Chief Choreographer | Yang Liping
Art Director | Tim Yip Composer | Igor Stravinsky, He Xuntian Literary Director | Liang Geluo Executive Choreographers | Gong Zhonghui, Li Yimeng Producer | Farooq Chaudhry, Wang Yanwu, Yang Jin Lighting Design | Fabiana Piccioli Video Animation | Tobias Gremmler Stage Technology | Sander Long Project Manager | Ma Xun Co-producers | Forever *Lineup is subject to change on site. **The performance lasts about 80 minutes (without intermission). “This time, although it is a reinterpretation of a world classic and a dialogue with Western art, I hope to use Eastern aesthetics for a new interpretation and integrate the soul of our nation into this theme.” — Yang Liping Work Description More than a hundred years ago, Igor Stravinsky wrote ‘The Rite of Spring’. Originally the music for a ballet, it seems to be a set of codes full of infinite possibilities and has attracted countless top dance artists to be fascinated by it for a hundred years. In 2016, Yang Liping formed an international top team and embarked on a great adventure for this ‘code’ of life with many artists such as Tim Yip and He Xuntian. In two years, they passed through illusions and went through reincarnation, creating ‘something’ from ‘nothing’, interpreting the West with the East; seeking common ground through differences. This ‘The Rite of Spring’ is a deconstructed classic ‘The Rite of Spring’, a newly structured ‘The Rite of Spring’, and a ‘The Rite of Spring’ newly interpreted by Yang Liping with Eastern aesthetics, wisdom, and philosophy. The stage form is full of mysterious Eastern elements, and the dance language has a new exploration on the basis of the consistent Yang’s dance aesthetics. In terms of the plot, it unfolds a magnificent imagination based on the original ballet ‘The Rite of Spring’ a hundred years ago. Yang Liping’s dance theater ‘The Rite of Spring’ tells such a story: ‘The god’, because of having compassion, voluntarily falls into the mortal world. After going through countless experiences, it becomes a ‘human’; ‘The human’, because of having an awakening intention, is willing to contribute and fearlessly sacrifice. From a humble ‘human’, it transcends fate and becomes a ‘god’. People are busy on the earth, people dance and sing on the earth; people live on the earth, people are disillusioned on the earth; people are awakened on the earth, people cross and are crossed on the earth, and are reborn on the spot. This is Yang Liping’s version of ‘The Rite of Spring’. We are waiting for you in spring, only with a pious heart dedicated to stage art. Introduction to the Creators Yang Liping | Chief Choreographer Born in Dali, Yunnan. A national first-class actor and vice chairman of the Chinese Dancers Association.Yang Liping, with her astonishing dance talent, stands out uniquely. In 1986, she created and performed ‘The Spirit of the Peacock,’ which is beautiful and ethereal, and became famous overnight. Her main representative works include ‘The Spirit of the Peacock,’ ‘Moonlight,’ ‘Two Trees,’ and ‘Love of the Peacocks.’
