Three emerging street dance groups from Japan will stage two free performances for the Vietnamese audience on March 14 and 15 at the Tuoi Tre (Youth) Theatre, Hanoi.

The Japan Foundation Centre for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam has organised performances by the groups called the Moreno Funk Sixers, Memorable Moment and the 90's.

On the stage, they will perform their new pieces based on various styles, such as jazz, hip-hop, break-dance, pop and lock.

"On stage, with no words, each of us will push the envelope, busting styles to the limit, which will drive the crowd berserk," said Taisuke, member of the 90's." The theme for the performance is "trip."

"Let's trip out with music and dance in the world," he added.

Apart from the stage performances, the Japanese dancers will interact with Vietnamese dancers through workshops from March 12 to 15 and explore the possibility of future collaboration.

The event is part of a long-term ASEAN project launched by the Japan Foundation's Asia Centre this year.

Entitled, "Dance Dance Asia," the project supports the exchange and collaboration of Asian regional dance companies that are based on street dance, including, not only hip-hop, but a variety of other genres, such as jazz dance and contemporary dance.

Since it was introduced in Japan during the 1970s, street dance has become one of the most popular dance genres, and the number of dance studio and practitioners has risen significantly. Rhythm dance has now been incorporated into school education through the subject of "modern rhythm dance," and has become a familiar subject for many young people.

Since the 2000s, dance companies, based on street dance techniques, are starting to perform a full-length piece inside the theatre, with unique direction and creation, along with showcasing their dancing skills, which has become a popular movement and is thought to be a growing new genre in the performance arts industry.

At the same time, street dance has been growing in popularity in other countries in Asia, and dancers are starting to build a network within these countries through dance battles and contests.

Seeing these movements gain momentum, the Japan Foundation Asia Centre and its partners produced the "Dance Dance Asia" project to foster the original production in the theatre, which is based on and inspired by street dance, and promotes the exchange through street dance in Asia, aiming to play a vital role for a new cultural creation in the Asia region.-VNA