Hong Kong Dance Company and West Kowloon Cultural District Co-present
Yang Yuntao’s Convergence｜ Helen Lai’s HerStory
Two Award-winning Dance Pieces
To be Staged at Freespace in December for Two Consecutive Weeks
Concept and Choreographer: Yang Yuntao
Chinese Dance ✕ Martial Arts Convergence – Infinity of Movement and Stillness
Led by Hong Kong Dance Company’s Artistic Director, Yang Yuntao, Convergence is a culminating work created through an interdisciplinary research study on both Chinese dance and Chinese martial arts traditions. Yang and several dancers have studied with the masters of many Southern Chinese martial art styles for three years. After taking much time to investigate, contemplate, and consolidate their learning of both martial arts spirit and routines, the team of researchers were able to find a new body language, and discover the landscape beyond.
“This study has led us to break away from our past; to chart new courses, and to remould ourselves. Formed by the confluence of our external body movements and internal consciousness, we thus experience changes to our physical condition and thus further our cause in pursuit and to experience the 'truth' and 'beauty' that lies within the performing,” Yang shared.
Convergence was first broadcast online in 2020 due to the pandemic, and was awarded the Hong Kong Dance Award for Outstanding Online Production in 2022. This December, co-presented with West Kowloon Cultural District, Convergence is finally going to debut LIVE in Hong Kong. Don’t miss it!
A Masterpiece by Helen Lai
Contemporary Dance Theatre HerStory – Unravelling esoteric writings by, of, and about women
HerStory is a contemporary extension of Nüshu (women’s script), the ancient written language developed and used exclusively by women in Jiangyong county, Hunan province, which has a four-hundred-year history.
Winner of two awards at the 2008 Hong Kong Dance Awards, HerStory is the finale of Women’s Trilogy series created by internationally renowned Hong Kong choreographer Helen Lai. By weaving in the writings of two female authors from Hong Kong, Xi Xi and Wong Bik-wan, along with dance, music and imagery, Lai is joining hands with Hong Kong Dance Company to re-stage HerStory in this December. Drawing on personal and collective memories, it explores women’s role in history and literature through a blend of Chinese and western practices of dance, music and imagery, and presents a powerful depiction of female identity.
Hong Kong Dance Company collaborates again with Helen Lai after the great success of restaging Nine Songs in 2021. Co-presented with West Kowloon Cultural District, the Company will reprise this contemporary dance theatre classic HerStory in December.
Convergence will make its live debut in Hong Kong at The Box, Freespace, West Kowloon Cultural District from 8 to 10 December 2023; followed by HerStory from 15 to 17 December. Tickets available now on art-mate and damai. An exclusive package discount of 15% off is offered on art-mate with limited quantities while stocks last.
8-9 December 2023 (Fri-Sat) 7:45pm
9-10 December 2023 (Sat-Sun) 3:00pm
The Box, Freespace, West Kowloon Cultural District
【Address: 18 Museum Drive, West Kowloon Cultural District, Hong Kong】
Ticket Price: $350
15-16 December 2023 (Fri-Sat) 7:45pm
16-17 December 2023 (Sat-Sun) 3:00pm
The Box, Freespace, West Kowloon Cultural District
【Address: 18 Museum Drive, West Kowloon Cultural District, Hong Kong】
Ticket Price: $380
Co-presented by Hong Kong Dance Company and West Kowloon Cultural District
Tickets now available at art-mate and damai
Online Purchase www.art-mate.net | www.damai.cn
Programme Enquiries 3103 1888｜www.hkdance.com
Ticket Discounts and Package Offer (only available at art-mate)
● 15% discount on single-transaction purchases for two or more standard tickets per programme for both "Convergence" and "HerStory". The discount cannot be used in conjunction with other pormotions and is available on a first come, first served basis.
● 50% discount for full-time students, citizens aged 60 and above, people with disabilities and a companion, wheelchair users and a companion, and CSSA recipients. (limited quota)
● Members of Friends of HKDance enjoy up to 20% discount (limited quota)
● For more details, please refer to HKDance official website
Programme duration of "Convergence" is about 1 hour and 10 minutes without intermission.
Programme duration of "HerStory" is about 1 hour and 20 minutes without intermission.
Suitable for ages 6 or above.
The organiser reserves the rights to change programmes details and substitute artists.
