Taiwanese sword dancer Titos Tsai (蔡宏毅) has finished his journey on La France a un Incroyable Talent, the French edition of the Got Talent global reality television series, as runner-up.
The French public on Friday last week voted the Taiwanese performer into second place in the talent show’s 18th season.
The contest this year consisted of four stages, Tsai told Central News Agency in an interview via telephone the following day.
Photo: CNA
“In the first three stages, I performed the very best bits of my most popular acts over the past decade, but the performance I put on in the final round was brand new,” he said. “I had to choreograph a new routine and craft brand new elements — flying swords and a dragon slayer — in 20 days.”
“The sword and the flames are my wings,” Tsai said. “They kindled the fire of my passionate soul.”
His performance in the finals was perfect, he said.
“I allowed the world to see Taiwan,” he added.
As one of Taiwan’s most prominent faces in the international fire and sword dance scene, Tsai impressed France’s Got Talent judges during the finals by wielding a 3m-long dragon slayer with a blade engulfed in flames.
Tsai also included Taiwanese elements in his stage design, including four drums played by Taiwanese performers.
“I enjoyed performing at temples in Taiwan and drums have been a crucial part of Taiwan’s temple parade culture,” Tsai said.
Tsai incorporated the 12kg blade into the dance, which he said symbolized a flaming phoenix rising from the ashes.
Tsai also gave a special mention for judge Eric Antoine, who he said had taken it upon himself to promote Taiwan during the show.
Tsai, who is in his mid-20s, debuted his sword dance performances online in 2020, with his video having been viewed about 100 million times.
“The doors were opening” at that time, they closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.
It was not until January that he had a chance to perform on the international stage, he said, referring to his show at the 42nd Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain (World Festival of the Circus of Tomorrow), where he took home a bronze medal and the Prix Cirque du Soleil trophy.
Tsai also featured in this year’s America’s Got Talent, where he wowed judges Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, Sofia Vergara and Howie Mandel, as well as show host Terry Crews with his fluid movements in an audition featuring three swords.
Asked by Cowell what his dream was, Tsai replied in English: “My dream is very simple, very simple. My dream is just to stand here. Standing here is my dream.”
While Tsai received four resounding “yes” votes from the judges, he was not selected during the deliberation stage, so did not progress to the live show segment.
However, that did not discourage Tsai from continuing to pursue his Got Talent dream and he took second place in France behind French dance troupe Mega Unity.
“French people, compared with those in other countries, were able to notice the nuance and creative process of my performances,” Tsai said. “My Rising Phoenix routine was created to thank the people of France for giving me a pair of wings that allowed me to cross oceans and show people who I am.”
Tsai said he was aware that many of his votes were from Taiwanese expats, whom he thanked for their support.
“I wasn’t alone in France,” he said. “When I was on stage, I could feel the support of 23 million people. Taiwan is a place where people can dream.”
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