Music and New-Media - Vibration of the Heavens

Vibration of the Heavens focuses on all kinds of "Extensive-organism" in the dimension of urban space-time: air, water, light, radio, dust, buildings, crowd, traffic, social media... From the perspective of people living in metropolis, the piece pays attention to the living conditions of themselves and all things around them, explores the relationship between people and their living environment. Using piano and interactive electronic music to form narrative clues of sound, and extend to different new media artistic elements. The pianist is the initiator of audio/visual perception, the whole theatre space acts as the projection medium. Three sections named Light, Shadow and Image are played continuously, which are shown as follows: the ever-changing of a single thing; the pluralistic relationship between things and the reflection of human beings; the shape of human beings is derived from the shape of everything. Grateful for this present media age to achieving the extension of music and the transcendence of sound over hearing. Applying the artistic language belonging to this age to arouse peoples confused feelings and establish a keen connection between the past and the future. Looking downward, we are small in the modern metropolis, shining all things with the light of sound. Xu ZhiboXu Zhibo, composer, PHD, associate professor of Shanghai Normal University Music College, director of Shanghai Computer Music Association, outstanding young scholar of SNU. Graduated from Shanghai Conservatory of Music, he studied successively with Professor Zhou Xianglin, Chen Qiangbin and Yang Liqing. His works involves various types and genres, some of them won a lot of awards for music creation at home and abroad. He is currently engaged in the teaching of composing and music theory courses, and devotes himself to theoretical research in contemporary music, sonic art, new-media art and other fields. He has presided over the theoretical research projects of the NSSFC (Art), the Humanities and Social Sciences Fund of Ministry of Education of China, the Shanghai Art-Science Planning, the Shanghai School Art Research and the Research Institute of SHCM. His academic achievements mainly focus on the core issues of contemporary music and media art, confronting the development track and trend of sound theory, technology and mix-media. As an author, more than 20 papers have been published in journals and conferences around the world. As a speaker, he was invited to attend international academic conferences held in the United States, Germany, the Netherlands and Taiwan, China. He has formed an research mechanism supported by cooperation between theory and practice.

Music 2019

Dance Theatre - Yi

YICHING is a time-honored classic in the history of Chinese civilization with a profound connotation. It is not only called as the "top of all classics", but also the source of Chinese philosophy. YICHING integrates the heaven, the earth and the mans world, and elucidates the life philosophy of self-cultivation and family management. The production extracts the name of YI in order to express the choreographers understanding of "YI", in addition, it also draws on the basis of creativity on the hexagrams, which gives birth to specific movements and images. Taiji elements are also adapted to develop movements, expressing the dynamic balance of "YI" through formal YIN and YANG transformation simultaneously fusing the rigidity and softness, and trying to express the thought of Unity of Heaven and Man, and the artistic conception that the greatest truth is the simplest. Li YuanMFA, Lecturer of Dance School of Shanghai Theatre Academy. For many years, Li has been engaged in the curriculum (Deconstruction and Reconstruction on Physical Actions) research on the Chinese classical dance, exerting to solve the derailment between the physical and rhyme training on the Chinese classical dance and contemporary classical dance. In addition, Li has explored and created a number of excellent contemporary classical dancing works. The creative work High Mountains and Flowing Water has won the first prize in the dance competition of Six Provinces and One City in the East of China. Flying Dragon and Dancing Phoenix has won the second prize of group dance in "Peach and Plum Cup" dance competition and the gold award in "Lotus Cup" dance competition. Long Sword and Ectopia have won the Award for Competition of small program competition in Shanghai. Tian Heng 500 Scholars has won the "Collectively Creative Youth" award in Shanghai. Heart without Dust has participated in the national dance competition exhibition.

Dance 2019

Contemporary Dance - Clouded

The work Clouded by D.LAB DANCE is to explore a sense of alienation in peoples subconscious when they are overwhelmed by the unprecedented technology development in this era. When we upload all traces of our life to the "cloud", is there no need to hold onto our memories of happiness and sorrow? In the age of digital "cloud", arent we all "cloud"ed? This work is to bring out the characteristics of a particular group of people through the concept of "Clouded". Largely affected by the development of digital technology, this group of people become attached to illusions, and immersed in the "safe house" created by sensory pleasure. They are always searching for things that dont exist in reality. The only outlet of their emotions is psychedelic music at night clubs, where they would find temporary relief. In the work Clouded, we tend to explore their true emotions lying behind the facade they put up. Qian TingtingQian Tingting graduated from Beijing Normal university before moving to join TAO DANCE THEATER and performed in 6 and 7, during which time she received strict training and explored infinite potential of the body. She joined D.LAB DANCE as full-time dancer and choreographer in 2016. Her choreographic works: Parabola(2014), Dance!Dance! Dance!(2017) , Invisible(2018), and The Blue Notebooks(2019). Qians inspiration comes not only from years of immersion in different dance styles, but also from her close observation of little things in life. Dance itself is not the only focus of her work. She tends to merge into her creation the perception of all the changes and different events happening in real life. Apart from theater performance, she also works with musicians, installation artists and fashion brands. Duan JingtingDuan Jingting is a multi-award winning ballerina, an elite contemporary dancer, and a producer of theatre performance. She was awarded the Judges Special Prize in Shanghai International Ballet Competition (2001), the Best New Artist of the 20th Varna International Ballet Competition (2002), and the Bronze Medal in the 7th "Taoli Cup" National Dance Competition (2003). After graduating from Shanghai Dance Academy as valedictorian, she began her career as a dancer in Shanghai Ballet and later joined Hong Kong Ballet and performed many leading roles. DUAN founded D.LAB DANCE in 2014. From 2011, Duan premiered a series of theatrical productions that have been highly recognized by the industry and audience, including Shanghai Jungle(2011), LOVE(2014), Invisible Cities(2014), Fragile(2015), The Letter of Love(2016) and Mirage(2017). In 2016, her works Boundary and Icosahedron were both ranked within the TOP5 Box Office in Chinas Small Theatre Dance Performances.