Programme Exhibition
Period: 30 October – 13 November 2023
Venue: E2, Exhibition Area, Foyer, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
Address: 10 SalisburyRoad, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Concept and Choreographer: Yang Yuntao
Artistic Coordinator: Yang Yuntao
Artistic Coordinator: Carolyn Yip
Choreographer: Helen Lai
Music Director and Composer: Paul Yip
Set Designer and Image Consultant: Charfi Hung
Set Designer: Lee Chi-wai
Lighting Designer: Yeung Tsz-yan
Digital Image Designer: Oliver Shing
Sound Designer: Liang Tin-ning
Lighting Designer: Gabriel Fung Kwok-kee
Sound Designer: Wan San-hong
Co-Choreographers and Dancers:
Ho Ho-fei, Liu Wai-yee, Ong Tze Shen,
Chou Jo-yun, Huang Haiyun, Lee Chia-ming,
Ng Ka-ling, Tai Chon-u, Zhan Qian
Choreographers’ Biographies
Yang Yuntao｜Concept and Choreographer of Convergence
Graduated from the Dance Faculty of Minzu University of China, Yang Yuntao is an accomplished dancer and choreographer. He joined the Hong Kong Dance Company (HKDance) in 2002 as Principal Dancer and became the Company's Assistant Artistic Director from 2007. He has been its Artistic Director since November 2013.
Yang has choreographed for numerous dance companies. His award-winning choreography for HKDance includes: Spring Ritual·Eulogy, winner of Outstanding Achievement in Production at the Hong Kong Dance Awards 2013 and presented in Beijing and Taipei in 2013; The Legend of Mulan, winner of Outstanding Production and Outstanding Ensemble Performance at the 2014 Hong Kong Dance Awards and presented in New York, Sydney, London and Minsk in 2015, 2017 and 2019 respectively; Storm Clouds, winner of three awards including Outstanding Achievement in Production at the 2015 Hong Kong Dance Awards; The Butterfly Lovers, presented in Seoul in 2016; L’Amour Immortel, winner of three awards at the 2016 Hong Kong Dance Awards, presented in Beijing and Guangzhou in 2017, in Taipei in 2018 and in Shanghai and Hangzhou in 2019; Waiting Heart, winner of Outstanding Medium Venue Production at the 2019 Hong Kong Dance Award; and Convergence, winner of Outstanding Online Production at the 2022 Hong Kong Dance Award.
Other works for HKDance include Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Voices and Dances of the Distant Land, Blanc in Reveries of the Red Chamber, Chinese Hero: A Lone Exile, In the Beginning in Vipassana, Lady White of West Lake, Dance of Strings, Shan Shui: An Ode to Nature and Nezha: Untold Solitude. Yang has also spearheaded a three-year interdisciplinary research study on Chinese dance and Chinese martial arts traditions.
Yang has won Hong Kong Dance Awards in 2003 and 2006 for his outstanding dance performance, and the Best Artist (Dance) at the Hong Kong Arts Development Awards 2009. In 2023, Yang has been awarded the Medal of Honour by the Chief Executive of the Government of HKSAR in recognition of his contributions to the dance sector, years of devotion in creating and promoting Chinese dance and nurturing dance talents.
Helen Lai｜Choreographer of HerStory
One of Hong Kong’s foremost choreographers, Helen Lai’s work has been featured at Hong Kong City Hall in 1977 and 1978. Lai joined City Contemporary Dance Company in 1979, and was Artistic Director from 1985 to 1989 and Resident Choreographer from 1991 to 2011.
Lai has also choreographed for Hong Kong Dance Company, Hong Kong Repertory Theatre and Hong Kong Ballet, as well as overseas companies including Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, Guangdong Modern Dance Company and Singapore Dance Theatre. Her major works include Nine Songs, The Rite of Spring, Plaza X, HerStory, Testimony and The Comedy of K.
An eight-time winner of the Hong Kong Dance Awards for her choreographic works, Lai was the recipient of numerous awards including Choreographer of the Year from the Hong Kong Artists’ Guild (1990), Distinguished Achievement Award from the Hong Kong Dance Alliance (2002), the Award for Arts Achievement (Dance, 2003), an Outstanding Contribution in Arts award (2015) from the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, and an Honorary Fellowship (2004) and an Honorary Doctorate (2021) from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.
