The third edition of the inclusive arts festival Todos Fest! will take place from 6-12 February, art organisation Comuna de Pedra (Stone Commune) has announced.
Todos, which means “all” in Portuguese, will feature performances, documentary screenings and outreach workshops and aims to unite Macao and Hong Kong artists, volunteers, seniors and individuals with physical and mental disabilities.
The festival will tour Hong Kong, continuing its artist mission themed “on the road – championing all voices”. Festival curator Jenny Mok commented: “Comuna de Pedra believes that the right to speech in the arts should not be in the hands of the majority. If arts cannot be inclusive, neither can society.”
The festival features a dance performance titled Calming Storms and Waves – Dance Across Borders, in which Hong Kong artist yuenjie MARU and two dancers from Guangzhou’s Mistakable Symbiotic Dance Troupe will perform together with Ku Man Ian and Caritas Macau Centro Lustroso member Lee Pui I.
The four dancers have different body characteristics, with some perceived as disabled with brittle bone disease or vision impairment. They will perform Chinese poet Su Shi’s Calming Storms and Waves.
The festival also includes a documentary by filmmaker Chao Kinkuan titled On The Road, which follows two members of the Association of Parents of People with Intellectual Disabilities of Macau.
Todos at School: Symbiotic Dance Workshop, meanwhile, is led by Su HuiHeng and Gene Zhai, who are dancers with physical disabilities. The workshops will enable students to learn about “symbiotic dance skills and forge meaningful connections with all walks of life”, The Macau Post Daily reported.
