Twenty hours of multisensory stimulation featuring art installations, contemporary dance and more would tweak the mind of just about any alternative-art aficionado. For the second time, the Tokyo-based Canadian duo of promoter Josh Child and longtime yoga practitioner Patrick Oancia have joined forces to do exactly that in creating "Crossroads." The multifaceted event, which will be held at the Shibuya Universal Society (SUS) in Tokyo on June 23, will bring together talent from across the globe with the lofty aim of breaking down barriers between art forms.
"People can expect more of a festival that integrates many different art forms," says Oancia, director of the yoga practice Yogajaya Tokyo. " 'Crossroads' is different in that it brings people together in an environment that normally would not be together."
Bellydancers will perform while anime, digital painting, projections, and 3-D installations that manipulate light to produce mind-boggling — and possibly even spiritual — trips through psychedelic on-screen imagery will also be on show.
Yoga master Edward Clark and Tokyo dance troupe Tripsichore will showcase a hybrid of punk ballet, more conventional modern and neoclassical dance. "We are trying to show people that there is such a rich pool of artistry in the world and that when many of these art forms are presented together, it can create a very exciting atmosphere," says Child.
The eclectic music lineup includes a live performance by Bluetech, a renowned electro-dub producer, a live set by German minimal-techno pioneer Mike Shannon and a performance by British electronica artist Seb Taylor, aka Kaya Project, among many more.
"Crossroads" takes place June 23 from 10 a.m. through 8 a.m. the following day at Shibuya Universal Society, 1-11-1 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo (tel. [03] 6418-8144). Admission is 2,000 yen. For more information, visit www.sus-shibuya.com/respekt/
