Taiwanese dance troupe Genio Dance Group won the top prize at a flamenco competition in Madrid, Spain on May 13.
Led by Taiwanese dancer Hsueh Yu-hsien (薛喻鮮), the troupe won the group category of the 31st edition of Certamen de Coreografía de Danza Española y Flamenco with the work “Eterno retorno.”
Hsueh later expressed surprise and delight that the group won the highly competitive final competition which included six other teams.
Hsueh, who began learning dance from her mother Ho Lian-hua (賀連華) at a young age, said dancing was her life and that she had put all her feelings and emotions into her work.
She thanked the Minister of Culture Lee Yung-te (李永得) and the culture ministry’s office in Spain for their support of the team, which departed for Spain last week to take part in the competition.
Speaking to CNA Saturday, Chang Yu-hsuan (張祐瑄), an official at the Ministry of Culture’s (MOC) office in Spain, said she was pleased to see that Genio Dance Group, whose performances combined the different cultural traditions of Taiwan and Spain, could shine on the stage of an important Spanish dance event and be recognized with an award.
Having begun in 1992, the Certamen de Coreografía de Danza Española y Flamenco competition is held annually by Producciones Maga, a company currently headed by Spanish dancer Margaret Jova, according to the MOC.
Participants in this year’s competition were required to provide a video of their performance to the jury via YouTube or Vimeo, and only those who made it to the final were invited to compete on Friday at a cultural center in Madrid.
Genio Dance Group was founded in 2000 by Ho Lian-hua, who is dedicated to promoting flamenco dance in Taiwan, the MOC said.
