Dance Hakushu 2003, an art festival featuring avant-garde and traditional folk music, dance, theater and artworks, will be held under the direction of dancer Min Tanaka, Aug. 1-24, in the town of Hakushu, Yamanashi Prefecture.

The festival will feature 32 dance performances under the title Dance Hakushu and feature other performances, such as "Where From; From the Family?" by the Tokason Dance Troupe and Hideo Kanze at 8 p.m. Aug. 16; a solo dance titled "Animation" by Simone Forti at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 17; and a demonstration by the Liyuan Opera Experimental Troupe from Fujian, China, at 2 p.m. Aug. 24.

There also will be a concert based on improvised music, workshops on dance, Chinese opera, Korean Junga singing, and the traditional Japanese narrative singing known as rokyoku, as well as seminars on voice arts and other skills.

A pass for the entire festival is 8,000 yen. One-day tickets are either 1,500 yen or 2,500 yen, depending on the day, and half-price for those aged 6-18. Visitors will be able to stay at a camp site managed by the organizers or at local inns.

For more information, see www.adguard.co.jp/artcamp/ and click on the link eigo peiji ga dekimashita for information in English.

The organizers can be contacted at (03) 5340-3860, by fax at (03) 5340-3861, or by e-mail at artcamp@sf7.so-net.ne.jp

The organizers are also looking for volunteers of any nationality who can help out at the festival for no less than a week.