Sibu International Dance Festival returns with over 100 dancers
SIBU: The Sibu International Dance Festival (SIDF) is making a comeback on June 9-11, after a lapse of two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Festival director Chen Ing Kuan said SIDF Jejak Angin 2022 will involve six foreign groups.
“This year we have six foreign groups coming in – one each from Japan, Indonesia, India, three from Singapore,” he told a press conference Tuesday night.
The ninth edition is organised by Hornland Dance Theatre and supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts and Sibu Municipal Council (SMC).
Chen said while this edition will be a shortened version, the programme is still packed with four workshops, four seminars, an outdoor performance at Sibu Central Market, and two concert dance shows at Sibu Civic Centre.
“The dance workshop and seminars will be held at RH Hotel’s function rooms during the day from June 10 till 11, conducted by the professional dance instructors.
“Entrance 3 at Sibu Central Market will be the venue for the outdoor site-specific performance on June 11 before noon,” said Chen.
He said early-bird tickets went on sale Tuesday.
A press statement said Sibu will host over 100 dancers for the festival.
The performers are Madhumita Raut Odissi Dance Group (India), Surya Medal Puteri Kencana (Indonesia), N 3355 (Japan), Albert Tiong Ing Siong (Singapore), SCAPE Dance Residency (Singapore), Singapore Chinese Dance Theatre (Singapore), Team Vibe Worldwide (Philippines), ARTUMS (Sabah), Sekolah Seni Perak (Perak), Geethashankarandance (Kuala Lumpur), The Performing Arts of Toden Kuala Lumpur (Kuala Lumpur), ASK Dance Company (Kuala Lumpur), Valerie Kueh (Bintulu), and Hornland Dance Theatre (Sibu).
SIDF seeks to promote Sibu, Sarawak and Malaysia as an international platform for dance performance globally, and to feature the diversities of the world in the form of dance arts.
It is hoped that with the addition of dancers from overseas, the audience will get to see and experience for themselves a worldwide variety of performing arts in Sibu.
Among those present at the press conference officiated at by Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts permanent secretary Hii Chang Kee were Senator Robert Lau, Temenggong Dato Vincent Lau, Sibu MP Oscar Ling, Lanang MP Alice Lau, Sibu Rural District Council deputy chairman Wong Ching Yong, and SMC councillor Zaiton Abdul Kader.
This year we have six foreign groups coming in – one each from Japan, Indonesia, India, three from Singapore.
Chen Ing Kuan