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Nuclear Power Debate:
Young people give march a musical flavor
BRING THE NOISE: Backed by live performances,
young people yesterday showed their concern for the nation¡¦s pressing issues, a
welcome change from previous years
By Kuo An-chia and Jason Pan / Staff reporter, with Staff writer
Young people, some wearing Guy
Fawkes masks, attend the demonstration against nuclear power in Greater Taichung
yesterday.
Photo: Liao Yao-tung, Taipei Times
Three young people make their
feelings on nuclear power clear at yesterday¡¦s demonstration against nuclear
power in Taipei.
Photo: Lu Chun-wei, Taipei Times
When the nation¡¦s anti-nuclear campaign
started about two decades ago, the fight was mostly carried out by environmental
and social activist groups, with guidance from the Democratic Progressive Party.
However, more recently, young people have become more involved in the movement,
as evidenced by the many young people ¡X including hip hop dancers, bands and DJs
¡X who took part in yesterday¡¦s anti-nuclear demonstrations.
Thanks to their youthful energy and enthusiasm, the young people added a
different kind of atmosphere from past anti-nuclear protests, with dancing and
live music featuring heavily.
Peng Ying-lun (´^^Û),who played the leading role in Hip-Hop Storm, a Taiwanese
documentary about the street dance movement, put out a call to arms for
yesterday¡¦s march in Taipei, and invited members of the Chinese Taipei Street
Dance Association to take part.
They choreographed an anti-nuclear routine incorporating elements of hip-hop and
other street dances, and performed at the march.
The dancers in the performance took on the roles of ¡§nuclear terrorists¡¨ and
¡§anti-nuclear warriors,¡¨ and enacted a dance duel, Peng said.
Hip-hop dancing featuring basketball-style moves were also on show and the
performance ended with victory for the anti-nuclear warriors, he said.
Hip-hop music and dancing is intimately associated with social issues as it
began with the breakdance craze in predominantly black neighborhoods of New York
in the 1980s, Peng said.
Dancers performed on the streets and negotiated with local governments and the
police over the use of public spaces for their dancing sessions, he added.
However, ¡§in the past, hip-hop in Taiwan was almost never associated with social
issues. The anti-nuclear march [yesterday] could be the first time,¡¨ Peng said.
¡§What we believe in is peace, love, unity and having fun,¡¨ added Peng, who has
drawn together hip-hop dancers, musicians, DJs and graffiti artists to form the
Hip-Hop Storm performance group, which aims to renew the determined spirit of
struggle of the 1990s as well as taking an active interest in social issues.
Peng said he has met some resistance from other some street dancers who said:
¡§You should just focus on dancing. Why join in the [anti-nuclear] march?¡¨
Peng responded by saying: ¡§My stance is different from yours,¡¨ adding that he
welcomes with open arms all those who wish to participate and learn more about
the anti-nuclear campaign.
Aside from the participation of hip-hop dancers, the ¡§P.L.U.R.S. Techno Music
Coalition against Nuclear Power¡¨ rented a flatbed truck that played techno and
other electronic music at the march yesterday as well as setting up party tents
at the march¡¦s overnight protest on Ketagalan Bouldevard in Taipei.
The group screened a techno music documentary titled Retake the Streets at the
protest last night.
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