RECREATION, SPORTS AND THE ARTS
temporary Dance Company, High Noon Production Company, Sha Tin Theatre Company and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. Through co-operation with the Urban Council, the Hong Kong Dance Company and the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre brought their repertoires to the venues of the council and presented The Story of Zhou Xuan and I Have a Date with Spring, respectively.
Dance and Drama Animateur Scheme
The successful 1992 Dance Animateur Scheme, in which a dance animateur set up outreach classes and developed interest groups among schools and voluntary organisations, continued in 1993. A similar scheme was organised in five districts in co-operation with the Prospects Theatre Company to stimulate interest and develop skills in drama among students. A total of 25 schools, with some 650 participants, have joined the two schemes.
International Children's Arts Festival
The International Children's Arts Festival, into its fourth year in 1993, is an annual event organised by the council to bring cultural activities to young people and their families during the summer. Highlights of the 1993 festival included performances by the Beijing Youth Jing Kun Arts Troupe from China, the Little Angel Marionette Theatre from the United Kingdom, magician Peter Samuelson and the comedy group Waldo-Woodhead from the USA. Contributions by local artists included special programmes by the Hong Kong Symphony Orchestra and Anonymity Dramatic Club; and the Hong Kong Ballet's La Sylphide and Napoli Divertissements, another new production commissioned by the council. In view of the popularity of participatory programmes, Chung Ying Theatre Company was invited again to organise two drama workshops - Story-Building Time and Story-Telling Time. The festival drew a total attendance of 56 200 at three 'fun' days and open days, 12 drama workshops, 36 stage performances and a children's painting exhibition.
Silk Road Arts Festival
A showcase of the cultural heritage and folkloric life of the Silk Road, the festival featured a diversity of programmes, including The Ancient Music of Dunhuang by the Dunhuang Art Ensemble of Gansu, Chinese instrumental concerts by the Song and Dance Theatre of Shaanxi, Waist Drums and Seeding Songs from Shaanxi, and Tai Ping Drums from Gansu. Top-billing was also given to ethnic performances from Xinjiang by the Ethnic Song and Dance Troupe of Xinjiang, Mukam music and dance of Southern Xinjiang, and a dance drama The Lilting Flute of the Silk Sea by the Fujian Provincial Song and Dance Theatre.
In order to promote the festival and add variety, outdoor programmes were held in areas without convenient access to the civic centres. Three fairs featured performances and demonstrations of folk arts and crafts. Pre-performance talks and demonstrations were also held to promote understanding and appreciation of the performances. About 72 000 people participated in the festival programmes.
Besides the cultural programmes, an exhibition of precious artifacts of the Tang Dynasty was mounted at Sha Tin Town Hall with the assistance of the Shaanxi Archaeology Institute of China. The exhibition attracted 30 000 people.
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