Shen Wei Dance Arts: Re-Triptych, Edinburgh
Chinese choreographer Shen Wei is based in New York but he still derives inspiration from his Asian background, and in this three-part work he charts a very personal voyage through the spiritual, geographical and cultural resonances of the area. Re- (I) draws on the landscape of the Tibetan plateau, using traditional chants as its score, and with dancers moving across a circular stage pattern that suggests large horizons and the changing forces of nature. Re- (II) is inspired by a period that Shen Wei spent in Cambodia, the choreography evoking its landscape of temples and jungles, the soundtrack mixing his own recordings of Cambodian life with music with John Tavener's score Tears Of The Angels. Finally, Re- (III) fast-forwards to 21st-century China, the frenetic energy of the dancers and David Lang's electronic soundscape suggestive of the accelerating fusion of Chinese culture, technology and ideas. Lighting is by the excellent Jennifer Tipton.
Edinburgh Playhouse, Thu to 3 Sep
Touch Wood, London
Dance is stripped back to the bare minumum ? a stage, simple lighting and raw inspiration ? in this season. A range of choreographers working in different styles have been invited to present works that are still in progress, allowing audiences to glimpse creative developments usually hidden away in the studio. Each show samples a quartet of works, with this week's lineup including pieces by the Caribbean-inspired Shelly Maxwell, Manchester-based Company Chameleon, and choreographic duo Zoi Dimitriou & Henrietta Hale. Also featured on Thursday is Animal Lost, a work by Oded Graf and Yossi Berg (former dancer with DV8, Batsheva and others). Starting from the question of how individuals try to define themselves, this comic, political work looks at social stereotyping and mutual misunderstandings, anatomising both the fantasy and the reality of how we present our faces to the world.
The Place, Thu to 16 Sep
Ea Sola: Drought And Rain, Edinburgh
French-Vietnamese choreographer Ea Sola first created this meditation on war and imperialism in 1995, using a language of hypnotic grace and raw physicality to evoke the history of Vietnam in the second half of the 20th century. Revised this year, Drought And Rain features a group of now-elderly women from north Vietnam, who used to sing to comfort soldiers on the frontline. Music is composed by Nguyen Xuan Son and Ea Sola, who also directs the video installations.
King's Theatre, Thu to 3 Sep
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2011/aug/27/shen-wei-dance-arts-retriptych
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