SIBU: Music and dance lovers will be in for a great musical treat at the Sibu International Dance Festival (SIDF) 2013 at the civic centre here from Aug 15 to 17.
The festival, which is also the brainchild of arts director Chen Ing Kuan, is the second to be held here this year.
Hornland Dance Theatre is coordinating the event with the support of the Sibu Municipal Council.
Chen said the festival accommodated all types of dance, from traditional to modern.
“It comes with a mixture of contemporary to conventional dances such as modern dance, jazz, belly, ballet, folk dance, line dance, ballroom and aerobic. As long as the dance contains the element of movement and music, it will be incorporated into our musical and dance festival,” he said.
Chen said SIDF aimed to become the world platform for artists and arts organisations on local, regional and international levels to exchance dialogues, concepts, experiments, explorations and display the diversity of dance.
“Our goal is to facilitate the development of tourism, arts and cultures in this region,” he stressed.
Chen said they had invited two groups each from Taiwan, China, Singapore, Johor and one group each from Lithuania, Thailand, India and Kuala Lumpur.
Three musical and dancing groups from Sarawak will also join the festival.
The Guangzhou Arts School Ballroom Dance Group, crowned the champion of the World Ballroom Dance Competition in 2011 and 2012 in Blackpool, England, will represent the China group.
Ku & Dancers which have extensively toured Europe, USA and Asia in the past 10 years will represent Taiwan while Singapore will be represented by Frontier Danceland.
Chen said the team from Lithuania had to travel all the way from the eastern part of Europe to Sibu to showcase unique folklore of Lithuania.
Chen said the programme for the three-night dance concert would exclude speeches. Photo taking will not be allowed.
Admission tickets are sold for RM25 each.
It is at RM15 if bought in bulk of at least 20 tickets.
Similar performance will be staged at the Rejang Esplanade on Aug 14 at 7.30pm.