The “2019 Macao International Parade”, organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC, from the Portuguese acronym), in celebration of the 20th anniversary of Macao’s handover to China, will be held on 8 December. Themed around the cultures of countries and regions along the Initiative “One Belt, One Road”, this year’s Parade features 61 local groups and 19 groups from 16 countries and regions. During the three consecutive weeks before the day of the Parade (from 18 November to 7 December), a number of local and foreign participating groups will present an array of excellent outreach performances in the community.
The Modern Player Music Promotion Association will present a percussion performance on 18 and 20 November, at 1pm, at Jorge Álvares Square, lifting up the spirit of wage-earners. The Macao International Street Dance Association will hold an impromptu dance party and interact with spectators at Anim’Arte NAM VAN at 5pm on 23 November. The Macau Street Art & Culture Promotional Association and the Macao China All-Star Cheerleading Association will present their energetic rope skipping and cheerleading performances at the Areia Preta Urban Park on 24 November, at 10:30am and 3pm, respectively.
In order to allow the public to have a preview of the Parade’s atmosphere, a number of local art groups will hold the “Art Promotion Mini Parade” on 30 November, at 3pm, at the Iao Hon Market Garden, spending a joyous weekend with spectators. Phase One from Ukraine, Duo Acroart from Poland, Susanna Defraia from Italy and Svetlana Burdzevitskaya from Belarus will team up with the Aerial Arts Association Macau to hold “A Tea Party at the Park” on 1 December, at 3pm and 4pm, at Jorge Álvares Square, inviting spectators to join their “tea party”.
Foreign art groups will also show up at various districts in Macao. Ladies’ Moon from Italy, Acrobatic Kenya from Kenya, Jumping Robots from Russia and the National Dance Ensemble Romiosini from Cyprus will jointly present “City Art Surprise” at Senado Square on 5 December, at 6:30pm. The Kecskemét Folk Dance Ensemble from Hungary, The Giant from Chile and other performing groups will interact and take photographs with spectators in the “Colourful Garden” at Jorge Álvares Square on 6 December, at 1pm. On the same day, at 8pm, the Jovens do Hungo Angolan Traditional Dance, Music and Ballet Group from Angola and other professional dancers will thrill spectators and guide them in the “Dance of the World” at the Iao Hon Market Garden.
A series of performances will also be staged on 7 December. At 10:30am, The Giant from Chile will hold the “Chile Puppets’ Party” at the Areia Preta Urban Park and all children are welcome to join with their parents. At 3pm, Traditions Association and Portugal Artfusion from Portugal will jointly present the stilt performance “When the Lotus Garden Meets the Tea Island” at St. Dominic’s Square. The Pichet Klunchun Dance Company from Thailand will present their inflatable puppet dance theatre at Senado Square at 2:30pm and at Anim’Arte NAM VAN at 4pm, telling a story of “alienation” through inflatable puppets in the shape of deep-sea creatures and aliens.
Performances and activities of the Parade in the community are open to the general public. For more information, please visit www.icm.gov.momacaoparade, or follow the “Macao International Parade” page on Facebook and IC’s official WeChat account “ICmacao”.
