[Hong Kong – 18 July 2017] Praised for “a number of promising first works from new [choreographers]” by South China Morning Post, Hong Kong Ballet’s annual Choreographers’ Showcase presents original, bold new ballet works by emerging dance artists from within and beyond the Company. Meet the choreographers who are set to elevate Hong Kong’s arts scene in the 21st century with their fresh, progressive pieces at this 2017 edition. Held in an intimate space, this innovative showcase sold out the past three years and will leave audiences wanting more. This vibrant collaboration among the Company’s dancers celebrates raw athleticism and dynamic movement to create a truly unique evening of dance.
This year's choreographers include Company dancers Li Jiabo, Lucas Jerkander, Li Lin, Yang Ruiqi, Hu Song Wei Ricky, Leung Chunlong, Jonathan Spigner and Luis Cabrera, as well as promising local choreographer He Chaoya. They will delight and inspire audiences by presenting their creations in the intimate surroundings of the Studio Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre from 15 to 17 September 2017 (Friday to Sunday). Tickets are available at URBTIX now.
Join us as we come together to witness this striking 21st-century programme of diverse works and artists!
About the pieces and the choreographers
With-IN by Luis Cabrera
Luis Cabrera examines the raw emotions of fear, loss and longing in his new creation.
Born in Marikina, Philippines, Luis Cabrera began his training at Philippine High School for the Arts. He danced with Ballet Manila and Ballet Philippines before attending The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts on scholarship, where he graduated with a diploma in Dance in 2015. Cabrera joined Hong Kong Ballet as a member of the Corps de Ballet the same year.
With Hong Kong Ballet, Cabrera has danced in John Meehan's Swan Lake, Cynthia Harvey’s The Sleeping Beauty, Terence Kohler’s The Nutcracker, Ronald Hynd's Coppélia, Pär Isberg’s Pinocchio, Rudi van Dantzig’s Romeo and Juliet, Val Caniparoli's Lady of the Camellias, George Balanchine’s Serenade, Jiří Kylián's Petite Mort and Sechs Tänze, Nacho Duato’s Castrati, Jorma Elo's Shape of Glow, Fei Bo’s Shenren Chang and Edwaard Liang’s Sacred Thread.
Infinity Awaits by He Chaoya# & Li Jiabo
Set in old Shanghai, a woman waits for her long-lost lover. Why does she do this if she knows he will probably never show up?
Following the success of last year’s Night Thoughts, He Chaoya and Li Jiabo come together again to create this new piece with Chinese dance elements especially for the Hong Kong Ballet dancers.
A graduate of the Guangzhou Dance School’s Chinese Dance Department, He Chaoya received a full scholarship to study at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. He was a recipient of gold medals at the National Minorities Performance Gala, Guangdong Song of Youth Dance Competition and the Guangzhou Architecture Cup National Social Dance Competition (Youth category).
He joined the Hong Kong Dance Company in 2007 and was featured in various pas de deux including Antelopes of the Snow in Dance Roots, Shadow in Red–Red or Black in Two Swallows–Ode to Wu Guanzhong, Hometown in Pop Classics: Joseph Koo’s Dance Melodies 2013, Love Song with Drums in Dream of the Past: Ancient Chinese Court Dances and Fluttering Hearts in Kaleidoscope of Dance from Yunnan. He also played the role of Old Zhou in Plateau Bluebells and Young Master in Red Poppies (2014 re-run). His recent co-choreographed work Night Thoughts was presented at Hong Kong Ballet’s Choreographers’ Showcase 2016.
#With kind permission of Hong Kong Dance Company
Born in Shanghai, China, Li Jiabo trained at Shanghai Far East Ballet School and The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. He joined Hong Kong Ballet as a member of the Corps de Ballet in 2005, was named Soloist in 2012 and became Principal Dancer in 2014.
With Hong Kong Ballet, Li has danced principal and featured roles including Prince Siegfried in John Meehan’s Swan Lake, Prince Désiré and Blue Bird in Cynthia Harvey’s The Sleeping Beauty, Basilio in Nina Ananiashvili’s Don Quixote, Prince in both Stephen Jefferies’ and Terence Kohler’s The Nutcracker, Geppetto in Pär Isberg’s Pinocchio, Armand in Val Caniparoli’s Lady of the Camellias, José in Memory in Yuh Egami and Hu Song Wei Ricky's Carmen. Li has presented choreographic works at Hong Kong Ballet’s Choreographers’ Showcase, including Night Thoughts (2016) with He Chaoya, Keep Watch (2015), Going Home (2014), Unable to Rewind (2012) and Ambush (2008). He also choreographed Something We Always Carry (2013).
Demons by Hu Song Wei Ricky
Extracted from and inspired by everyday life, award-winning dancer/choreographer Hu Song Wei Ricky depicts living with humans and demons in his new piece.
