Hong Kong Dance Company Reveals 2024/25 Season

Hong Kong Dance Company’s (HKDance) 2024/25 season will open with a large-scale dance poem, After Snowfall, the latest creative endeavour of Mr Yang Yuntao, Artistic Director of HKDance. The title of After Snowfall comes from the famous letters that Wang Xizhi, the Sage of Calligraphy, wrote to his friends. In collaboration with internationally acclaimed violinist Ms Yao Jue and rising Hong Kong new media artist Mr Chris Cheung, HKDance is pleased to present this new multimedia dance programme, connecting us with the Sage’s words across time and space. We celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China with this dance piece rooted in China’s illustrious cultural heritage. Proudly presented by China Merchants Foundation, After Snowfall will be staged from 11 to 14 October 2024 (5 shows) at the Grand Theatre, Xiqu Centre, WestK.

According to programme director and choreographer Yang Yuntao, both dance and calligraphy express inner emotions through the concept of qi, or vital energy. The dancers in this performance have received training in tai chi, allowing their bodies to feel the flow of qi, much in the same way as a calligrapher moving the brush, where abstract ink flows between the lines. Yang says: “We are searching for the physical points of departure emanating from the Sage of Calligraphy’s dashes of ink and elegant lines. Integrating the essence of dance and martial arts with the rhythmic movements of calligraphy, we connect closely to the core of this work—The Inking of Imagery—and bring new perspectives to the aesthetic of the East.”

As the Ink Art Partner for After Snowfall, the charitable organisation UOB Art Academy showcases award-winning artworks from the UOB Art in Ink Awards, with the support of UOB, as part of the multimedia content being featured on stage. In collaboration with Sparkle By Karen Chan, the acclaimed Hong Kong designer brand known for its innovative approach to Chinese fashion, they craft an immersive experience that pays homage to the enduring allure of traditional ink art, transforming the inked elements of the artworks into stunning cheongsam designs, elegantly interpreted by virtuoso violinist Yao Jue.

Yao says: “The combination of Asian calligraphy and Western string music transcends cultural boundaries, expanding our artistic perspectives. When these two different strands collide, sparks will be ignited, and audiences can experience new expressions stemming from the merging of different cultures.”

Stage with Water Droplet Art Installation

Award-winning new media artist Chris Cheung will bring his water droplet art installation to the stage for the first time, using specially designed materials to create a scene that mimics the ebb and flow of tides. Meanwhile, drawing inspiration from a folded piece of paper, set designer Wong Yat-kwan will transform the stage into a snowy landscape, with a pool symbolising an ink stone. The interaction between the dancers’ costumes and the water droplet art installation will leave traces reminiscent of calligraphy. “Innovative arts tech and Chinese ink art meet here in this production. Using motion capture and brainwave techniques, we present new aesthetic concepts for calligraphy, incorporating generative AI to show the dynamism and tranquility of ink and wash.” Cheung notes.

Following the great acclaim for last year’s stage costumes for A Dance of Celestial Rhythms, Korean Costume Designer Min Chunhong is very much looking forward to this dance piece themed around ink wash. He says: “I feel the stage design of this work resembles a piece of rice paper, with the dancers embodying Wang Xizhi, using dots and strokes to depict a beautiful piece of calligraphy. For the costumes, I blend the black ink of traditional Chinese painting with dynamic patterns inspired by contemporary ink works. In addition to using dynamic materials, I incorporate designs that evoke the contours of calligraphic brushstrokes.”

This programme has also been selected as one of the “Expo Programmes” in the inaugural edition of the Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo, allowing art lovers from Hong Kong, the Mainland, and further afield to appreciate the essence of Chinese ink art and dance from a new perspective. Proudly presented by China Merchants Foundation, After Snowfall will be staged from 11 to 14 October 2024 (5 shows) at the Grand Theatre, Xiqu Centre, WestK.

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