Introduction to the Ro Han Mem Taiwanese Cultural Troupe and Song-Jiang Battle Array performance by Shih Chien University

Background information:

The Ro Han Mem Taiwanese Cultural Troupe of the Shih Chien University, Taiwan, is scheduled to have a North America tour in May to celebrate the 2009 Taiwanese American Heritage Week. They will be performing at the St. Paul River Center on May 1^st. The following is an introduction to this group.

The Kaohsiung Campus of Shih Chien University (http://admin.kh.usc.edu.tw/KHUSC_ENG/eindex.htm) is located at Nei-Mem, Kaohsiung County, which is also named “Ro Han Mem”. Exposed to an environment featuring the southern Fukienese culture, the Hakka culture, and aboriginal cultures, the students are interested in learning these diverse cultures. The University, therefore, established the Ro Han Mem Taiwanese Cultural Troupe in 2008.

The newly formed troupe consists of performers from the famous Sung-Jiang Battle Array of the University (for a brief history of this, click http://admin.kh.usc.edu.tw/newspaper/200411/index7.htm), members of the Aboriginal Cultural Service Team, and students with special performing skills. The troupe aims to reinterpret and enhance Taiwanese performing arts in creative ways.

In addition to the student performers from the University, another renowned Taiwanese native culture performing group, the April Rain (http://aprilrain.allmusic-mag.net/), is also invited to participate in the tour to present a new face in the recent Taiwanese culture development.

Honors:

Beginning from 2004, the various student performing groups of the Shih Chien University that form the Ro Han Mem Taiwanese Cultural Troupe have been invited to perform or participate in cultural competitions throughout the nation and abroad. In particular, they have received the following honors:

· Third, Second, and first place awards in previous years of Taiwanese folk culture competitions among the universities in Taiwan.

· Dozens of performances in the local festive celebration activities.

· Promoting the Taiwan tourism attractions in Hong-Kong under the sponsorship by the tourism bureau of Taiwan in 2004.

· Participated in the 2006 Aloha Festival performances on invitation of the Honolulu City Council member Rod Tan, and was honored with the President Award.

· Participated in the 2008 Taiwanese Cultural Festival in Los Angeles co-sponsored by the Taiwan Center Foundation of Greater Los Angeles and Kaohsiung County.

· Performed in the 2008 presidential inauguration celebration party of Taiwan.

· Performed in the 2009 Lantern Festival of Taiwan.

· Invited to perform in the opening ceremony of the 2009 World Games in Kaohsiung.

Pictures and Video Clips:

The performance of Song-Jiang Battle Array by the Shih Chien University in the 2008 LA Taiwanese Cultural Festival. For more pictures and video clips, click http://www.yuhsia.com/tx/ccb/topic_view.cgi?forum=38&article_id=0038080513153828&page=50

Snapshots from the students’ performance on various occasions. Click http://dept.kh.usc.edu.tw/tm/NEW/student2-1.htm and http://www.nmm.ks.edu.tw/I1/id/pd1.htm for more pictures.

Scene from the April Rain production. Click http://twmusicalaprilrain.blogspot.com/ for more pictures and video clips about the performing group.

For the history of the art of Song-Jiang Battle Array, click the following link, and go to the section that describes the art of Song-Jiang Troop:

http://www.kongfu.org/english/MartialArts/MA_1.htm