the Zuhe Niao work
in Co-Production with tanzhaus nrw
premiere
05 08 2010 Shanghai China
Duration
65 min
Concept/Direction
Zhang Xian
Dance/Choreography
Jiang Fan, Jiang Jun, Li Lingxi, Li Zhen, Xiao Ke, Yang Jing
Music & Video Composition
Zhou Zihan
A gauze curtain gently divides the performance space in two halves. The performers’ bodies entertain a double presence on the stage and on a projection screen. The Niao Collective often uses improvisatory, game-like techniques to bring the dancers into a new theatrical space. The members have not collaborated in a while and are quite estranged from one another, yet their dialog begins with speechless body movements.
This seldom rehearsed piece, “Stupid, Dance!”, may be regarded as an interactive live installation. It has all the hallmarks of a Niao Collective installation/performance. Its “exhibition” time can be as long as eight hours, but it can also be condensed into a single hour on stage.
The performers are particularly fond of creating a tea-house atmosphere, in which both performers and viewers may intermingle socially. The stage technicians will also contribute through sound effects, screen projections, and lighting changes. As social choreographers, the Niao Collective enjoys confusing everyday life situations with aesthetic experience. The goal is to develop from the movements of daily life a coherent dance style, which in turn questions all life situations, thereby creating a life of its own.
