ALaLa Dance Fest kicks off in Chiang Mai
International ethnic dance festival designed as platform for cultural exchange
The ALaLa Dance Fest (Chiangmai International Ethnic Dance festival) has begun at the Sirisook Dance Theatre in Chiang Mai, designed as a platform for cultural exchange through dance rehearsals focusing on ethnicity under the concept “Heritage Roots”.
It encourages participants to feel connected through experiences related to the themes "roots", "heritage", and "contemporary Chiang Mai".
Pimrawee Srisuk, the festival organiser, shared the origins of the ALaLa Dance Fest, saying: “The idea started from the challenge of finding space to showcase my work, which is scarce and hard to come by. I wondered why Chiang Mai, despite being a major tourist destination, lacked such spaces. There are also many local artists producing art here. That’s how the idea of creating my own space came about.
“It’s not just about hosting a festival; in the future, we aim to include discussions as well. The first project under this initiative is the ALaLa Dance Fest,” Pimrawee added.
Activities at the ALaLa Dance Fest include:
Ethnic dance workshops from three countries: Ivory Coast, Indonesia, and Thailand. Participants will immerse themselves in unique dance experiences with artists from these diverse cultures.
Performances by four artist groups from three countries: Ivory Coast, Indonesia, and Thailand. Attendees will be amazed by the talented performances of these skilled artists.
A marketplace featuring more than 30 ethnic food and craft stalls, offering attendees a chance to explore ethnic cuisine and crafts from different cultural groups in Thailand.
An interactive art exhibition where participants can experience Lanna dance movements developed through artificial intelligence (AI) by the Tomorrow Lab team. This allows everyone to feel as if they are dancing along to the music that reflects the identity of various ethnic groups.
The ALaLa Dance Fest will take place at Kalm Village Chiang Mai from Saturday to Monday. There will also be online performances, with part of the proceeds going to support flood victims in Chiang Mai province.