Born in Jiangxi, China, Hu Song Wei Ricky trained at Shanghai Dance School, LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts in Singapore and The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. Hu joined Hong Kong Ballet as a member of the Corps de Ballet in 2008 and was named Coryphée in 2015.
With Hong Kong Ballet, Hu has danced featured roles including Carabosse in Cynthia Harvey’s The Sleeping Beauty and Timur in Natalie Weir’s Turandot. His choreographic works include Carmen (2017) with Yuh Egami for the Company; Look Up 2.0 (2016) and Look Up (2015), by the invitation of National University of Singapore Arts Festival; Horn (2014) and White Lies (2012) with Yuh Egami, Voicing (2011) and Twins (2010) for Hong Kong Ballet’s Choreographers’ Showcase; The Frog Prince–A Ballet Chinois (2013) as Associate Choreographer with Yuh Egami to Yuri Ng; Rush (2013), Play with Abandon (2012) for Hong Kong Arts Festival; Blank Space (2013) by the invitation of Re: Dance Theatre (RDT) in Singapore; and Lost in Memory (2013) for D. Lab Dance Shanghai.
His work Bolero (2015) with Yuh Egami, performed by the Company, won Outstanding Ensemble Performance at the Hong Kong Dance Awards 2016. He also received the Award for Young Artist in Dance at the Hong Kong Arts Development Awards in 2012.
Same Old Joe by Lucas Jerkander
"Leukemia is a group of cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and results in high numbers of abnormal white blood cells." Without finding a donor for a bone marrow transplant, it's a life and death struggle with the disease. Lucas Jerkander creates Same Old Joe which is inspired by real events and uses the voice of ballet dancer Joesph Bunn.
Born in Gothenburg, Sweden, Lucas Jerkander trained at The Royal Swedish Ballet School and was a member of Slovenian National Ballet in 2007. He joined Hong Kong Ballet as a member of the Corps de Ballet in 2014, was named Coryphée in 2015 and became Soloist in 2016.
With Hong Kong Ballet, Jerkander has danced principal and featured roles including Von Rothbart in John Meehan's Swan Lake, Gepetto in Pär Isberg’s Pinocchio, Armand Duval in Val Caniparoli's Lady of the Camellias, Tybalt and Paris in Rudi van Dantzig’s Romeo and Juliet, Egyptian Doll in Terence Kohler’s The Nutcracker, Von Rothbart in Natalia Conus’ Swan Lake Act III, Lion in Alexei Ratmansky’s Le Carnaval des Animaux, and Pas de Trois in Fei Bo’s A Room of Her Own, Man and Factory Boss in Yuh Egami and Hu Song Wei Ricky’s Bolero and Carmen respectively.
L'espoir by Leung Chunlong
Hope is beautiful yet distant. It also drives us to do our utmost even through great hardship. Leung Chunlong’s new work illustrates what hope personally means to him.
Born in Hong Kong, Leung Chunlong graduated from Beijing Dance Academy in 2009 and from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in 2011, with a concentration in Ballet. He joined Hong Kong Ballet as a member of the Corps de Ballet the same year and was named Coryphée in 2014.
With Hong Kong Ballet, Leung has danced principal and featured roles including Pinocchio in Pär Isberg’s Pinocchio, Fritz and Rat King in Terence Kohler’s The Nutcracker, Jewels in Cynthia Harvey’s The Sleeping Beauty, and Gaston in Val Caniparoli's Lady of the Camellias. Leung premièred his work, tʃHEy, at Hong Kong Ballet’s Choreographers’ Showcase in 2016. Leung received an Outstanding Performance Award at the Taoli Cup Dance Competition in 2003.
The Bow by Li Lin
A bow is powerful yet flexible. It can be a line, or it can be bent, made into circle and much more. In The Bow, Li Lin shares his unique perspective with a bow.
Born in Zhejiang, China, Li Lin trained at Beijing Dance Academy. He joined Hong Kong Ballet as a member of the Corps de Ballet in 2010 and was named Soloist in 2014.
With Hong Kong Ballet, Li has danced featured and main roles including Prince in Terence Kohler’s The Nutcracker, Von Rothbart in John Meehan’s Swan Lake, Franz in Ronald Hynd's Coppélia, Prince Calaf and Timur in Natalie Weir’s Turandot, Geppetto and Fox in Pär Isberg’s Pinocchio, Espada in Nina Ananiashvili’s Don Quixote, Gaston in Val Caniparoli's Lady of the Camellias, José In Memory in Yuh Egami and Hu Song Wei Ricky's Carmen. Li has presented choreographic works at Hong Kong Ballet’s Choreographers’ Showcase, including Break Away (2014), Follow Your Heart (2016). He danced Pas de Deux from Krzysztof Pastor’s In Light and Shadow with Liu Miaomiao at the International Ballet Festival of Havana in 2014 and won second prize at the Taoli Cup Dance Competition in 2009.
