Asia Pacific Dance Festival Symposium 2026

Living Heritage: Resisting Form / Forming Resistances

May 22-24, 2026

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

This year’s symposium grows from the energy of APDF 2025’s theme of Hulihia — the overturning, the rupture, the moment when things shift. If Hulihia asked us to look at disruption, this year we look at what comes after. Living Heritage turns our attention toward the practices, choices, and experiences that carry culture forward through change. Heritage is not something preserved behind glass; rather, it is embodied within communities, people, and relationships. It adapts, responds, protects, and continues.

Simultaneously, sustaining heritage often requires resistance — resisting erasure, resisting imposed forms, resisting narratives that narrow the complexity of who we are. Artists across the Asia-Pacific region have long reshaped, reimagined, and rebuilt form as a way of asserting cultural knowledge and opening space for new futures. This is where Resisting Form / Forming Resistance takes shape: in the tension between holding on and breaking open, remembering and remaking, inheriting and innovating.

This year, we invite works that sit in that creative tension. Works that honor lineage. Works that disrupt or rearrange inherited forms. Works that protect what must endure. Works that transforms cultural memory into new expressions. Works that explore what it means to “live heritage” — through movement, dance, film, screen media, storytelling, research, and community exchange. Living Heritage: Resisting Form / Forming Resistance invites us to gather at the point where culture continues, transfigures, and reclaims its futures.

Proposal Submissions

Submissions are welcome from local, national, and international participants across three program tracks:

Track 1: Dance Film & Screen Media Panel

More Details

We invite dance films and screen-based works that use cinematic language as a form of resistance/heritage — whether through choreography, editing, sound, visual narrative, or experimental approaches — to reveal new ways of moving, seeing, remembering, and carrying cultural knowledge.

We welcome experimental dance films, screen media, hybrid forms, and short-form documentaries that address the symposiumʻs themes.

Films and/or content cannot be longer than 20 minutes (including credits). Works are expected to be completed at the time of proposal submission, though excerpts will be allowed for review. Final screening file must be provided in a standard exhibition format, if accepted.

All interested contributors are required to provide a video link to their work when completing the proposal submission form. Submissions should consist of a single video clip, no longer than five (5) minutes, for review. The excerpt may be a continuous segment or a curated montage of a few key scenes, but it must clearly convey the work’s message and/or its relationship to the conference theme within the allotted time. The excerpt may not be a trailer for the film. Adjudication may involve asking for the film in its entirety at a later stage.

Track 2: Choreographers’ Creative Exchange Platform

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This platform is designed as a creative exchange and professional development opportunity for choreographers developing new work. Rather than a presentation of finished work, this space centers research, experimentation, and dialogue—inviting artists to share unfinished ideas, movement questions, and early-stage investigations with peers.

Participants are encouraged to think of this platform as a horizontal exchange: a chance to learn alongside other artists, workshop ideas in real time, and engage in structured feedback. Works may take the form of choreographic sketches or embodied research, and may draw from cultural heritage, contemporary practice, or newly emerging directions within and beyond the Asia-Pacific region.

Program Track Overview

Selected participants will be in a multi-stage exchange process designed to support feedback, reflection, and revision:

Opening virtual gathering with all participants to introduce projects and establish shared goals in weeks leading up to symposium (date/time TBA)

Assigned small-group “pods” for virtual peer exchange

Virtual Paired feedback sessions (1–2 rounds), scheduled independently by participants

In-person convening at the symposium, where works are shared with fellow platform participants in an informal showing with facilitated feedback

Up to 1 hour of studio/rehearsal time the following day to incorporate feedback

Final showing, open to all symposium participants and the public, followed by a guided feedback process

Eligibility & Format Expectations

All works must be works-in-progress

Submissions should represent unfinished material or the seed of a new work, rather than a polished excerpt from a completed piece.

Presentation time range: 5-8 minutes (10 minutes maximum)

Works must be performable in a studio or black-box setting

Minimal technical requirements are strongly preferred

This platform is intentionally process-oriented and inquiry-based; applicants should be open to sharing uncertainty, receiving feedback, and continuing to develop the work during and after the symposium.

All interested contributors are required to provide a video link to their work when completing the proposal submission form. Submissions should consist of a single video clip, no longer than five (5) minutes, for review. The excerpt may be a continuous segment or a few shorter excerpts (not a reel) and should demonstrate the direction, question, or impulse behind the work within the allotted time. Because this platform prioritizes development, submitted videos are expected to show work that is still evolving or in its beginning stages.

