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The 1st Annual Beijing Dance Festival: Tian Qiao Theater”
Important Cultural Activities for 2008 Beijing Olympic Games |
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Calendar |
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| Time/Venue |
2008.5.8
(Thu) |
2008.5.9
(Fri) |
2008.5.10
(Sat) |
2008.5.11
(Sun) |
2008.5.15
(Thu) |
2008.5.16
(Fri) |
2008.5.23-25
(Fri-Sun) |
10:00 – 12:00
LDTX studio |
Master class
(BDC) |
Master class
(CCDC) |
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Master class
(GMDC) |
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13:00 – 15:00
LDTX studio |
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Master class
(DSB) |
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19:00 – 21:00
Tian Qiao Theater |
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CCDC |
Battery Dance Company |
Dancetheatre Staatstheater Braunschweig |
Guangdong Modern Dance Company |
Beijing LDTX Modern Dance Company |
National Ballet of China |
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| About the Festival Dance Companies |
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City Contemporary Dance Company (CCDC)
Over the past 28 years, through the leadership of its Founder and Artistic Director, Willy Tsao, City Contemporary Dance Company (CCDC) has inspired and elated audiences in Hong Kong and around the world with superb modern dance performances. Since 1979, in productions by leading choreographers such as Helen Lai, Mui Cheuk-yin, Pun Siu-fai, Yuri Ng, and Tsao himself, and in innovative collaborations with the best and brightest artists from other media, the company has presented over 200 original works with popular and critical acclaim and is regarded as “The artistic soul of contemporary Hong Kong” by Hong Kong South China Morning Post. CCDC’s renown in reflecting the vigour and creativity of Hong Kong’s vibrant, multi-faceted contemporary culture has increased its home audience to 53,000 annually and earned it 68 international tours to the world’s foremost dance stages and festivals in the US, Europe, Asia and Australia. |
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Battery Dance Company
In the 33 years since its founding, Battery Dance Company become an integral part of the fabric of New York City and has brought over 85 dance pieces to life, taught and mentored more than 200,000 New York City public school students through its Arts Education program, hosted the Downtown Dance Festival in Lower Manhattan for 26 years, commissioned 25 original musical scores and hosted numerous international dancers, choreographers and their companies in New York and across the U.S. Battery Dance Company has represented the U.S. overseas in more than 30 countries and has developed cultural exchange programs in the realm of dance and the performing arts. Battery Dance Company’s international mission is fueled by the belief that dancers can span geographic, linguistic and cultural borders through bilateral exchange, sharing inspiration and advancing mutual understanding among their communities, aspiring to transcend political and social ills. |
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Eva-Maria Lerchenberg-Thöny and
Dancetheatre Staatstheater Braunshweig
The term “dance theatre” was probably coined in 1935 by Kurt Jooss, the choreographer, in his text “The language of Dance Theatre”. In the course of its development the concept has undergone continual change. Whatever special form dance theatre took – whether via Gerhard Bohner, Reinhild Hoffmann, Susanne Linke… and, of course, Pina Bausch – the dancing part of dance theatre productions still proves to be the most lasting. With her kind of dance theatre Eva-Maria Lerchenberg-Thöny (choreographer) wishes to convey danced theatre (in the true sense of the word), using predominantly modern as well as classical elements and particularly emphasizing the dancing. In her work she endeavours to show the dramatic situations, the characters and constellations purely via the body in order primarily to point out the motive forces – love, hatred, passion, pain, oppression, social conventions … “speaking movements” follow a dancing rhythm. The medium of language is replaced by the medium of dance – movement is the text. The aim is to convey and comprehend the content and the story solely via the dancing, the dancers and the music. Following her own dramaturgical concept, steps, gestures and positions must be developed in such a way as to correspond with the psychology of the figures and their momentary relationship to each other. The dancers are faced with both the necessity and the fascinatingly exciting challenge of bringing themselves and their own personality into every movement and identifying with the figure being portrayed. Not infrequently, entirely new levels of perception are thus revealed to the spectator. |
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Guangdong Modern Dance Company (GMDC)
Guangdong Modern Dance Company, founded in 1992, is mainland China’s first professional modern dance company. Willy Tsao from Hong Kong was appointed the first artistic director. He served his first term till 1998 and in 2004 he was invited to become the artistic director of the company again. The company tours extensively and has appeared at more than 20 countries all over the globe and won numerous recognition. GMDC is a company based in the fastest growing region of the fastest growing economy in the world. Its vision that modern dance is a tool for self-expression attracts some of the most talented dancers and choreographers in China. Works created by its dancers, resident choreographers, artistic directors and international guest artists have been staged at home and abroad winning critical acclaim and overwhelming audience responses. |
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Beijing LDTX Modern Dance Company
The birth of Beijing LDTX Modern Dance Company (LDTX) in September 2005 not only caught international attention, but also captured the imagination of many artists in China. LDTX (Lei Dong Tian Xia , literally, Thunder Rumbles Under Heaven) was born out of a controversial and exciting time in which China underwent rapid cultural change, LDTX is China’s first non-governmental and independent professional dance company.
Founded by veteran choreographers and a new generation of dancers in China , LDTX is a platform for both contemporary relevant and innovative creations. Under the artistic direction of Willy Tsao, China’s foremost figure in Modern dance, and deputy artistic Li Hanzhong the company boasts an ensemble of 14 technically exquisite dancers and a diverse repertoire. By nurturing young choreographers, LDTX pioneers China’s most cutting edge choreography. |
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National Ballet of China
Founded on 31 December 1959, the National Ballet of China is China’s only national ballet company. Its dancers and musicians are all graduates from professional dance academies and music conservatories across China. Since the first day it was founded, the company has received continuous support from the Chinese government. In its early days, Russian ballet master Pyotr Gusev and other Russian teachers helped lay a solid foundation for the company using their experience in the Russian School of classical ballet. Over the last 45 years, the National Ballet of China has introduced many outstanding classical ballets and contemporary ballet works to the Chinese audience. At the same time, it has attached great importance to creating a unique fusion between western classical ballet and Chinese culture. They have achieved this by creating their own ballets, which represents the varied characteristics of the Chinese nation. Today, the company has a broad repertoire and has successfully trained many generations of outstanding artists. Through international cultural exchange, The National Ballet of China has attracted the attention of the international ballet world.
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Festival Staff
Artistic Directors: Willy Tsao and Zhao Ruheng
Program Director: Sarabeth Berman
Producers: Sarabeth Berman and Niu Shuai
Administrative Director: Chen Zheng
Publicity Coordinators: Yin Peng and Chen Lin
Ticketing Coordinator: Lu Hong
Technical Director: Godzilla Tan
Technical Assistant: Gao Jie
Stage Manager: Tiger You
Festival Book Producer : Chen Lin |
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