The Guangdong Modern Dance Company is the first professional modern dance company in China, founded in 1992 with the support of the Guangdong Provincial Department of Culture. The first artistic director was Willy Tsao, a key figure in the development of modern dance in the country. As a choreographer, he played a significant role in the establishment and growth of many Chinese dance companies, including the Beijing Modern Dance Company, the Beijing Dance/LDTX, and the City Contemporary Dance Company. Tsao directed the GMDC from its inception until 1998, and four years ago, the Provincial Department of Culture invited him to take the lead of the group once again. Currently, Tsao is the organizational director of the company, with Pun Siu-fai serving as artistic director since 2007. His numerous choreographies have been presented by major Chinese companies both domestically and internationally.
Heaven and Hearth is inspired by seven ancient poems from writers belonging to the pre-Tang, Tang, and Song dynasties. This work is co-created by Willy Tsao and Liu Qi, choreographer and deputy artistic director of the Guangdong Modern Dance Company. It consists of six parts, with the third part choreographed by Liu Qi. The piece is rich with imagery related to nature and the passage of time, as reflected in the titles of its sections: Ballad of the Army Carts, The Mountain Trip – in the Autumn Night, Outside the Window it Rains, Farewell, How Often is the Moon Full and Round, Wine No. 5. The authors describe it as a tribute to the poets and to a peaceful vision of life.
Sticks is created by Sang Jijia, a Chinese artist who worked as a dancer and choreographer with William Forsythe from 2002 to 2006. He is currently a resident choreographer with the Beijing Dance/LDTX. Sticks (matches) takes its title from the common practice of many choreographers and dancers who sketch dance by drawing stylized straight lines on the body. This practice has been nurtured by Sang Jijia since he began studying dance at the age of 12. “Over time,” reads the presentation, “the matches have become a means to think and tell stories.” It is an animated narrative of the artist's vision of dance, having returned to China after his transformative experience with Forsythe.
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