Please note: Student applicants are not eligible for this track. Participation in the Choreographers’ Creative Exchange Platform requires a commitment to attend the symposium in person. Due to the collaborative, studio-based nature of this program track, no hybrid or remote participation option is available.

Track 3: Research Presentations & Community Roundtable: Building Arts Futures in Hawaiʻi and Beyond

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This portion of the symposium centers open dialogue around how creative communities sustain cultural practice, respond to changing conditions, and shape the future of art-making in Hawaiʻi and across the region. The roundtables foreground lived experience, cultural stewardship, and collective knowledge, creating space for shared reflection and conversation among artists, scholars, practitioners, and community members. All symposium participants are invited to take part in these discussions.

In addition, we welcome research presentations and proposed panels from scholars, practitioners, and cultural workers interested in sharing their work in formats similar to conference papers, lecture-demonstrations, or themed panel sessions. We encourage proposals that engage with cultural heritage, creative resistance, and the evolving role of the arts in local and regional communities, including topics such as intergenerational practice, community-based art-making, artistic labor, and the shifting conditions of creative work in Hawaiʻi, across the Asia-Pacific, and beyond.

Questions to consider may be:

How do we sustain cultural practices over time?

How are artists adapting to changing conditions?

What does cultural heritage looking “in motion,” in Hawaiʻi, and across the region?

How do communities nurture creativity and resist extractive systems?

Research presentation structure:

Presenters have 15 minutes to discuss their work with 15 minutes of Q&A to follow.

Roundtable participation structure:

All symposium participants, community members, and arts patrons will be invited to join. The roundtable will be guided by moderators and guest speakers. This is a space for open conversation, shared problem-solving, and imagining future directions for Hawai‘i’s arts ecosystem.

Proposing a Panel or Roundtable Segment:

If you are interested in leading a discussion or curating a focused topic during the roundtable, you may propose a segment. Please include:

Segment topic or focus

Proposed speaker(s) (yourself and/or others)

Segment length (may not exceed 50 minutes total, including community discussion)

Brief description of the conversation or questions you hope to explore

Note: A core part of APDF’s mission is to foster meaningful cross-cultural exchange by bringing together artists, scholars, and communities whose work emerges from diverse traditions, lineages, and creative contexts.

For this reason, submissions do not need to directly address Asia-Pacific heritage or traditions in order to be considered. While we value work that engages with the symposium’s themes, we recognize that cultural exchange can take many forms. As part of the application, contributors will be asked to respond to a brief supplementary question: Why is attending, presenting, or engaging in exchange at APDF important to your growth and trajectory as a practitioner and/or scholar?

This allows us to welcome a wide range of voices while remaining rooted in APDF’s commitment to fostering cultural dialogue and deeper understanding across regions and communities.

Note: A core part of APDF’s mission is to foster meaningful cross-cultural exchange by bringing together artists, scholars, and communities whose work emerges from diverse traditions, lineages, and creative contexts.

For this reason, submissions do not need to directly address Asia-Pacific heritage or traditions in order to be considered. While we value work that engages with the symposium’s themes, we recognize that cultural exchange can take many forms. As part of the application, contributors will be asked to respond to a brief supplementary question: Why is attending, presenting, or engaging in exchange at APDF important to your growth and trajectory as a practitioner and/or scholar?

This allows us to welcome a wide range of voices while remaining rooted in APDF’s commitment to fostering cultural dialogue and deeper understanding across regions and communities.

How to Submit a Proposal

To submit a proposal, click here or go directly to https://wkf.ms/3La779F.

All submissions must include:

A 100-word bio for each presenter, performer, and/or participant
A 250-word abstract describing the proposed work or presentation
Personal information, including name, contact details, and affiliation

Personal and sensitive information will be kept confidential and used only for the purposes of reviewing submissions and administering APDF programming.

For proposals submitted to the Dance Film & Screen Media Panel or the Choreographers’ Creative Exchange Platform, a video link to the work is required. Video links may be publicly accessible or unlisted, but must not be password protected.

Applicants may submit more than one proposal, provided each proposal is submitted to a different program track. For example, an applicant may submit a dance film to the Dance Film & Screen Media Panel (Track 1) and a separate proposal to the Research Presentations & Community Roundtables (Track 3). Multiple submissions to the same program area will not be considered.

Submission deadline (extended!): February 16, 2026 @ 5PM HST

All details subject to change.

