Dance, Multi-media & Improvisation Research Week + Improvisation Land 59

Improvisation Land 59

Research Week Day 1 (5.5.2015)

Research Week Day 2 (6.5.2015)

Research Week Day 3 (7.5.2015)

Three days (5-7.5.2015) of movement research during which international artists explore the relationship between movements, own senses, and other individuals. Participants from different art forms inspire and provide new perspectives to one another. The Research Week was documented by text and videos and archived as research materials.

“Improvisation Land 59”close the Research Week with a performance, the last chance for all participants to interact and communicate on 8.5.2015

Production Team of Research Week

Participating artists include:
Dance – KWOK Ka-yuen (Hong Kong), LEI Yan (Beijing), LIAN Guo-dong (Beijing), Victor Choi-wo MA (Hong Kong), PANG Yu-Hai (Shenzhen), Mandy Ming-yin YIM (Hong Kong)
Music – Les FONG (Hong Kong/​USA), Nelson HIU (Hong Kong), SZE Ka-yan (Hong Kong)
Text Documentary: Jess Chiayi SEETOO (Shanghai)
Reporter: Dora LAI (Hong Kong)
Live Video Broadcast Coordinator: Franky NG (Hong Kong)

Production Team of Improvisation Land 59

Dancer: KWOK Ka-yuen (Hong Kong), LEI Yan (Beijing), LIAN Guo-dong (Beijing), Victor Choi-wo MA (Hong Kong), PANG Yu-Hai (Shenzhen), Mandy Ming-yin YIM (Hong Kong)
Musician: Les FONG (Hong Kong/​USA), Nelson HIU (Hong Kong), SZE Ka-yan (Hong Kong)
Lighting: Mike HO (Hong Kong)
Sound: Him LAW (Hong Kong)
Video: Wilfred WONG (Hong Kong)

Feedback from Participant: Susanna

It’s quite interesting to explore the body structure and force dynamic with the instructor’s guidance in the two sessions.

Instructor: KWOK Ka-yuen

In the first session, it increased my body alignment awareness from the partner’s observation and adjustment. It’s found that body felt uneasy after adjustment which indeed discouraged the body to maintain the ‘proper’ alignment. Probably it took some self conscious effort to correct the imbalance in the long run but surely, comment from the third party had the credit in the first step of change. Also, it’s interesting to study the body-mind relationship e.g. my upper part body tended to lean forward which might reflect my character of readiness for taking action.

Instructor: PANG Yu-Hai

In the second session, it’s about the exploration and experience of force in double dancing through exertion of different proportions of force to each other. As concluded in our mini group, one of the key points was to catch the contacting point (of the two bodies) and experience the force exertion (especially in the 5:5 force proportion exercise). Besides, as suggested by my partner, my body had the tendency to make certain movement itself under certain guidance by her, which might be due to the body memory of the past training.

To conclude shortly, both exercises did help me deepen my understanding of my body alignment and the use of force when interacting with another body. It’s fun to play with body individually whereas playing with another body gives another exposure and experience.