performers to enliven Taipei's sometimes intensely ideological and heavily "experimental" arts scene.
With the Little Asia Dance Exchange Network, Crown Theater, working together with the Taipei Dance Circle, will be showcasing dancers from Tokyo, Hong Kong, Sydney and Seoul, along with local Chan Yao-chun (詹曜君), a member of Taipei Dance Circle who has already achieved a high level of success with performances in the US and Japan.
PHOTO COURTESY OF TAIPEI DANCE CIRCLE
The show is a great opportunity to get a glimpse at what is happening in contemporary dance in the Asia-Pacific region. Of particular interest is the presence of Kitamura Shigemi, who has worked with Taro Shanghai's Butoh and Mime Company. Butoh is a form of Japanese performance that has recently influenced a number of contemporary dance and theater groups, providing inspiration to locals. After all, this is exactly what such events are all about.
Kay Armstrong, a veteran of Australia's One Extra Dance Company provides a glimpse of Antipodean dance trends, with her most recent project has been with the Sydney-based Bell Shakespeare Company. Abby man-yee Chan from Hong Kong and Jo Ju-hyun from South Korea will round off the lineup.
The Little Asia Dance Exchange Network will perform at the Crown Theater tonight, tomorrow at 7:30pm and on Sunday at 2:30pm. Tickets are NT$350 and are available from the venue, located at 50, Lane 120, Dunhua S Road, Taipei (台北市敦化北路120巷50號).
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