FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Hong Kong Ballet x AIRSIDE Present
An Immersive Ballet and Arts Tech Experience:
‘HK Ballet Oz Life Journey at AIRSIDE’
Inspired by HK Ballet Artistic Director Septime Webre
Designed by Eddy Wong, Winner of Golden Horse Film Awards & HK Film Awards
Get up close and personal with the dancers with Mixed Reality x Virtual Reality
[Hong Kong — 5 July 2024] This summer, Hong Kong Ballet (HK Ballet) joins with AIRSIDE for the first time ever in ‘HK Ballet Oz Life Journey at AIRSIDE’ – an immersive Arts Tech ballet experience that marries MR, VR, neon light installations by a local artist and a magical story that we know and love across nine interactive stations spanning 30 minutes. Celebrating its 45th anniversary, HK Ballet turns to Arts Tech to curate a never-before-seen immersive scenes from the classic tale.
Participants will defeat the Wicked Witch and her army of Winged Monkeys and take a closer look at the ballet’s choreography thanks to VR technology. A behind-the-scenes production area is also set up to reveal some of the magic behind HK Ballet’s Asian premiere of The Wizard of Oz coming this August and to bring visitors closer to the art of ballet.
Register online to dive into ‘HK Ballet Oz Life Journey at AIRSIDE’ from now to 4 September 2024, and follow Dorothy and friends on the iconic yellow brick road as they seek creativity, passion, courage and faith.
Immersive Journey into The Wizard of Oz’s Magical World
Inspired by HK Ballet Artistic Director Septime Webre and
Designed by Eddy Wong, Winner of Golden Horse Film Awards & HK Film Awards
In its first-time partnership with HK Ballet, AIRSIDE GATE33 Gallery and a number of local artists took the blueprint of The Wizard of Oz to create ‘HK Ballet Oz Life Journey at AIRSIDE’, bringing a fresh new perspective to the classic story through Arts Tech. This creative event breaks the boundaries of a conventional stage performance and brings ballet into our everyday lives. Ultimately, the goal is to share the art form with more visitors through a never-before-seen experience.
Put on the latest Mixed Reality (MR) and Virtual Reality (VR) gear at GATE33 Gallery, and follow the virtual yellow brick road. HK Ballet’s The Wizard of Oz is a magical journey featuring new excerpts from HK Ballet Artistic Director Septime Webre and stunning visual effects by Eddy Wong, winner of Taipei Golden Horse Film Awards and Hong Kong Film Awards. Creativity abounds in a world of fantasy through MR and VR technology, with the dancers’ piouettes, lifts and arabesques happening right before your eyes.
Neon light artist Jive Lau has crafted bespoke neon light artwork rich in local elements, while anime-style avatars Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man, Lion and the Wicked Witch of the West bring the story to life. Let them take you on a journey through this beloved story!
‘HK Ballet Oz Life Journey at AIRSIDE’ spans around 30 minutes and features an adventure map with nine virtual challenges. Participants will join Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion on the yellow brick road using the latest MR and VR technology combined with real-life backdrops and neon art and interactive installations.
A Groundbreaking Immersive Ballet Experience – A Preview of The Wizard of Oz
Hong Kong Ballet celebrates its 45th anniversary with Artistic Director Septime Webre’s ballet sensation The Wizard of Oz, which will debut on stage from 30 August to 1 September 2024 at Hong Kong Cultural Centre’s Grand Theatre.
This world-renowned tale follows young Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion as they search for the Wizard of Oz in Emerald City. Together, they defeat the Wicked Witch of the West and her army of Winged Monkeys. Webre’s version features breathtaking costumes by a team of leading designers set to Matthew Pierce’s lively original score performed live by Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. The immersive hi-tech effects in this exciting extravaganza will delight audiences of all ages. Tickets for the show are available at URBTIX now. For more information on The Wizard of Oz, please visit hkballet.com, and follow HK Ballet’s Instagram page, @hongkongballet.
For more details on ‘HK Ballet Oz Life Journey at AIRSIDE’, An Immersive Arts Tech Ballet Experience, please follow GATE33 Gallery’s Instagram page: @airsidehk_gate3
Download High Resolution Photos
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‘HK Ballet Oz Life Journey at AIRSIDE’, An Immersive Arts Tech Ballet Experience |
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Exhibition Dates |
Now – 4 September 2024 |
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Exhibition Times |
11:00am – 9:00pm |
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Exhibition Location |
GATE33 Gallery, Shop 312, AIRSIDE, 2 Concorde Road, Kai Tak |
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How to Participate & Other Remark |
- Free entry with advance online booking |
| Online Booking Website |
https://events.nftouch.com.hk/en/event/RTI1NlQ=/HK-Ballet-Oz-Life-Journey-at-AIRSIDE |
THE WIZARD OF OZ
COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT SPONSOR
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Hong Kong Ballet Above The Line PR |
Nan Fung Group Above The Line PR |
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About Hong Kong Ballet Comprised of 50 dancers from all over the globe – Hong Kong, Mainland China and other parts of Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and North America, HKB has won recognition both regionally and internationally. With celebrated re-stagings of the classics, neoclassical masterworks by George Balanchine and others and original ballets created for HKB and about Hong Kong. Additionally, HKB performs works by some of today’s most sought-after choreographers, including Alexei Ratmansky, Christopher Wheeldon, Wayne McGregor, Justin Peck, Jiří Kylian, Nacho Duato and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa as well as innovative new works by its Choreographer-in-Residence, Hu Song-wei Ricky, and numerous emerging Hong Kong choreographers. With almost 50 tours to 11 countries, HKB has recently toured throughout Europe, the US and Asia and places a special emphasis on representing Hong Kong in Mainland China and the West. HKB maintains the newly renamed Hong Kong Academy of Ballet, a professionally-oriented ballet school, as well as a full schedule of award-winning community programmes and crossover collaborations throughout Hong Kong to ensure ballet is accessible to all. HKB has also produced engaging original videos and dance films that have collectively garnered over 10 million views online, connecting with ballet lovers worldwide. About Nan Fung Group In recent years, the Group has expanded its investment focus to ICE (Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship), exemplified by its signature project, The Mills, a revitalisation of its legacy yarn factories into a hub promoting techstyle (Intersection of technology and style) and an integrated destination housing an experiential shopfloor, startup incubator, and cultural museum. The Group has also made significant progress in investments related to life sciences in the US via Pivotal; and in mainland China via an affiliate, New Frontier, which focuses on healthcare, elderly care, education, and new technology. |
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