Rite of Spring | B.E.R.L.I.N. | Re- [Part II]

Shen Wei Dance Arts of New York has created interdisciplinary cross-cultural dance theatre since its inception in 2000, incorporating visual and storytelling elements from the theatre, Chinese opera and contemporary visual arts. Shen Wei developed the movement vocabulary of Rite of Spring entirely from the rhythmic and melodic qualities of Stravinsky’s composition rather than the story it tells. The choreographer’s interest in abstraction was matched by the piano version of the score by Fazil Say. His aim was a firm structure which could maintain a balance between precisely set movements and the intuition of the individual dancers – thereby including moments which are accidental and beyond control.

The solo B.E.R.L.I.N. is based on the relationship between the vocabulary of Shen Wei’s Natural Body Development dance technique and the combination of numbers and letters that relate to the city of Berlin.

Re- [Part II] was inspired by a journey Shen Wei made to the Cambodian temple complex Angkor Wat. The piece reflects his impressions of the local landscape. Sounds and images of the surrounding jungle are incorporated into the performance as well as traditional music played by the local Moon Light Band.