Five members of the Lao Bangfai Breakdancing Club are taking their show on tour around France , after leaving Laos at the end of February.
Lao Bangfai Breakdancing Club members in action during their tour in Toulouse, France. The group travelled to France to showcase their special dancing style, which blends breakdancing with traditional Lao dancing. They have been performing their show, entitled Fang Lao ( or Listen), at the massive dance festival Hip Hop Ways .
Their tour is being financed by the festival, the French dance company A'Corps, and the French Language Centre in Vientiane .
“We are very happy and excited to be able to tour our show, it's our first time in France and we are very thankful for the warm welcome we received from the organisers,” said group member Anoulack Xayaseng by email.
The troupe consists of four men and one woman - Ounla Pha-oudom or La, Anoulack or Fanta, Viengxai Sysavath or Tom, Phonesavanh Deangchanthiva or Vanh, and Ms Nouthnapha Soydara, also known as Nouth.
“We were fortunate to see a show by the dance group X-Pression at the Mageder Theatre in Toulouse , where we were able to exchange dancing techniques with them, especially locking and popping moves,” Mr Anoulack said.
“At the beginning of March we met up with other renowned dance groups, such as A'Corps, Electro Spin Junior, Uni-Style, Ecole de Danse, Krystel Costecalde, SOSS and Groove Attitude.”
“After Toulouse , we performed in Valence , Aouste and Aulnay Sous Bois, and were pleased to receive standing ovations from our audiences,” he added.
The group is now in Draguignan, participating in workshops with local performers before taking their show to the Hip Hop Ways festival later in the month.
The 25-minute routine incorporates traditional Lao activities such as Muay Lai Lao , rice harvesting and fishing, and was a joint Lao-French creation by the members of A'Corps, Mr Ole Khamchanla and Lao Bangfai members.
The group's trip was made possible by cooperation between Lao Bangfai and Mr Ole, who have known each other since 2004, when he visited and introduced new techniques to Lao breakdancers, teaching them how to turn traditional dances into contemporary works. This is the first group the French Language Centre has invited to perform in France this year. Last year, the centre invited the Lao puppet troupe to perform there.
