Shatter the silence of social mores
Out of the shadows, into the light
How do social norms prevent communication? Dance artists from Hong Kong and mainland China seek an answer in this playful, incisive double bill. Elephant in the Room (2019 CDS) is an ensemble portrait of the masks we wear to shield entirely visible but inconvenient truths, devised by amateur and professional dancers in collaboration with Beijing-based choreographer Chang Xiaoni. The work’s themes of confronting silence and alienation will inevitably be heightened in this version, revised under the isolating impact of a global pandemic. Dirty is a brand-new collaborative creation by dancers Dever Chan (Hong Kong) and Gong Zhonghui (Guizhou) developed online collaboration. Inspired by the clash of values inherent in the Putonghua word deti (proper) and its English phonetic equivalent “dirty”, the two creators explore societal restrictions on the body while invoking the wild, animalistic origins of movement.
Approx. 1 hr 15 mins incl one interval
Commissioned and produced by HKAF
Elephant in the Room *
Choreography
Chang Xiaoni (Beijing)
Creation & Performance
Anson Chan、Kerry Cheung ^, Kenny Leung, Michael Tong, Carmen Yu
Dirty #
Creation & Performance
Dever Chan, Gong Zhonghui (Guizhou)
Lighting Design
Zoe Cheung
Sound Design
Jaycee Kwok
^# With kind permission of Unlock Dancing Plaza
* Premiered in the 8th CDS at the 47th HKAF in 2019
Meet-the-Artist (Post-performance)
Date: 12 Mar 2021 (Fri)
Venue: Studio Theatre, HK Cultural Centre
In Cantonese
Free and open to all ticket holders