INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE

Our DPA faculty are closely linked with overseas related exhibitions, and cooperate with international study and internships, all in an effort to provide an environment for students to exchange and study abroad.  The ultimate outcomes end up being the integration of overseas industrial development into our teaching, the cultivation of our students’ international outlook, and our DPA being in line with the world’s current art trends.

Through international exchange, our faculty and students continue to gain experience from international performing organizations and to integrate international education, and our DPA is able to promote its educational achievements, shape its characteristics and reputation, and enhance its international visibility.

● 2024 Camping Pantin

This international exchange event is hosted by the Centre National de la Danse (CND) in France. The grand international gathering invites teams from 18 art institutions across more than 10 countries, with over 250 faculty members, students, and artists participating. Led by Professor Yu Xiou-Ching, 10 students traveled to France to engage in cultural exchange with dance professors, choreographers, and students from around the world. The intensive program includes morning classes, large group classes, workshops, school marathon performances, seminars, and evening performances, with a tightly scheduled itinerary. The seminars for educators focused on discussions of education systems, where professors from various institutions introduced their respective educational frameworks, admission processes, curriculum highlights, and systems, as well as shared insights about students’ career prospects after graduation.

● 2024 Broadway Exchange Workshop

The 2024 Broadway Musical Theatre Workshop took place from June 27 to July 17, led by Professors Li Chih-Lun and Yang Hsin-Yuan from the Department of Performing Arts. A total of 15 students from freshman to junior years traveled to Manhattan, New York, to participate in the workshop and masterclasses. They performed the musical Ascension at The Marjorie S. Deane Little Theatre (10 West 64th Street). Classes were held at the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts (NYCDA) over a 21-day program, which included singing and movement courses, Broadway repertoire practice, masterclasses, artistic field visits, and a final performance.

● 2024 Dream-Building Program: Tokyo Shibuya Study

Four students from the Department of Performing Arts—Liu Yu-Chieh, Hsieh Shu-Ya, Shen Yi-Hsuan, and Kuo Yi-Hsuan—shared their experience, “Dance Is Life! Keeping Up with the Rhythm of Shibuya!” These students attended advanced dance training at EN Dance Studio’s Shibuya main campus, which specializes in Hip Hop and Jazz styles and boasts exceptional instructors. This program also included interviews with three local artists: senior dancer Yuriko Okoshi, who specializes in Japanese traditional dance; Yuko Hashimoto, a movement educator studying somatics and Laban movement analysis; and Naoya Aoki, a circus performer.

● 2023 Camping Asia

Faculty and students from the Department of Performing Arts at Shu-Te University were invited to participate in the 12-day international arts education program 2023 Camping Asia. Department Chair Yu Xiou-Ching selected seven outstanding students—Chen Rei-En, Shen Yi-Hsuan, Hsieh Shu-Ya, Shih Yu-Jen, Li Tai-Yun, Yang Chuan-Kuang, and Kao Hao—to join this event in Taipei, exchanging ideas with international dance professors, creators, and fellow participants. The program included morning classes, large group classes, workshops, school marathons, seminars, and evening performances. This cross-cultural art camp, co-organized by the Taipei Performing Arts Center, Centre National de la Danse, and Chanel, brought together participants from 8 countries, 15 regions, 23 interdisciplinary artists, and 16 art institutions, totaling over 157 faculty members and students.

● 2023 Songshan Shaolin Temple Kung Fu Training

From July 31 to August 31, 2023, six passionate students from the Department of Performing Arts traveled to the Songshan International Education Camp in Dengfeng City, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, to apprentice under Master Song Shuangping and learn Shaolin martial arts. Training modules included Lianhuan Quan, Shisan Quan, Tongbi Quan, and Qixing Quan, which were the foundational units. Shaolin staff techniques were introduced as the basis for wielding larger weapons like broadswords. Stances like the bow stance and horse stance were meticulously practiced. Master Song also incorporated weapons training with items like flying axes, throwing knives, blowguns, whips, and rope darts. The mat training, the most challenging module, involved hand-on guidance for rolling and flipping techniques such as front flips, headstand flips, and backflips. The month-long rigorous training significantly improved the students’ martial arts skills and stage movements.

● 2023 Broadway Exchange Workshop

After signing a strategic partnership MOU with the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts (NYCDA) in April 2023, the Department of Performing Arts at Shu-Te University organized a Broadway Musical Theatre Exchange Workshop from June 30 to July 17. Led by Chair Yu Xiou-Ching and Professor Li Chih-Lun, 18 students traveled to New York City to participate in masterclasses and showcase their final project, The Music of Tomorrow, at Theatre Row, Theatre 5. The two-week program included courses by artistic director Joe Barros, choreographer Mandarin Wu, vocal coaches Rob Baumgartner and Rachel Kaufman, acting instructor Jeremy Webb, and executive director Lisa Hildebrand. Students took courses in dance, vocal techniques, acting, repertoire analysis, audition preparation, and performance training. Weekends were dedicated to watching a variety of Broadway musicals.

