Châu Kim-Sanh Brings BLEU NEON to MAI

In a distant, fictional Vietnam, the echoes of pop music on cassette tape reverberate against the sounds of modern Vietnamese rap. Châu Kim-Sanh inhabits this space, metamorphosing through bodily states generated by the presence of coloured neon lights. Of this evening blue erupts a purpleness: "ba??u tra??i màu tím xa??m" - an uncertain translation. Eyes closed, the neon haze returns her to the sensation of her ancestral land. Saigon, like many cities in South Asia, is flushed with these vivid lights. Here, embodied memory and the imaginary take a ride on a Honda Dream II motorcycle, across a humid sky whose wetness whips the face.

This solo is performed in its entirety from the squat position - a typically Asian posture. Audio recordings bespeckle the choreography, navigating between fantasized nostalgia, loss of language and sexual objectification - all three widely experienced by Asian diasporic populations. In Southeast Asia, rap culture is increasingly popular - giving a voice to a population marked by silence. Rap here is a prayer.

All BLEU NÉON performances are relaxed performances. There is a more relaxed attitude to noise and movement within the theatre during the performance. The reception, soundscape and visual atmosphere are adapted to create a calm and inclusive environment. Additional support tools are also made available to the audience, such as a detailed show guide, visual stories, familiarization visits, etc. Relaxed performances (RP) are open to all, and may specifically address the needs of people who identify with a sensory or intellectual disability, a neurological or learning disability, people who experience anxiety, people with newborns or anyone who is uncomfortable with the conventions of a traditional theatre environment.

For more information visit: m-a-i.qc.ca/en/public-plus/relaxed-performances/

Châu Kim-Sanh is a Vietnamese-French contemporary dance artist, based inTio'tia:ke Montreal. Her practice comprises choreographic installation and video making - interested by the emergence of imaginary landscapes through the body - distilled from far away dreams, imaginary memories and psychotropic reminiscences.

Her creations have been presented locally at l'Arsenal, Tangente, MAI, Accès Asie; as well as internationally at SIDance (Korea) and Krossing-Over (Vietnam), among others. Châu is Artistic and General Co-director at Studio 303 and an associated artist at Equivoc'. She graduated in Dance (master, UQAM), finance (master, ASB Denmark / Harvard USA) and international business (bachelor, ACU Australia).

kimsanhchau.com BOX OFFICE? www.m-a-i.qc.ca/en/boxoffice 514 982-3386 Founded in 1999, MAI (Montréal, arts interculturels) is a non-profit organization that supports the development, creation, presentation and promotion of intercultural arts for a variety of audiences. MAI's programming promotes hybrid and innovative practices in dance, theatre, visual arts, speech arts, performance, music and interdisciplinary arts, while building bridges between artists and local communities through its Public + program. Photo Credits: Kinga Michalska

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