Tim Yip | Art Director As a world-renowned visual artist, film and stage art director, and costume designer, Tim Yip continuously explores and interprets the ancient culture’s revelations for the future through his ‘New Orientalism’ aesthetic concept. His creations span across contemporary art, fashion, stage, and film art. In 2001, Tim Yip won the Oscar for ‘Best Art Direction’ and the British Academy for ‘Best Costume Design’ for the film ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,’ becoming the first Chinese artist to receive such honors. He Xuntian | Composer A famous composer and creator of a new musical language, He Xuntian is a professor at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. He is not only a music creator but also a music theorist. His establishment of the ‘Three Times Theory’ and ‘Music Dimension Theory’ in 1980 and the ‘RD Composition Method’ in 1982 can be considered revolutionary. In 1995, he created history by releasing the first Chinese record globally, with his albums ‘Ah Jie Drum’ and ‘Yang Jin Ma’ published and distributed in over eighty countries, selling millions of copies. Liang Ge Luo | Literary Coordinator A member of the Chinese Dancers Association, Liang Ge Luo is a new Chinese stage play screenwriter, director, and online dance critic. He has written, planned, and directed several large-scale stage play works. Fabiana Piccioli | Lighting Design Fabiana Piccioli graduated in philosophy from Rome, Italy, in 1999. Between 2000 and 2001, she worked as a dancer for several dance companies in Belgium. In 2002, she returned to Rome to serve as the technical manager of the Romaeuropa Festival. From 2005 to 2013, she served as the technical director and lighting designer for the Akram Khan Dance Company. Since 2013, she has been fully engaged in the field of lighting design and has won the British Knight of Illumination Award for Best Dance Lighting Design. Wang Yanwu | Producer A graduate of the Australian National University with a double degree in economics and law, Wang Yanwu is now a licensed lawyer in Australia. He is currently the general manager of Yunnan Yang Liping Cultural Communication Co., Ltd., whose main repertoires include ‘Reflections of Yunnan,’ ‘Sounds of Yunnan,’ ‘Peacock,’ ‘Ambush from All Sides,’ and ‘Winter of the Peacock.’ He has supervised and produced large-scale stage works such as ‘Tibetan Mysteries,’ ‘Peacock,’ ‘Pingtan Reflections,’ ‘Huangshan Reflections,’ ‘Ambush from All Sides,’ and ‘Winter of the Peacock.’Farrukh Chaudhry | Producer, born in Pakistan, was an international professional dancer in the 1980s and 1990s. In 1988, he received the ‘Asian Achievement Award’ as a dancer. After retiring from dancing in 1999, Farrukh studied at the City University of London and earned a Master’s degree in Arts Management. A year later, he co-founded the Akram Khan Company with the renowned choreographer Akram Khan. As a producer, Farrukh places creativity at the core of his leadership style, forming innovative business models to support Akram Khan’s artistic ambitions. Their seamless collaboration has made the company one of the most important and successful dance companies in the world. Since January 2016, Farrukh has been the International Creative Producer for Yang Liping’s Modern Dance Company. Additionally, he served as the Creative Producer for the National Ballet of the UK from 2013 to 2017 and played a significant role in the career development of the famous ballet artist Tamara Rojo.
Zhong Hui Gong | Executive Director, graduated from the Choreography Department of the Beijing Dance Academy and served as the Executive Artistic Director of the Beijing Modern Dance Company. He is currently a faculty member at the Music College of Guizhou Normal University. He has collaborated with ‘Idle Dancer’ Dance Studio, Paper Tiger Theatre Studio, and Yang Liping, among others. His leading performances include: ‘Deliberation’, ‘Recitation’, ‘Very Happy’, ’24 Solar Terms’, ‘The Rite of Spring’, ‘Ambush on All Sides’, and has toured both domestically and internationally, participating in significant art festivals such as the Berlin Art Festival in Germany, Zurich International Art Festival, Singapore Art Festival, and Brisbane and Melbourne Art Festivals. His creative works include ‘Country Doctor’, ‘Grass Trilogy’, and ‘Pavilion’, making him a mature creator and performer in the field of cross-border dance and contemporary theatre in China. Yimeng Li | Executive Director, the only Asian dancer in the New York Broadway show ‘Fuerza Bruta’. Graduated from the Modern Dance Choreography Department of the Beijing Dance Academy, served as a resident dancer at the Beijing Modern Dance Company. Representative works include: modern dance dramas ‘Twelve Zodiacs’, ‘Twenty-Four Solar Terms: Twelve Sounds in the Flower Garden’, ‘October: The Rite of Spring’, ‘Midnight Rain: Wish’, ‘The First Ray of Light’, ‘Family Letters’, ‘Paradise Lost’, and the large-scale original dance drama ‘Mingantu’. She has won the Gold Award for ‘Female Soldier’ at the 6th Taoli Cup Competition, the Silver Award for ‘Female Soldier’ at the 4th CCTV TV Dance Competition, was among the top twelve in the first International Ballet and Choreography Competition, and the large-scale original ethnic dance ‘Mingantu’ received the ‘Five One Project Award’ from the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. *Photography of the performance: Li Yijian, Kobe. The full opening time is from 11/29 to 11/30, Friday to Saturday, with the performance time and duration subject to the actual event.
