The head of Taiwan’s Resident Island Dance Theatre (RIDT) says that Taiwan has a lot to learn from the United States about popularizing the arts. RIDT artist director and choreographer Chang Chung-an (張忠安) made the comments in an interview following his return from a tour in the U.S.
The tour was part of an exchange coordinated by the U.S. Department of State, and which saw RIDT perform its choreographic work “Ice Age” across several U.S. venues in multiple states. The group has visited various cultural institutions, attended workshops, and took residence in communities throughout its three-week tour.
The work presented was a collaboration between professional dancers and dancers with physical disabilities. Chang says it shows the performers striking a balance among different body forms and demonstrates the freedom and unlimited imagination dance can achieve.
Chang says that he felt a strong concern about human rights and equality from the American audience. He was surprised to learn that many American artists were inspired by RIDT’s physically inclusive performance and have started to think about how dance can be integrated into education.
The RIDT producer and tour manager Sasa Hsiao said the tour shows the group’s devotion in the promotion of social issues through dance. She added that she was awed by the professionalism of the artistic environment in the U.S. and the crucial role sponsorship plays in supporting performance arts.
Chang observed that education in the arts starts from a young age in the U.S. He said the group is starting a new project that uses a small truck as a stage for highly mobile performances across Taiwan. He hopes that the mobile stage can reach as many places as possible and make performance arts a common sight in everyday life.