With heartfelt gratitude to the continued support of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of the HKSAR, Hong Kong Dance Exchange was able to transform from a small-scale dance festival collaborating with only four international festivals six years ago to an in-depth exchange in collaboration with seven dance festivals last year. Our local choreographers and works were also invited by overseas dance festivals to tour across various Asian countries for 14 times. The achievement was impressive.
International dance exchanges have been afflicted by the global pandemic over the past two years. Despite the stagnation, we have been sticking to our posts and seizing opportunities. This summer, we are finally able to re-export the works of the second edition of Hong Kong Dance Exchange to the international dance festivals in Japan, South Korea and other Asian countries – some of them have been scheduled as far as next year. During this period, our partnering dance festivals kept their promises and continued to invite all the invited works of the second edition of Hong Kong Dance Exchange. As for the third edition of Hong Kong Dance Exchange this year, our partnering dance festivals extend to influential international dance festivals in Spain, Finland and Israel. Thankfully, Hong Kong dance artists have become the first cultural and creative group from Hong Kong to swiftly reconnect with the international dance scene in the post-pandemic period. The third edition of Hong Kong Dance Exchange has even become the first large-scale event that truly allows international artists and local artists to come together in person and perform on the very same stage after over two years of global pandemic! The staff of Hong Kong Dance Exchange and I will carry on exporting the dance works from the second edition. While taking care of the dance artists touring overseas, we must also look after visiting artists during this period of partial anti-pandemic border closure. Coping with all the local and overseas quarantine policies and the like have multiplied the workload and thus I am truly grateful to each of our staff members for their extraordinary efforts!
Showing how internationally relevant a region’s cultural cultivation and vision through its distinguished cultural and creative products has become a major trend in the world. Dance, likewise, has to be in line with Hong Kong’s new era. Dance artists should set an example with their participation and continue to shine through the new era of Hong Kong as both a local and an international art brand. With dance, an irreplaceable and genuinely international language, let us continue to be the international ‘cultural ambassador-traveller’ representing Hong Kong!
I hope the audiences will leave the theatre with new anticipation for Hong Kong’s future after seeing these new-era works by local and overseas dance talents. Let dance slowly sway your life and bring you forward in your cultural voyage!