Dance 2019

Drama - A Game of Two Cities

Lukashin, a surgeon from Moscow, gets drunk with his old friends and accidentally gets on a plane to Leningrad by mistake. There is a place in Leningrad which has the same address as Lukashins home address in Moscow so Lukashin mistakes it as his own home, which causes misunderstandings between him and the hostess of the place in Leningrad Nadya. Both Lukashins and Nadyas partner broke up with them because of this misunderstanding. Under this circumstance, the fire of love begins to burn between these two lonely people. This play is adapted from the work of director Elda Ryazanovs, Ironiya sudby, ili S legkim parom! and inspired by the Dutch historian Hejzinhas discussion that art originated from "games". If we say that art is originated from game, then in this play, love is like the dice in a board game. Whether you dare to reroll the dice before reaching the end of the game, is the question that the two protagonists must consider.Co-presented by China Shanghai International Arts Festival / China Dream Live Entertainment. Zhou TaoMaster in the Directors at Shanghai Theatre Academy, Ph.D. in World History at Fudan University, mentor of Fudan Drama Troupe, director of Shanghai Student Drama Experiment Center, winner of Chinese Theatre Award-Campus Drama Screenplay, listed in "Shanghai Literature and Art Talents Training Program", member of the expert committee of leading group of Shanghai major literary and artistic creations, former host of the Five-star Sports channel in Shanghai Satellite TV. Since 2009, he has devoted himself to the creation and research of campus drama. His creations, Prime Minister of the alley, 4:1, The Chosen One, Richard II, the Seed in Heaven have been shortlisted for China Campus Drama Festival for five consecutive years, and he has won the first prize of the Chinese College Students Art Exhibition in drama category for three consecutive sessions. His works Richard II and Cross were selected for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Sydney Fringe Festival and Melbourne Fringe Festival respectively.

Drama 2019

Allegorical Drama - Catch Shadows

Catch Shadows is a story within a story within another story. There was an island called Shadow Kingdom which was located in Southeast Asia in ancient times. The islanders were used to catch shadows and contribute to their King in order to save their own lives. A shadow puppetry artist came to Shadow Kingdom by chance. During the days of performing for the King, the artist found out the secret of the Shadows and the King. At the same time, the artist has developed certain subtle relationship with the Blind Queen... At the end, the artist became a new King, but he can never get into the world of Shadow Puppetry again. Catch Shadows combines Chinese traditional puppetry and contemporary theater elements. This works is trying to explore the theme of battles between like a small character and the Mr. Big, individual livings and the time torrent. What you really desire may become a heavy crown as well as a chain that imprisons you. In the end, the crown becomes your shadow and it will never leave you.Co-organizer: China Shanghai International Arts Festival / A Threater Company / A Script Studio / Shanghai Sanzhe Cultural Media Centre Chu XiaChu Xia is a playwright currently works in Nanjing Art Institute. She graduated with a MFA from Nanjing University, School of Theatre and Film Literature. She was selected in the international New Writing project of Royal Court and British Council. Chu Xias Works: Elsewhere for Hope (Drama) selected in 8th Beijing Nanluoguxiang Performing Arts Festival (2017), Upstairs and Downstairs (Yue Opera) selected in Jiangsu Literature Award (2018), Invisible Crane (Kun Opera) selected in National Arts Fund (2018). She always keeps a curious eye at her surroundings. She tends to tell stories in a serious but absurd style. She is looking for a balance among story-telling, exchange of emotion and making magic.

Drama 2019

New Media Performance - Avatar·Mythology

Drawing on the worldview of Shan Hai Jing (Classic of Mountains and Seas), a Chinese classic text of mythic geography and beasts, we instill contemporary, philosophical contemplations into a newly conceived story. Against the mythical backdrop is the idea of "avatar", or modes of "alter-being", through which we elaborate the inner journey of human beings coming to terms with the unknown: the birth of life, the struggle for survival, the revelation via love, hate, and fear, and the ultimate transcendence and release with inner peace. If the mythical world filled with Eastern totemic symbols represents the birth of the unknown, the "beasts" that are the "alter-beings" of humans render visually our inner complexes. This piece combines semi-immersive video space and media art to let the audience inhabit the "unknown" and experience their "alter-beings" with the dancers, as we journey into the mysteries of life. In correspondence, the digital media design features technological "avatars" by way of motion capture, interactive animation, and remote control, linking backstage manipulation with frontstage performance. With these all-permeating technological "avatars" as metaphorical "alter-beings", the performance also embodies the merge between modern technology and traditional arts. Zhang YinanPhD, lecturer of College of Design and Innovation, Tongji University, Digital Media Designer. Cofounder of Integrated Media Design Lab at Tongji University, main member of Tongji-Soundlab, visiting scholar of Parsons School of Design, New York. Zhang Yinan dedicates to education and research focusing on digital media design and motion graphics design as well as the creative practice of new media art. He has rich interdisciplinary cooperation and innovation experience, including video art, 3D animation, creative coding, sound design, new media performance and other comprehensive fields.

Drama 2019