Beijing Dance Theatre: Haze -
His Majesty's Theatre, 27 February -
Beijing Dance Theatre is a contemporary dance company formed in 2008 by Chinese choreographer Wang Yuanyuan who was resident choreographer of the National Ballet of China for 10 years. Wang Yuanyuan created Haze in response to "the haze of dense pollution, the white noise of industrialisation and the global financial crisis" and it was first performed in Beijing in 2009.
Haze is described as a “resplendent portrayal of human movement and human nature.” It's divided into three chapters, “Light”, “City” and “Shore” which are referred to in the printed program in poetic terms such as “neon shimmering like phantoms,” “sun's white radiance,” “out here on the frozen water, dreaming of warmth,” hinting at an interesting artistic aesthetic.
The full width of His Majesty's Theatre stage extending behind the proscenium, and a raised stage platform with a soft, rubbery, springy surface, was used in the staging of Haze, with black draping for side exits and side-lighting towers visible. This provided a broad, generous performance space. The textured, beautifully lit backcloth however, was not wide enough for the space, although this was well camouflaged by masking and judicious lighting, and softened by the “hazy”, smoky effects in evidence throughout the performance.
In each section of Haze, the twelve dancers wear grey 3/4 tights with the ladies in grey leotards and the men bare-chested. The work is set to the “arctic ambient” recorded electronic sounds of Biosphere as well as sections of Henryk Górecki’s Symphony No. 3, (Symphony of Sorrowful Songs), which were both heard at a high decibel level on opening night.
Under multiple, glowing overhead lanterns “Light” begins promisingly with the dancers gradually moving over the soft surface with measured steps and broad, generous use of their arms and upper bodies as they stretch, roll, fall, crawl and collapse. They also manage to hold sustained poses despite sinking ankle deep into the spongy surface, some displaying a classical dance training and alignment and others showing impressive gymnastic dexterity as they negotiate the uneven space. Their ability to fall backwards from a standing position because of the padded floor is initially remarkable and unexpected, but then overused. The floor surface enables acrobatic stunts and safe landings and some athletic movements in canon are effective, but the sponginess prevents any notable sequences of active dancing.
“City” introduces flat-footed running, some very brief eye contact, attractive lighting effects, particularly the silhouetted stark figures, and a section with the grouped upright dancers bobbing, bouncing and jumping. “Shore” begins with the sound of water but no discernable development or change in style until, as sunlight and a tiny patch of blue appear overhead, the movement seems a little more flowing. At this point the music becomes even louder then suddenly stops, with the dancers lying grouped on the stage. Assuming the performance had concluded, the opening night audience applauded but bells then toll and the dancers rise to stand like statues as white “snow” falls in an astonishingly beautiful but overlong tableau.
The Beijing Dance Theatre dancers are diligent, disciplined and show admirable concentration. The central ideas in Haze are commendable but prove hard to convey or sustain in a dense, abstract dance work of 70 minutes. While the choice of floor was, perhaps, made deliberately to illuminate limitations and lack of choice, it led to repetition and little apparent choreographic invention or originality, which became monotonous on viewing. The floor surface ultimately prevented an engaging realisation of the work's intention despite some memorable visual images created by the designer Tan Shaoyuan and lighting designer Han Jiang.
- Margaret Mercer