The Hong Kong Ballet takes
Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival by storm
[Hong Kong – 23rd July 2014] At the end of a stunning season on performances in their home city, The Hong Kong Ballet’s hard-working dancer stravelled to Massachusetts to perform at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival.
Three of The Hong Kong Ballet’s dancers, Wu Fei-fei, Wei Wei and Shen Jie had the singular honour of participating in the gala performance that marked the official opening of the festival, and soon after that the Company’s mixed bill of ballets was the first programme at this year’s festival, with performances from 18th – 22nd June 2014. The well-rounded mixed bill showed the versatility of The Hong Kong Ballet, as well as showcasing the extraordinary talents and personalities of the dancers. The programme consisted of the pas de trois from Fei Bo’s A Room of Her Own; Castrati by Nacho Duato; and Krzysztof Pastor’s In Light and Shadow.
As well as garnering standing ovations from the passionate Jacob’s Pillow audiences, the troupe’s spirit and vitality attracted media attention. The Boston Globe singled out “their sincerity, the truth of their joie de vivre”, while “a number of individuals boasting generous artistry and technical prowess bathe the company in a warm glow.” MassLive focused more on the programme, choosing the words “Subtle, powerful, eclectic” to describe the Company’s three piece mixed bill. Ken Ross, the MassLive reviewer, also spoke of The Hong Kong Ballet’s performance of Nacho Duato’s Castrati: “I've seen other dance groups perform Castrati before, but The Hong Kong Ballet's performance of this disturbing work had a sharpness and crispness that really made the piece stand out.”
The dancers will soon be returning to Hong Kong, preparing for another dance season packed with must-see ballets. The season première is the crowd-pleasing Don Quixote, at the Grand Theatre of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre from 22 – 31 August 2014. In November this year, the dancers will fly to the US again, this time performing as one of the first international ballet companies to appear at the newly renovated Northrop Performing Arts Center in Minneapolis, USA.
About The Hong Kong Ballet
One of the premier classical ballet companies in Asia, The Hong Kong Ballet is becoming internationally recognized as a world-class institution that represents Hong Kong’s unique character. November 2013 marked the 35th anniversary of the Company which has evolved into a vibrant performing arts organization with accomplished dancers, a strong repertoire and technically challenging productions.
The Hong Kong Ballet’s artistic team is led by Artistic Director Madeleine Onne, with over 40 dancers originating from all over the world. Performing a repertoire that combines classical masterpieces and acclaimed contemporary works, the Company continues to commission works from today’s most sought-after choreographers. Recent commissions include new ballets from choreographers such as Fei Bo, Kinsun Chan, Wang Xin Peng, Peter Quanz, Yuri Ng, Cynthia Harvey, Terence Kohler and JormaElo.
Throughout its 35 year history, The Hong Kong Ballet has raised its international profile with more than 30 tours and prestigious accolades. The North America Tour in the summer of 2012 incorporated the company’s debut appearance at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival which was followed by an invitation to perform at the renowned Fall for Dance festival held annually in New York. In September 2013, The Hong Kong Ballet presented its production of Swan Lake at the Guangzhou Opera House, as part of the Guangzhou Arts Festival and in March 2014 the company was invited to perform Nacho Duato’s Castrati at the New National Theater in Tokyo. The Hong Kong Ballet received the 2014 Hong Kong Dance Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance for its production of Ronald Hynd’s The Merry Widow. And most recently, for the second time, two of The Hong Kong Ballet’s dancers were nominated for the 2014 Prix Benois de la Danse held annually in Moscow at the Bolshoi Theatre.
An integral part of the Company’s activities is its extensive education and community outreach program, which brings the art of ballet to students as well as to the wider community of Hong Kong. Annual events include Ballet Classics for Children, abridged versions of full-length classical ballets geared towards young audiences. The Hong Kong Ballet’s Education and Community Outreach department’s endeavors were recognized in 2014 with the Hong Kong Dance Award for Outstanding Achievement in Youth or Community Dance.
Media interview arrangement & information please contact:
Tony Leung
Marketing & PR Manager
The Hong Kong Ballet
+852 2105 9716
[email protected]
DOWNLOAD PRESS PHOTOS
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Corp de Ballet Jun Xia in Krzystof Pastor's In Light and Shadow
Photographer: Jamie Kraus
Soloist Liu Miao-miao (right) and Coryphees Frank van Tongeren in Krzysztof Pastor's In Light and Shadow
Photographer: Jamie Kraus
Corp de Ballet Sarah Yeung (right) and Soloist Shen Jie in Krzysztof Pastor's In Light and Shadow
Photographer: Christopher Dugga
Sololist Li Lin in Krzysztof Pastor's In Light and Shadow
Photographer: Christopher Dugga
