Ticket code sent via text message starting with【SMG LIVE】
👉 Each Attendee Requires a Ticket
👉 No Cancellation

---

Dance Out of the Box China Contemporary Dance Biennale

Talking Body

A new work by WANG Jianhui, former dancer of Dutch Dance Theater, and dancer of Israeli Batsheva Dance Company

Male choreographer and female dancers collaborate together

Five female dancers declare their subjectivity with their bodies

 

SHU Yaohui, former dancer of Xiexin Dance Theatre

A modern dance version of “The Truman Show”

 

SYNOPSIS:

If one's body caught in the infinite unknown could be compared with a boat in the ocean—at the helm, where should we lead and direct our bodies?

The body is a vessel or vehicle that sustains the establishment and expression of our beliefs, connecting the energy of the inner self with that found in the external world, witnessing breakthroughs as we arrive at new shores beyond.

The hustle and bustle of the city increasingly compresses our personal spaces. But the body, as much as the soul, needs to be taken care of at all fronts. For the upcoming Talking Body performance, we have invited WANG Jianhui from Nederlands Dans Theater and independent performer SHU Yaohui to stage two distinct choreographed pieces, to follow the lead of the body, and to explore the multi-faceted self.

 

Truth by SHU Yaohui

How real or virtual is the world in which we reside? Do we create our own life, or is it readily predetermined by destiny?

In a life that is at once graduated yet fleeting, there are too many things that we treasure, and too many things we have to let go. Instead of insisting on the dichotomy between the real and the dreamlike, perhaps it is more meaningful to go beyond the question and to feel, to grasp each present moment.

 

Chasms by WANG Jianhui

Found beyond the precipice of the human mind are chasms. Fissures and cracks make the ascending journey hazardous, precipitating confusion, fear and falls. Where do they come from? Why do they exist? When humans are caught in danger, how do they find the courage to fight the abyss, and to secure soothing, illuminating lights? What is within the abyss? Trauma, pain, cure and power, perhaps. Falling from high above, helplessly hitting the ground—then get up and get yourself together before rushing towards the cliff again. Beyond the cliff is freedom, and the only way in which one may learn to fly is to go out. Fears, repressions, depravations, restrictions and desires—let it all out.

 

A story about chasms told by a male choreographer and female performers，Female dancers contribute their voices and bodies, and the choreographer's role is to offer catalysts. The distance between men and women, and that between eyes and bodies, produces novel, uncanny experiences.

 

He can see their reluctance. He is curious: what makes them hesitant? He feels that there is a remarkable energy within their bodies, but where does it come from? Why suppress, lurk, detour—why is there no means for it to explode and erupt? A man cannot be a woman; but a man opens his eyes and try to investigate. What is the past, the present and the future for dancing women? He enters their worlds, and through descriptions of gestures accounts for bodily histories, surges of emotions and the true self. In this choreographed piece, women make deep, solemn voices, pronouncing their subjectivity; in the nethermost region of human emotions, they—only as their true self—courageously confront existential crises, clinging tightly onto the sharp edges of the chasm, fighting for one's freedom to be a subject.

 

Choreographer：

 

WANG Jianhui

WANG Jianhui was born in Meizhou, China in 1990. He began his classic ballet training at Guangzhou Art School in Guangzhou from 2000 - 2006. After graduation, he started dancing at Guangzhou Modern Dance Company from 2006 - 2007. Between 2007 and 2009, he was a freelance dancer and participated in various projects in China. Between 2009 - 2010 He danced at Bern Ballet, Switzerland, 2010 - 2013 He danced at Netherlands Dance Theatre 2 and Joined Netherlands Dance Theatre 1 from 2013 - 2023. He joined Batsheva Dance Company from 2023 - present.

 

SHU Yaohui

In 2017, SHU participated in the opening ceremony of the National Student Sports Games with his work “The Dragon of the Bench" and won the first prize in dance at the National Vocational Skills Competition. In 2017, as a leading dancer, he participated in the group dance "Red Boat" and won the first prize at the Zhejiang Provincial Students Art Festival, as well as the Zhejiang Provincial Music and Dance Festival Golden Award and Top Ten Works of Jiangnan Dance Competition in Zhejiang Province (the highest award). In 2017, as a leading dancer, he participated in the group dance "Dinghai Blood Wall" and won the second prize at the Zhejiang Provincial Students Art Festival, Silver Award of Zhejiang Provincial Music and Dance Festival, and Top Ten Works of Jiangnan Dance Competition in Zhejiang Province (the highest award). In 2017, he represented China to attend the 25th anniversary ceremony of establishing diplomatic relations with Georgia. In 2017, he created a solo dance "for freedom" and won the first prize in the Xinmiao Cup competition of the school. In 2018, he participated in the dance drama "Dayu" which won the Lotus Award for Dance Drama. In January 2018, he performed the character of the judge in the large-scale dance drama "The Peony Pavilion". In March 2018, he joined Guangdong Modern Dance Company to participate in the work "Xumi Jiezi". In 2019, he participated in the dance dramas "Micro Space" and "Looking for Friends". From 2019 to 2021, he was a member of Xiexin Dance Theatre, participating in works such as "From In", "Reflection", "Unknown", "Harmonic Series", and "Entropy". In 2021, he participated in an immersive unconscious work "Yinshi Talk"; In December 2020, he participated in Xu Xiaowei's directorial work "Growth". The film is a short film invited by Chen Yujun's personal exhibition.

