| Kanuti Gildi SAAL / NGO TEINE TANTS | Tallinn 2011- European Capital of Culture |
FAIFAI “MY NAME IS I LOVE YOU”
August Dance Festival is a contemporary performing arts festival introducing old and new generation of performing arts artists from the World to the Baltic region and serves as a meeting point and common ground for artists. Highlights of the festival are devoted to European top choreographers/artist and their works. Presenting performing arts in different contexts - from installation to performances inside theatres and site-specific and is oriented on the artists' work, thoughts and argumentations with the audience and other artists.
August DanceFestival 2011 is the major dance event in the programme of the European Capital of Culture 2011.
At the 12th festival we have decided to introduce also the Japanese contemporary performing arts scene represented by faifai. We have chosen their piece « My name is I love you » directed by Chiharu Shinoda. Faifai artists are seeking to extend boundaries of theatre arts, and mixing them with Japanese pop culture. They regard the world with sarcasm and sensitivity, and presenting its stories with humour and sympathy. Essentially, most of their pieces are concerned with love and relationships, human characteristics that are common around the world.
Considering the fact that Tallinn will be the European Capital of Culture 2011 when the August DanceFestival take place, the effect of these guest-performances will be broad-based. Firstly this will be great chance to introduce the status of the Japanese contemporary performing arts to the local as well as international audiences. Within the festival environment we also create a chance for the invited artists to get acquainted with each other and local artists without the pre-obligation to work together providing a base for any kind of further collaborations leaving the initiative to the artists.
Official website of the August DanceFestival: http://www.tantsufestival.ee
Contemporary theatre group Faifai (previously Koyubichi) was founded in 2004 by Yon Kitagawa who is frustrated with the repeating stale standards and norms set by others, seeking to extend new boundaries yet to be seen in theatre arts, mixing theatre with Japanese pop culture. They have since been active in the vibrant theatre scene of Tokyo, contributing with a unique perspective and atmosphere represented in their performances. In the future, the group plans to expand their activities through experimenting with different arts, as well as collaboration and performances abroad.