Submit Proposal

Symposium Registration Fees

(subject to change)

In-Person Attendance

Category	Fee
Student	$90
Local Artist (Hawaiʻi-based)	$110
Independent Artist	$160
Faculty / Professional	$240
Community / General Public	$120

Virtual Attendance

Category	Fee
Student	$45
Local Artist	$50
Independent Artist	$65
Faculty / Professional	$95
Community / General Public	$50

Choreographers’ Creative Exchange Platform (Track 2) — Registration Fee

Participation in the Choreographers’ Creative Exchange Platform uses a separate, flat registration rate in place of standard in-person registration. This special rate supports extended facilitation, studio access, rehearsal time, and the multi-phase exchange structure of the platform.

Local / Hawaiʻi-based independent artists: $200
All other participants: $300
- This rate applies to non-Hawaiʻi based artists, independent artists with institutional support, and faculty or professionals (including Hawaiʻi-based faculty).

This fee covers full symposium access for participants into this track and is not an additional charge.

Please note that student applicants are not eligible for participation in this track. Due to the professional development-focused nature of the exchange, this opportunity is intended for non-student practitioners and artists.

FAQs — APDF Symposium 2026

Why are registration fees higher for in-person attendance?

In-person registration fees reflect the true cost of hosting a multi-day symposium in Hawaiʻi, including venue usage, technology, staffing, and refreshments.

What does in-person registration include?

In-person registration includes access to all symposium events, community mixers, and all virtual programming, excluding closed rehearsals or exchange-only sessions.

What does virtual registration include?

Virtual registration includes access to all live Zoom sessions, streamed events, and open virtual mixers. Some in-person-only activities, such as studio exchanges and rehearsals, will not be available virtually.

What is the Choreographers’ Creative Exchange Platform (Track 2), and why is there a higher fee?

The Choreographers’ Creative Exchange Platform is an in-depth professional development opportunity focused on process, research, and peer exchange. The higher registration fee supports extended facilitation, studio access, rehearsal time, and the collaborative exchange structure of the program. You may read more about this unique and exciting program above.

Is financial assistance available?

At this time, financial assistance is not guaranteed and will depend on available resources. We are exploring ways to increase access through community-supported registration options, including “Support a Student” and “Support an Artist” tiers. More information will be shared as it becomes available.

Is there a selection process to be a part of the Choreographers’ Creative Exchange Platform?

Yes. To ensure a meaningful and supportive exchange experience, participation in the Choreographers’ Creative Exchange Platform will be capped at a limited number of artists.

Maximum participants: 10 contributors
Selection will be based on:
- clarity of process and inquiry
- openness to feedback and exchange
- alignment with the platform’s emphasis on unfinished work and research
Not all applicants may be selected due to space and facilitation limits.

Selected participants must commit to attending the symposium in person and participating fully in all scheduled exchange sessions, rehearsals, and showings.

What defines a “local” or “Hawaiʻi-based” artist in order to earn the lower cost rate?

The Local Artist rate is intended for artists and independent cultural practitioners who are primarily based in Hawaiʻi, are not currently affiliated with a university or academic institution, and do not have access to institutional or professional development funding.

This includes individuals who:

live and work in Hawaiʻi
identify Hawaiʻi as their primary place of artistic practice
are not attending with full institutional travel or registration support

This rate is offered on an honor system and is part of APDF’s commitment to supporting Hawaiʻi’s creative communities and sustaining local participation.

Note: Artists who are currently enrolled as students or employed faculty should register under the appropriate Student or Faculty/Professional rate.

What defines a “Community / General Public” member?

The Community / General Public rate is intended for individuals attending the symposium as audience members, supporters, or community participants who are not registering as students, artists, or faculty/professionals. This includes arts supporters, community members, patrons, and members of the public. Community and general public participants are actively encouraged to take part in all community roundtable discussions and open conversations during screenings and sessions throughout the symposium.

Iʻm not sure which registration rate applies to me. What should I do?

When in doubt, you are welcome to contact us for clarification before submitting or registering. We’re happy to help you determine the most appropriate category. Email us at apdf@hawaii.edu for further assistance.

Community-Supported Registration Options

To help broaden access and support participation from students and artists, registrants will have the option to select a community-supported registration tier at checkout.

Support a Student

An optional contribution that helps offset registration costs for student participants.

Support an Artist

An optional contribution that helps offset registration costs for independent or Hawaiʻi-based artists.

Support Access

A general contribution that supports access and participation across the symposium.

Note: These contributions are voluntary and help APDF respond to access needs as funding allows.