 

CREATIVE TEAM

Producer: DUAN Jingting

Presented by: D.LAB DANCE

Choreographer: WANG Jianhui,SHU Yaohui

Dramaturge: WU Zhiwei

Chasms Dancers: WEI Qin, TANG Tingting, FAN Xuan, LI Yu, XIN Dijia,

Truth dancer：SHU Yaohui, YE Qinzeng, XU Zhixiang

Stage Director: LU Zhiwei

Composer: WANG Changcun

Lighting Design: LIU Yilan

Costume Design: CHEN Danqi

 

Dance Out of The Box China Contemporary Dance Biennale

Dance Out of The Box China Contemporary Dance Biennale is a regular showcase of contemporary dance works by domestic young choreographers. The event aims to provide a platform for domestic contemporary dance choreographers to display their works and promote the cutting-edge contemporary dance from China to the world. Following the tradition, the theater will officially present the 2023 Dance Out of The Box China Contemporary Dance Biennale from August 18th to 27th.

The event, initiated and hosted by Shanghai International Dance Center Theater, consists of three main sections: dance performances, workshops, and showcases, bringing together domestic young choreographers, inspiring their passion for creation, and exposing Chinese contemporary dance to the global stage. Starting from August 18th, four dance works will meet with the audience, including Shoulder Hug. Dance. Hug Shoulder, Flexitarian, Talking Body, and Silent Flight. Additionally, workshops and outdoor short performances will be open to the public for free.

 

Dance Out of The Box

Dance Out of The Box is an artistic brand specially created by Shanghai International Dance Center Theater, aiming to aspire the creativity of young artists and break conventional boundaries through dance. Under this brand, there are two major festival events: Dance Out of The Box Festival, which introduces cutting-edge international dance works, and Dance Out of The Box China Contemporary Dance Biennale, which focuses on works by domestic young choreographers.

The two events are held alternately every year, with one bringing in international masterpieces and the other showcasing domestic works. Through these events, Shanghai International Dance Center Theater continues to build an artistic platform that encourages innovation and crossover integration, explores diverse spaces for the expression of contemporary dance art and propels artists' creativity and achievements towards new horizons.

 

D.LAB DANCE

D.LAB DANCE is a premier art institution in Shanghai that specializes in theater performance and dance training. Founded in 2014, D.LAB has curated rich experiences and developed great local reputation as a platform that integrates theater production and dance training, as well as commercial cooperation with multiple brands.

With her background as a multi-award winning ballerina and an elite contemporary dancer, the founder, DUAN Jingting has taken an unconventional approach in her design of D.LAB's dance training program. With a primary focus on ballet and contemporary dance, we also supplement the curriculum with Chinese classical dance. Because of our unique focus on these selective dance styles, along with highly experienced instructors, our program has received remarkable feedback from our members since it was launched in March 2014.

Our dance classes are designed to engage students in a fun and encouraging environment that gradually develops their artistry and technical proficiency. We created a training methodology with a dynamic dance vocabulary that allows students to rapidly improve by exploring expressive and theatrical movements.

For adults and children of all levels, professional or amateur, we offer systematically designed dance classes led by a faculty of the most sought-after dancers in Shanghai. We are dedicated to the highest level of instruction and service by providing constant training to our faculty members. Apart from the regular curriculum, we also provide a variety of master classes and workshops led by world-class dancers and choreographers from home and abroad, in order to bring the art of dance to a larger community and to facilitate cultural exchange in the industry.

 

NOTICE

1. Tickets purchasing: Please collect your e-tickets and pick tickets at site.
2. Ticket claim: Please get your tickets before the performance date or 90 minutes before the performance and follow our staff’s guidance to keep social distance.
3. Entering time: The audience can start to enter the auditorium 60 minutes before the performance starts.
4. Validation: Temperature checks are required when entering , please keep your mask on during your time in the theater.
5. Please double check the time, prize, seat information on the tickets as there is no refund or change available after the tickets are sold.