How do you make a thousand-year-old story resonate with an audience in Osaka today? Tell them that you plan to radically modernize one of the most famous literary works ever to come out of Japan to fit present concerns.

The centerpiece of "Asia.ai" is an interpretation of Murasaki Shikibu's "The Tale of Genji," and the feat of producing it has been such that it almost entirely encompasses the Dance in Asia event that takes place from Feb. 23 to 25 in Osaka. However, this third installment of the dance festival makes sure to shine a light on new work by young performers and nurture inter-Asian collaborations among more established artists.

Additionally, Dance in Asia takes place in Kansai for the first time, at a former boatyard that has been transformed into an experimental art space.