2016-2018 Performing Arts Department International Exchange

● 2019 Exchange Workshop with Mary Hill Manhattan College

STU and Mary Hill Manhattan College (MMC) signed a memorandum between the two universities in early 2018.  From July 21 to August 4 of this year, 14 DPA students, led by department chair Shiu-Chin Yu and faculty member Yu-Ling Lee, attended their first musical theater intensive summer workshop at the Music & Theater Department of MMC.

The performance of the workshop was performed at the Teresa Lang Theater at MMC on the evening of August 1.  The theater has a size of 250 seats. Performers, teachers, and students of MMC and local Chinese friends in New York were all very excited.  Ji-Yu Qi, cultural secretary of the Taipei Cultural Center in New York, said: “She is very happy to have seen the STU DPA students perform in New York, and is looking forward to seeing them again on the big stage!”  She was delighted to see that there is a link between a school in Taiwan and New York, and encourages continued cooperation in the future.

● 2017 Interdisciplinary Cooperation Workshop with Japanese Star University

In September 2017, 15 students and 2 faculty members from the STU College of Design participated in creative workshops held at the Design College of Meisei University, Japan.

● 2016 WDA-AP World Dance Summit and Rende University Exchange Performance Program

After attending the World Dance Summit in 2014, DPA faculty and dance students were again invited to perform at the “2016 WDA-AP World Dance Summit” held at Rende University, Korea.

● Taiwan is represented at the 2015 Domananka Arts Festival in Nagoya, Japan

60 DPA students were selected to participate.  After nearly 6 months of training, they traveled to Japan to perform works that display Taiwanese cultural characteristics.  The theme of the performances is “Island Mythology” and they are based on traditional aboriginal dances.

● Participating in the 2014 World Dance Summit in France

The annual Global Dance Summit, hosted by the World Dance Alliance, is held annually in different countries and cities, bringing together the world’s top artists in international dance.  In addition to participating in the Summit, DPA faculty and students also went to the French Avignon Festival and Paris to perform in such styles as modern dance, traditional martial arts, folk dance, popular street dance, etc..

● 2011 Berlin International Street Theater Festival Performance Program and Visiting Prague Art University, Czech Republic

Berlin’s “International Street Theater Art Festival” is hosted by the Berlin Smile Association (berlin-lacht eV).  Located at the most popular squares, this festival has been popular with the public for the past few years. Performing artists from all over the world come to participate.  A select group of DPA dance students participated, and performed various forms of Taiwanese dance, such as folk peacock dance, Kung Fu, and Taiwanese aboriginal bamboo dance.  The students were later invited to perform on Berlin television and at the Berlin City Museum.

● 2015-2016 Intercultural Innovation and International Academic Conference

Promoted by the STU Design College, the “Cross-Cultural Innovation and International Academic Achievements” award-winning teaching plan selected students to go to the University of the Arts in London to participate in academic presentations and international workshops.  At the School of Design at the University of the Arts in London, their students and STU students together collaborated on design projects; truly achieving cross-cultural innovation and international integration.

The students also visited Bassiba University, which has signed a memorandum of cooperation (iIn the future, both Bassiba University and STU will be able to exchange students).  At the end of their trip, the students traveled to Edinburgh to participate in the grand art festival and enjoy performances from all over the world.

● 2016 Graduation production 《Deadline》to be performed at Rose Bruford College, UK

In 2014, STU President Yuan-Xiang Zhu  and President Michael Earley of Rose Bruford College signed a memorandum between the two universities.  In 2016, a group of DPA students traveled to Rose Bruford College to perform their graduation production “Dead Line.”This was a valuable experience for our students in that they were presenting a Chinese artistic creation to the UK market.

● 2014 DPA graduation production 《Ground Zero》 performed at Xiamen University

● Shenandoah University Exchange Student Program

STU DPA and the Musical Theater Department at Shenandoah University in Washington DC began student exchanges in 2014.  The selected students participate in a two-week musical-related set of courses specially planned by the head of their department.

 ● 《School of the Sea》an overseas professional internship program

Granted by the Taiwan Ministry of Education, each school will send students with outstanding academic performances to internships at foreign institutions to fully expand the opportunities for said students with development potential to participate in international exchanges and cooperation activities, and cultivate professional talents with international vision and practical experience.  DPA has been awarded a grant for two consecutive years.