Background and objectives

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Cha Duk Chang Children's Cantonese Opera Association Ltd (CDC) is a charity set up in 2002 under Societies Ordinance and registered under Companies Ordinance in 2011. While Cantonese Opera originates in Foshan, Children’s Cantonese Opera originates in Hong Kong from CDC in 1998. Idea of Children’s Cantonese Opera has been brought forward to Foshan, Shenzhen, Dongguan, Zhaoqing, Shunde, Beijing and Malaysia.

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CDC is the only Children’s Cantonese Opera Company in Hong Kong insisting on new scripts for the Children and on the Children over the years. We use children's daily life as topic, children's dialogue as language to write our own scripts so they don’t need to act like adults and can present their own selves on the stage. Children can learn Cantonese Opera and Chinese Culture in an easier way.

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CDC’s work is now under inspection and research by Mr. Liang Guo-Cheng, Expert Member of the Foshan Intangible Cultural Heritage Preservation Office. Mr. Liang comments in 2011, “Cha Duk Chang” is indeed a Spirit-Building Cultural Project for the Mankind. "

 

Our Slogan:

Cantonese Opera as a Tool, Stage as Classroom.

 

Our Objectives:

(I)   "Theatre in Education”

a)   Traditional Art-form – We promote Children's Cantonese Opera on the stage, and inside classrooms

b)   Subject Knowledge – We introduce scripts of Cantonese Opera as teaching materials to class subjects like Chinese, P.E., Art, and Music, etc.

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(II)  “Education in Theatre"

c)   Character Development –Stage work develops children’s self-confidence, endurance, self-expression and sense of teamwork. We teach Chinese culture, ethical and moral concepts through our stories.

d)   Chinese Culture – to get children closer to Chinese Culture through vivid participation.