Shen Wei dance arts at the 6th Theater Olympics in Beijing
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E-mail CNTV, November 6, 2014
The world converged in Beijing for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. And now the Chinese capital has the honor to host yet another Olympic event. On Tuesday, the 6th Theater Olympics saw Chinese American artist Shen Wei return to the Beijing stage, after his memorable calligraphy dance at the opening of the Beijing Olympics.
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The performance gives a taste of the highlights of Shen Wei's notable choreagraphy, including "Unfolding" commissioned by the Guangdong Modern Dance Company in 2000. |
Unlike any performance you have seen, the dance has started well before most the of the audience have arrived.
The performance gives a taste of the highlights of Shen Wei's notable choreography, including Unfolding, commissioned by the Guangdong Modern Dance Company in 2000.
What sets Shen Wei's work apart from others is that for him, movement is initiated by the chi or breath, a principle influenced by his upbringing immersed in traditional Chinese culture.
"The breath, it would be the foundation of 'folding.' I also think that between life and death, it's just a breath. Also internally, the breath allows you to feel the humanity of how we live. How the human creature expresses without words. The breath would be one of the deeper emotions when you see a movement," he said.
Hailed as one of the great artists of our time, Shen was born in China's Hu'nan province. He is a choreographer, director, dancer, calligrapher, painter, designer, and Chinese opera singer. In 1991, he became a founding member of the Guangdong Modern Dance Company, the first modern dance company in China. But his love for modern dance soon drove him to study the art in the US and eventually found his own company, Shen Wei Dance Arts. His company, much like the artist himself, is a fusion of Eastern and Western aesthetics and philosophies.
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The performance gives a taste of the highlights of Shen Wei's notable choreagraphy, including "Unfolding" commissioned by the Guangdong Modern Dance Company in 2000. |
"I do feel as I have experienced and studied over many years and experimented as an artist, as a human being. I really understand both sides of the culture. How they developed in different directions and as a human being, I do agree with the sensibilities provided by both cultures," he said.
"It's terrific. It combines the best of both worlds. It's very lyrical, but at the same time very cutting-edge. It draws the audience in," said an audience member.
"Shen Wei is an artist who grew up in China but who came to the fore in his field overseas. So I think it's probably more imperative that we seriously question our current education system, and not just the value of one particular work. If Shen Wei's work were still being done within the confines of our current system, I think regardless of how big a master he is, it wouldn't work," said another viewer.
Shen Wei Dance Arts is part of the 2014 Theater Olympics. Since 1995, the Theater Olympics has been held five times, in Greece, Japan, Russia, Turkey and South Korea. While China has had a strong presence in previous Theater Olympics, it won the right to host the 6th edition in 2012. This year, 45 theater pieces from home and abroad will be staged at theaters across the capital.
From the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games to the 2014 Theater Olympics in Beijing, the stadium might be smaller this time, but Shen Wei's Olympian spirit has only gained more strength and wisdom to use the art to bridge cultures and minds.
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