Postcards from dancers brings you news from Australian dance artists travelling for work.
Over the next few months, we'll be hearing from Gareth Belling. Gareth is travelling to Beijing and Hong Kong for nine weeks, with the support of the Australia-China Council and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, researching Chinese cultural impacts on classical and contemporary ballet.
5 Feburary 2014: The final Postcard (guitar riff included)
My research trip has come to an end. I've arrived home after nine incredible weeks. Many thanks to the Australia China Council for their generous support for this project. Huge thanks also to the National Ballet of China, Beijing Dance Academy, Shanghai Ballet, Beijing Dance/LDTX and CCDC, Hong Kong Ballet, the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts, and to all the dancers who tolerated me watching their rehearsals and class, day-in, day-out.
Highlights of the last week include watching rehearsals for Sang Jijia's new work at HKAPA. He was the Rolex Protege for 2002/3 working with William Forsythe. His work is very influenced by that mentorship, contemporary dance and his Tibetan/Chinese heritage. I also had the chance to watch class with Ou Lu, Head of Classical Ballet at the Academy. What an incredible organisation it is. I also climbed a hill, a very BIG hill to look out over Hong Kong and soak it all in.
I can't wait to digest all this new information and inspiration, and then get into the studio and make some ballet.
22 January 2013
Two days watching rehearsals for Dominic Wong's new piece at City Contemporary Dance Company. He works with task based choreography and has an interesting process of developing movement language and refocusing balance outside the body. He finished off the week with a showing for the composer, me and a video camera.
Happened to stumble upon the Hong Kong International Chamber Music Festival. Beautiful music by Schumann, Brahms and Mendelssohn.
Sunday: two shows. A showcase of six emerging choreographic talents presented by E-Side Dance Company, and 'I Infinite', a solo dance installation with some wicked projections and video art by Tom Dale Company. It featured a dancer I was lucky enough to work with at the Swiss International Coaching Project for Choreographers (SiWiC) during my JUMP Mentorship in 2011.
And a dinner catch-up with my first ever ballet teacher Sharyn Constable and her husband, who happened to be passing through Hong Kong.
14 January 2013
I've missed a couple of cards over the Christmas break, so here's a long one to catch up.
I played show-and-tell with Professor Zhang Jian-Min's postgraduate choreography students at Beijing Dance Academy. They shared three of their works, while I showed video of Transient Beauty and Scorched Earth. They were interested in the emotion in Transient Beauty, and the beautiful music by Susan Hawkins.
I put my body on the line and did three days of class with the National Ballet of China. I survived… just!
While Brisbane sweated it out in a Christmas heatwave, I was doing class with Beijing Dance/LDTX. The sun streaming in the windows made the early starts worthwhile. Three days of ballet, two of contemporary.
Sightseeing included the Great Wall, and pandas!
Beijing Dance Academy again for a very insightful meeting with Professor Zhang Ping, and a little bit of shopping for a set-piece for a new work in development with Collusion Music in March at the Judith Wright Centre.
A birthday treat of Beijing Duck and chair-ice-skating at the Summer Palace on the 4th, before a whirlwind trip to Xi'an for the Terracotta Warriors and Shanghai to visit the ballet company. I sat in on the principal's class and Bertrand D'At's rehearsals. A wonderful insight into working life.
A hop, skip and a flight and we're in Hong Kong for the last leg of the trip!
17 December 2013
I was lucky to spend the last week with the National Ballet of China. They gave me carte blanche to watch daily class and rehearsal in their impressive studios - including a practice theatre on the top floor!
Class was separate for men and women each day, and based strongly on the Russian Vaganova style. The dancers all have beautiful technique, articulate feet and expressive upper backs.
Rehearsals were mainly for their "Spring Festival" ballet - a Chinese Nutcracker set to Tchaikovsky.
I had the good fortune to stumble into a rehearsal taken by Artistic Director Feng Ying, an exacting woman with the sharpest of eyes. She focused on musicality, expression and breadth across the chest.
A great chat with National Ballet's Resident Choreographer Fei Bo provided insight into ballet in China now.
The week was rounded off with performances: Liaoning Ballet's old Russian production of Spartacus on Friday, and a captivating contemporary Chinese folk dance festival on Sunday night.
Postcard 1: The first week: Beijing.
My partner Benjamin Greaves from Collusion Music is along for the ride, self-funding his own study tour of the Chinese art scene.
The first week has been an exercise in finding our feet.
Life in the hutongs and a traditional Beijing courtyard apartment. Remnants of another time. Visits to the 798 Artists District, the Forbidden City, and a fair share of dumpling restaurants.
Nights at the NCPA for Ballet Santiago’s Carmen and Tianqiao Theatre for Beijing Dance Theatre’s new Hamlet.
Last night was the highlight - Shanghai Ballet’s Jane Eyre. An incredible contemporary narrative ballet.
Next week - daily life at the National Ballet of China.