In case you missed us at the Guggenheim…
…here are some beautiful images of our dancers performing excerpts from ”Connect Transfer” and “Folding” in the rotunda as a part of the Works and Process series. (Photos byYi-Chun Wu) A slideshow different pictures from the night can be viewed on the Ancient Paths, Modern Voices website here.
“Folding” (below) was performed as never seen before, offering spectators various vantage points unavailable to audience members in a traditional theater setting.
Here also is just a taste of the enlightening dialogue between Shen Wei and Anna Kisselgoff as excerpts from the company’s repertoire were presented. It was truly a facinating night of up-close-and-personal performances and insight into Shen Wei’s technique, inspiration, and thought processes. These were posted live on our twitter account during our Sunday night performance.
7:54 PM : Live from the Guggenheim tonight at 7:30pm Eastern Time! Follow us @SWDA!
7:55 PM : So–technical difficulties, but here we are! Anna Kisselgoff, chief dance critic of the New York Times for 20 some years introduces SWDA
7:56 PM : AK=Anna Kisselgoff, SW=Shen Wei, ok?!
7:57 PM : We are here to explore 10 years of SW and his company, founded in 2000, entering its tenth anniversary season in 2010
7:58 PM : AK: SW was born to a family of artists in Hunan, trained as painter, dancer, calligrapher, founds the first modern dance co in China
7:58 PM : AK: What is inspiration for RITE OF SPRING; SW: structure of music as starting point, focus on rotation of body parts, simple human mvmt
7:59 PM : SW: handpainted floor covering that is in dialogue with movement
8:00 PM : An Excerpt from MAP–2005 work in collaboration with music by Steve Reich, 10 dancers on the Guggenheim stage whirling like mad
8:00 PM : AK: What is inspiration for RE- TRIPTYCH (2009)? SW: Re- invokes concepts of rebirth, renewal, rethink. Do not have this word in Chinese!
8:03 PM : AK: What is inspiration for 3 parts of Triptych? SW: 1: Tibet, 2: Angkor Wat (Cambodia), 3: Silk Road. personal journeys that became dance
8:05 PM : EXCERPT RE- 2: Inspired by friezes on ancient temples at Angkor Wat, music from a local group of artists injured in cambodian civil war
8:08 PM : SW: Sculpture pushes me to think of movement in different way. Movement of one character in frieze inspires movement of another
8:06 PM : AK: Re 2 a frieze with movement tumbling out of it: very unusual–what is inspiration, SW?
8:09 PM : SW: We use internal energy, technique that creates movement by breath or feelings, feel you have no bones, you fly, chi affects muscles
8:09 PM : AK: next piece inspired by Tibet, SW invited Tibetan nun to sing at NYC premiere, a large Tibetan mandala on stage. What inspired technique?
8:14 PM : SW: Journey in Tibet; experience of gravity, difficulty of breath. How translate to movement? Spent 2 weeks in studio with dancer in dark!
8:14 PM : AK: SW created a book of photographs in Tibet, proceeds go to support orphanage in Tibet, SW was moved by humility of people and landscape
8:16 PM : AK: What was inspiration for part 3: Silk Road?
8:16 PM : SW: Took 40 day trip to Silk Road, to see how different cultures influenced each other. What separates East and West? What is shared?
8:18 PM : SW: discovered theme in China/East: unified, shared experience; Western: focus on individual, personal journey
8:22 PM : SW: Part 3 done with eyes closed. Pretty dangerous! Focus on unity/individual in connection. AK: A conceptual work! SW: Music by David Lang
8:23 PM : Moving up to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Rotunda: Excerpts from FOLDING (2000); NEAR THE TERRACE (2001); CONNECT TRANSFER (2004). Thanks for following tonight!!
