Speaking Chinese (world premiere)

Description

The San Francisco International Arts Festival (SFIAF) is proud to present the world premiere of a major new work, Speaking Chinese, created by San Francisco choreographer, Kim Epifano, artistic director Epiphany Productions Sonic Dance Theatre in collaboration with Shanghai-based producers Reckless Moments, Beijing's Honglan Studio and a team of Chinese, American & Australian artists.

Speaking Chinese is a dance journey inspired by Love in a Fallen City, a 1943 novella by Chinese-American writer Zhang Ailing and featuring the orchestral and chamber music of Shanghai composer Zhu Jian'er. Combining text, movement, image, and sound this interdisciplinary work leads us through Ailing's "tales of love, longing and the shifting of endlessly treacherous shoals of family life." Through the dramaturgy by Barry Plews and translations and interpretations by Hu He, a story of love unfolds in the midst of war and in spite of the strict Chinese cultural traditions of the 1940's.

The production includes dancers Hou Honglan (National Ballet of China, Beijing) and C. Derrick Jones (Catch Me Bird Dance Theater, Los Angeles). Stage designs are by artists from the Shanghai Animation Film Studio and costume designs by Chu Hong Sheng & Zhu Jin You.

SFIAF Executive Director, Andrew Wood commented, "We are very proud to host Kim Epifano and her collaborators. True to the spirit of the Festival she has gone out into the world and in partnership with Shanghai producer Barry Plews from Reckless Moments, has assembled a truly fantastic international team to create an important new work. We can already tell this extremely talented group of people is bringing the best out of Kim and letting her channel her creative energy and ideas- she is really firing on all cylinders with this one. We think Speaking Chinese will mark the next major milestone in her career."

Speaking Chinese is being created during artistic residencies in Shanghai, Beijing, San Francisco and at UC Davis. Following the performances in San Francisco the piece will be presented in Shanghai's historic Lyceum Theatre.

Speaking Chinese is one component of Reckless Moments' Dance Chamber Trilogy.

LINK TO PDF Dance Chamber Trilogy

Epiphany Productions
Epiphany Productions is a dance company that explores a theme-based, interdisciplinary approach to post modern dance, sound score and physical theater. Artistic Director Kim Epifano chooses themes for her performance pieces that inspire audiences to think in new ways about art, history, science and ourselves. Three distinct programs define the priorities of the company: the creation, production and performance of original sonic dance/theater works; professional training classes and workshops for dancers; and ongoing community outreach through performing arts programs for adults, children and seniors.

Reckless Moments
Reckless Moments is the project company of creative producers Barry Plews and Hu He. Based in Shanghai, the company specializes in the development of international collaborations and co-productions. In addition to Speaking Chinese, forthcoming Reckless Moments projects include feature film co-productions with the Shanghai Animation Film Studio (Henrietta Brave and the Troublesome Forest) and the Shanghai Film Group (Long, long is the road and far, far is the journey); and Lost in Music, a UK-China acrobatic collaboration between London artists and the Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe.

Speaking Chinese is one component of Reckless Moments' Dance Chamber Trilogy.

More Info

Link

http://www.sfiaf.org/2008/artists/dance/info.php

Call

415-399-9554 (Box Office)