HONG KONG Arts Festival is celebrating 10 years of Hong Kong Jockey Club Contemporary Dance Series (CDS). Dancers, choreographers, musicians and theater directors from Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland and beyond will come together to present five provocative works in March 2021. What began as a project to support local talent has evolved into a showcase of the diversity and vitality of the contemporary dance scene in Hong Kong and the fruits of cross-border collaborations.

“We are delighted to witness the development of a platform which offers opportunities to dancers and choreographers from various backgrounds to express their talents,” says So Kwok-wan, HKAF’s associate program director. One of the festival highlights, “Dance On and Off,” is a reunion of HKAF’s CDS protegees such as Victor Fung, Chloe Wong and Ivy Tsui who have since come into their own and gained wider recognition.

So says the CDS program was begun to encourage and support dancers and choreographers in Hong Kong, especially freelance artists. Over the past decade, So and his colleagues have taken care of the administration and technical arrangements of the project, as well as collaborated with freelance performers in developing productions and marketing strategies. “We expect to present what contemporary dance is and what the attractions of this genre are,” says So.

The HKAF team sees CDS as a platform which connects artists not only from across geographical and cultural backgrounds, but also different creative disciplines. “Every year when we interview applicants for CDS, what we care about is their passion, artistic vision as well as open-mindedness and ability to think outside the box.” So believes the discussion and collaboration between dancers, musicians and theater artists help bring fresh ideas to the table and improve the creative atmosphere.

Choreographer Tracy Wong, who has been a part of the CDS program since 2014, a year after she graduated from Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, says, “Young artists of the CDS program are encouraged to have new ideas. We had the opportunity to translate an idea into reality.”

“Pardon and Mapping,” a two-piece duet by Wong and her partner Mao Wei and developed as part of CDS, was well received at home and has traveled to Japan, South Korea, Spain and Germany. Getting to watch the seed of her concept germinate and spread out its branches beyond Hong Kong is a great feeling, Wong says.

Two of the five works in CDS’ 10th Year Anniversary Series, “Finding Meaning in an Uncertain World” and “Mokita/Voice Out” are going to be in-venue performances, while “Dance On and Off,” “Elephant in the Room/Dirty” and “Put Out the Flame/Hermetic Diode” will be streamed online.

HKAF has been trying to actively explore the potential of online performances in the wake of pandemic-related restrictions on cultural venues, looking to “turn crisis into opportunities,” according to So.

Going online has caused artists to work closely with cameramen and video editors, fully consider on- and off-stage arrangements, and try to introduce cinematic elements to live performance.

“The most significant thing is whether our videos and online programs are well recognized by viewers.” says So, who feels it might take a while to strike a fine balance between art and business in online streaming. “We will keep moving forward.” he says. “Every ending is a new beginning.”

For online shows and more information, please visit www.hk.artsfestival.org.

(China Daily)