BubbleGoose by Jonathan Spigner
Jonathan Spigner gets back to the roots of raw creativity and focuses on the dancing material.
Born in South Carolina, US, Jonathan Spigner trained at the South Carolina Governor’s School of Arts and Humanities and at Académie Princesse Grace in Monte Carlo. He joined Hong Kong Ballet as a member of the Corps de Ballet in 2010 and was named Coryphée in 2014. He assumed the additional role of Pilates Instructor for the Company in 2017.
With Hong Kong Ballet, Spigner has danced featured roles including Fritz and Spanish Doll in Terence Kohler’s The Nutcracker, Gamache in Nina Ananiashvili’s Don Quixote, St Gaudins in Val Caniparoli's Lady of the Camellias, Factory Boss in Yuh Egami and Hu Song Wei Ricky's Carmen. Spigner has premièred choreographic works at Hong Kong Ballet's Choreographers’ Showcase, including Passion Flower (2016), Days Gone By (2015), Wepart (2014), Overview Effect (2012) and (The Wonderful Known Tick) (2011). He also choreographed SoLo (2013). Spigner received awards from Youth America Grand Prix regional competitions in 2004, 2008 and 2009.
A Rebel At Heart by Yang Ruiqi
“I myself decide who I will be. This is me!”
In A Rebel At Heart, Yang Ruiqi shows how a rebel transforms rebellion into art.
Born in Harbin, China, Yang Ruiqi started her training at Shanghai Dance School and graduated from the John Cranko School in Stuttgart in 2012. She joined Stuttgart Ballet as an Apprentice the same year and was promoted to a member of the Corps de Ballet in 2013. She came to Hong Kong Ballet as a Coryphée in 2016.
With Hong Kong Ballet, Yang has performed featured role of Olympe in Val Caniparoli's Lady of the Camellias and also performed in Terence Kohler's The Nutcracker, Ronald Hynd's Coppélia, Jiří Kylián's Petite Mort and Sechs Tänze, as well as Jorma Elo's Shape of Glow. Yang was a finalist at Prix de Lausanne competition in Switzerland in 2009 and 2010, and at the Taoli Cup Dance Competition in 2008.
Performance Details
15-17.9.2017
Fri & Sat 8:00pm | Sun 3:00pm
Studio Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
$300, $200 | *$150, $100
Three performances
Ticketing Enquiries: 3761 6661
Credit Card Booking: 2111 5999
Internet Booking: www.urbtix.hk
Programme Enquiries: 2105 9724
Suitable for ages 6 and above
The presenter reserves the right to alter the programme and artists
The performance lasts approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes, including an intermission.
Discounts
50% off |
Full-time students, senior citizens aged 60 or above, people with disabilities and the minder (Limited tickets for students and senior citizens available on a first-come, first-served basis. This discount cannot be used in conjunction with other discounts.) |
15% off |
Friends of Hong Kong Ballet |
10% off (First two tickets) |
CCDC Dance Inspirations card holders, Members of Chung Ying Theatre’s Energy Fun Club Plus, Friends of HKCO, Friends of HKDC Prestige Members, HK Phil Club Bravo members, Members of HKRep Pals, Zuni’s Friends, Fringe Club Members, Hong Kong Dance Alliance members, Hong Kong Arts Administrators Association members and HKBU Foundation members |
Group Booking |
10% off for every purchase of 10-19 tickets at regular price, 15% off for 20-40 tickets |
Patrons can enjoy only one of the above discounts for each purchase.
15% off food and beverage at InterContinental Hong Kong
Ticket holders can enjoy 15% off food and beverage in all restaurants and bars at InterContinental Hong Kong before or after the performance upon presentation of their tickets on the performance date. For details, please call 2313 2323 or email to [email protected].
Programme Plus!
Post-performance Meet-the-artist Session
15.9.2017 (Fri)
Studio Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
Conducted in English
Admission with performance tickets
Champagne Partner | Make-up Partner |
[Click on the photo to download full image]
Photo 1: Choreographers’ Showcase 2017 promotional image | Dancers: Dong Ruixue and Jonathan Spigner | Photographer: Tim Wong
Photo 2: Choreographers’ Showcase 2017 promotional image | Dancer: Luis Cabrera | Photographer: Tim Wong
An eclectic mix of talent, a balance of classical and contemporary works, and a unique repertoire are the trademarks of Hong Kong Ballet, Asia’s premier ballet company. Internationally recognised and acclaimed for its creativity, talent and artistry, the Company is committed to providing captivating experiences that delight and inspire audiences from all walks of life, both at home and abroad. Mr Septime Webre, former Artistic Director of The Washington Ballet, joined the Company as its new Artistic Director in July.
For further information, please contact:
Nick Chan
Director of Marketing
T: 2105 9716
M: 9728 1777
[email protected]