Have you ever heard of dancing calligraphy? Well that’s exactly what audiences at Beijing’s National Centre for the Performing arts have been experiencing.
The Hong Kong Dance Company are presenting an interpretation of notable pieces of Chinese calligraphy, taking it from the page to the modern dance stage.
Calligraphy expressed using the body. The show, Spring Ritual Eulogy, explores the intricate relationship between abstract beauty and literati ideals through an interplay of Chinese classical dance and music.
The show features two major dances inspired by the top two calligraphy works in Chinese history. One is by Wang Xizhi, honoured as the patron saint of Chinese calligraphy. He lived around 1,700 years ago and his work "Preface to the Orchid Pavilion" was created at a countryside celebration. The spontaneous piece demonstrates his skill and the mastery of the flows in his calligraphy.
The first part of the show strives to depict the essence of the work with subtle shifts in movement and music.
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