A local Taiwanese organization will be bringing a bit of the Taiwanese culture to the Fresno State campus on Friday, Sept. 13, at the Satellite Student Union (SSU). 

The Fresno Area Taiwanese Association (FATA) will host a performance for the Diabolo Dance Theatre. Doors at the SSU will open at 7 p.m., and the performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. Admission will be free for students with a student ID. It will be first-come, first-serve.

The Diabolo Dance Theatre is a professional performing arts group based in Taiwan that will be traveling through cities in the U.S. this year with its performance called “Ocean Celebration,” which the group describes as a performance beyond languages and cultures.

The performance features use of the diabolo, while integrating music, dance, gymnastics, multimedia, lighting and visuals.

President of FATA Wen Leu said that he is excited to showcase a bit of Taiwanese culture here in Fresno.

“It is very important for our local Taiwanese people to show that they are here, and they are very important,” Leu said. “But it also promotes our culture to the whole world and shows what we are about.”

Leu said that promoting Taiwanese culture is one of the main goals of FATA. He describes the association as a California-based nonprofit organization with no partisan or religious affiliation. Its purpose is to connect, unite, develop and represent the Taiwanese American community in the Central Valley by providing cultural programs and opportunities, as well as periodic social gatherings throughout the year. 

Leu reinforced, as their mission statement has claimed, that he hopes to use this art performance to unite different cultures of the Central Valley and to put on a world-class show right here in Fresno for the locals to enjoy. 

“We’re trying to bring this great performance here to campus so you don’t have to go to someplace like the Lincoln Center [in New York],” Leu said. “It’s right here [on campus] for free.”