Creativity Abounds in Taiwan's Youth

In today’s busy world, it’s often difficult to find the time to do the things which we enjoy most. This is especially true of students here in Taiwan, whose academic obligations keep them busy from early in the morning until late in the afternoon or evening. This leaves just a few precious hours each week to spend on personal pursuits and explore creativity. How do the young people of Taipei spend their free time? Following are two examples.

After school and homework are finished, groups of high-school students flock to places such as the grounds of Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall to cut loose and shake off the stress of the school regime. Poppin’, lockin’, and bustin’, these talented teenagers take part in the dance craze known as street dancing. It’s nearly impossible to miss, with kids seen practicing and entertaining at many locations in Taipei. Street dancing is one of the most popular ways among young people to express themselves in a creative, positive, and healthy manner.

Dance groups practice whenever and pretty much wherever they can. Public parks, school grounds, or even empty spaces at MRT stations are as good as any dance studio. Students at the high-school level have little in the way of free time, so spending it performing and perfecting complex, synchronized routines is quite an accomplishment. I was deeply impressed not only by the level of skill but also by the dedication these young people manifest when I went to the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall one recent hot afternoon to watch them strut their stuff. Students practice here every day, sometimes up to several hours if their schedules allow. For most of the dancers, the expenditure in time and the physical demands are a small price to pay for the blessing of being able to do something they love. Just watching some of the teams practice their complex moves was enough to make me sweat.

Poppin’, lockin’, and bustin’, teenagers take part in the dance craze known as street dancing

For some of these talented troupes, the hard work could end up paying off in a big way. For example, the annual Metro Street Dance Competition is a major contest with over NT$480,000 in prize money that encourages youth creativity. Competitors at this meet go toe to toe in four different styles: popping, locking, hip-hop, and break dancing. Routines in each category are painstakingly prepared and practiced to perfection. Over 150 teams compete in the event, with prize monies being used for the funding of dance programs, costumes, choreography, and new music.

Dancing isn’t the only outlet for Taiwan’s creatively inclined youth. More traditional forms of expression have been given a modern twist, combining practicality with art. In Taipei’s Ximending shopping district, The Red House has become a hub for youthful creativity and for those who want to live their entrepreneurial dreams. The Red House has always been a place of exchange, but has undergone numerous transformations since its humble beginnings. The building was erected in 1908 and first served as a marketplace selling everything from flowers and foods to books and even medicines. It underwent a major change after World War II, becoming first a place for traditional-style stage performances such as storytelling and Beijing opera and then a cinema.

After its heyday The Red House fell into disuse and decay, and it wasn’t until 1997 that the Taipei City Government declared it an official historic site. Restoration efforts begun in 1999 sought to return the building to its former glory, and in 2002 it was decided that the unique facility would be a venue for spoken-word and vocal performances. This attracted all sorts of creative people once more to its doors.

Of late The Red House has undergone yet another dramatic metamorphosis, the idea being to channel the creativity which surrounds it. This recent renovation is a perfect marriage of the modern and the traditional. Upon entering its doors, visitors can take a look at a pictorial timeline stretching from the building’s beginnings to the present day. Each of the other elements within the historic site is a throwback to simpler times, oozing charm and culture. On the first floor a row of small shops features the unique material expressions of the creative vision of young artists, the ingenuity and originality of the designs all distinctly “Taiwan” in flavor.

A shop named Betelnut features popular manga art on T-shirts and baseball caps. These cool clothing items stand out from the crowd, a difficult thing to do in a city where the visuals experienced on public forays are a feast for the senses. A couple of stores down, Pico Baby makes the most of discarded computer parts by creating unique and fashionable figurine robots. The tiny robots feature Swarovski crystals as their hearts, making them fashion accessories as well as one-of-a-kind toys. Taiwan happens to be one of the world’s largest producers of computer parts – items such as memory chips and circuit boards – so it’s nice to know that such outdated materials have been given new life. The other tiny shops inside The Red House are deserving of closer inspection as well, offering something to suit every budget and taste. Custom-made jewellery, aboriginal crafts, and kid’s items are just some of the attractive creations available. When looking for a special souvenir from Taiwan, why not choose one featuring an original design by a talented and energetic young artist-cum-entrepreneur?

On weekends, the area surrounding The Red House is the venue for an open-air artisans’ market. Original works of art feature all sorts of media, from practical to whimsical. Take some time and have a browse while crossing the names off of your “hard-to-shop-for” list. You’ll be certain to find something so novel that anyone would love to be its new owner. The best part is that the vendors here are more than willing to strike a deal, and much enjoy conversation about their work. I had the chance to speak with a few of the artists; for many, selling their works inside The Red House and outside at the market has been a dream come true. Even if it means long hours and hard work on top of being a full-time student or working a day job, for these young creative minds their “real” life is when they get to create and share their art with the world.

The Red House

Tel: +886-2-2311-9380

Add: 10 Chengdu Rd., Wanhua District, Taipei City

Website: www.redhouse.org.tw

GPS: Lat. 25:02.31; Lon. 121:30:24

MRT: Ximen Station