The dance festival here has been over for a couple of weeks, and other things are happening across the town, but going back to it one more time, ozarts online has coverage of Brisbane’s Expressions Dance Company performance at the fest of Virtually Richard3.
I know I didn’t have many kind words to say about the works I saw at the festival, and having seen Phillip Adams’ new work at CCDC in Hong Kong last weekend, I feel pretty much vindicated in being ruthless. There are great choreographers in China, just like in Australia, only they are very few, and for the most part festivals aren’t where you see the most avante garde of their works.
Nonetheless, there’s one person who deserves to be mentioned amidst all my anti-dance bile-spewing. Willy Tsao is the Artistic Director of CCDC. He’s also the general manager of Guangdong Modern Dance Company, and the Artistic Director of the Beijing Modern Dance Company. Aside from all that, he has his hands in myriad other contemporary dance stuff, and pretty much single-handedly is dragging contemporary dance in China and Hong Kong into the spotlight. He’s also responsible for the festival. So that makes him one far-out cool guy.
There was standing room only as Expressions Dance Company performed in Guangzhou (China) as part of the 2nd Guandong Modern Dance Festival. Virtually Richard3 was greeted with thunderous applause from the audience, which had been on the edge of their seat for the whole show. The Company also performed Virtually Richard3 at the Macau Cultural Centre during this tour.
Expressions’ Artistic Director Maggi Sietsma was acclaimed for her distinct style of dance theatre. Virtually Richard3 proved to be different from anything previously seen in the region with its unique blend of theatricality and explosive movement.
The Guandong Modern Dance Festival is the only festival of its type in China attracting world class and local dance groups alike. Under the artistic direction of Willy Tsao, this year’s festival featured Romeo and Juliet by famous French company Ballet Preljocaj, and performances by Expressions, the Beijing Modern Dance Company, City Contemporary Dance Company (CCDC) from Hong Kong, Guangzhou Modern Dance Company and Taiwan’s Ku and Dancers.
Expressions Dance Company’s Virtually Richard3 a hit in China
There was standing room only as Expressions Dance Company performed in Guangzhou (China) as part of the 2nd Guandong Modern Dance Festival.
There was standing room only as Expressions Dance Company performed in Guangzhou (China) as part of the 2nd Guandong Modern Dance Festival. Virtually Richard3 was greeted with thunderous applause from the audience, which had been on the edge of their seat for the whole show. The Company also performed Virtually Richard3 at the Macau Cultural Centre during this tour.
Expressions’ Artistic Director Maggi Sietsma was acclaimed for her distinct style of dance theatre. Virtually Richard3 proved to be different from anything previously seen in the region with its unique blend of theatricality and explosive movement.
The Guandong Modern Dance Festival is the only festival of its type in China attracting world class and local dance groups alike. Under the artistic direction of Willy Tsao, this year’s festival featured Romeo and Juliet by famous French company Ballet Preljocaj, and performances by Expressions, the Beijing Modern Dance Company, City Contemporary Dance Company (CCDC) from Hong Kong, Guangzhou Modern Dance Company and Taiwan’s Ku and Dancers
More than 20 small dance groups from 13 provinces in China attended the festival, some of whom participated in the workshops, open rehearsal and forum conducted by Expressions Dance Company. The Guandong Modern Dance Festival is essential and fundamental to the development of dance in China and Expressions was proud to be involved.
Expressions is a flagship company for Australian contemporary dance in Asia. Since 1998 Expressions has performed in Taipei, Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul, Singapore, Macau and Guangzhou. The Company has also collaborated with Hong Kong’s City Contemporary Dance Company on three separate occasions during the same period.
As one of Queensland’s unique performing arts exports, Expressions Dance Company has earned its international reputation for excellence and originality. Now in its 20th year, Expressions’ works have been performed throughout the world in 16 countries spread over 6 continents.
Expressions has now returned to Brisbane to focus on its next season Rites of Spring, to be performed at the Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts in Brisbane. Rites of Spring will take the audience on a journey back to the future: from pounding tribal beats, to the celebration of birthdays and young romance, to the horrors of conscription and human sacrifice. This thrilling dance theatre work explores the lighter and sometimes shadowy side of ancient and modern ritual.
