Tre Festival Village seeks to reconnect Asian performing arts traditions to their village roots. Much of traditional Asian performances are integral to the religious, spiritual and ceremonial practices of village life which serve to strengthen the social fabric of the village community. Not only do these traditions provide a form of entertainment for the community, they are also a medium of instruction especially in perpetuating myths, folklores, moral values and spiritual knowledge.
In modern times, village performances have often been transformed and adapted to the modern stage to meet the entertainment needs of urban audiences as showpieces of the contemporary arts scene. In the process, they have often become isolated from their village origins, losing much of their traditional characteristics and contextual references.
In presenting village performances by largely peasant performers in a simple rustic setting at Fort Canning Park, along with traditional foods and crafts, the Festival Village hopes to re-evoke the communal spirit of village performances, and to reiterate the origins and role of rural art forms in traditional societies of Asia.
Four groups will be making their appearance at Fort Canning Park. They are the Formosa Aboriginal Singing and Dance Troupe from Taiwan, the Jiangzhou Drum Troupe from China, the Yakshagana Theatre Troupe from India, and Kecak and Fire Dance Puspita Jaya from Bali, Indonesia.
Enjoy your evening at the Festival Village, Fort Canning Park.
(Source: National Arts Council Programme)