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3 dancers on stage, induing one standing, one leaning, and one sitting in a wheelchair.

Resident Island Dance Theatre

$27

Program: Ice Age (Chung-An Chang and Maylis Arrabit)
Running Time: 55 minutes, no intermission
Resident Island Dance Theatre website

Resident Island Dance Theatre will make its U.S. and ADF debut with Ice Age, an emotionally thrilling, physically integrated quartet co-choreographed by RIDT’s Artistic Director Chung-An Chang and French dance maker Maylis Arrabit. The 55-minute piece is performed by two dancers in wheelchairs and two standing dancers. As the world locked down during the COVID-19 pandemic, the work took shape—to explore the different ways that people navigate and connect in their own cultural environments. It evokes the coexistence between parallel realities, separated by space-time and at the same time, united by it. Ice Age challenges external forces and shows us the potential of a physically, mentally, and emotionally integrated world. “All the things that make up daily life and relationships are changing. That’s the main concept,” says Chang. Ice Age is “a choreographic experiment to uncover, recognize, and relate to this new moment of change in motion not just for some, but for us all.”

“ICE AGE is a triumph of cross-cultural connection. Chang is partially sighted, Arrabit is a wheelchair user, they live on opposite sides of the world and for much of the rehearsal process, could only meet online. Yet the results are wonderful. Able-bodied dancers Yi-Chen Juan and Shih-Yun Fang are as fluid as water as they traverse the space. Whether they’re dancing alone, dueting with each other, with Arrabit or her fellow wheelchair user Yo Cheng Cheng, their polished technique is captivating.” (4 stars) – The Scotsman

Tuesday, July 18 at 7:00pm*
Thursday, July 20 at 7:00pm*

*post performance discussion with Resident Island Dance Theatre and ZviDance on Tuesday, July 18, and Thursday, July 19 from 8:15 -8:45pm in the Ruby Lounge

Parking: Parking is available for free in the Campus Drive Lot, located near the intersection of Campus Dr & Anderson St.

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 Duke University Asian:Pacific Studies Institute
Ice Age
was supported with a British Council Taiwan-UK cultural exchange grant, and an award from the The Rainbow Initiative, supported by the National Arts and Culture Foundation (Taiwan). Special thanks to the Ministry of Culture, Taiwan, and the American Institute in Taiwan. A work in process was showcased in 2021 at the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts-in Weiwuying, Taiwan. Dance Base, Scotland hosted a final three-week production residency followed by the 15-performance world premiere engagement in July 2022 as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Resident Island Dance Theatre is making its U.S. debut tour in ICE AGE as part of Center Stage, a public diplomacy initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs with funding provided by the U.S. Government, administered by the New England Foundation for the Arts in cooperation with the U.S. Regional Arts Organizations. General management is provided by Lisa Booth Management, Inc.

The presentation is co-sponsored by Duke University’s Asian/Pacific Studies Institute.