The performance combines dance and documentary film with the real stories of Chinese dancers. In order to devote themselves to dance and escape expulsion from the countryside, they had to perform in the propaganda ballet Red Women's Battalion, which served the Chinese regime as an instrument of ideological struggle. The memory of the human body still produces powerful images today. Based on technically perfect movement patterns, the outstanding dancers and performers bring to life their memories of the state indoctrination of dance art and reveal how the Cultural Revolution still affects Chinese society today. Concept, direction and choreography: Wen Hui.
Each performance is followed by a discussion with the artists.
Credits
Choreographer: WEN Hui
Text: ZHUANG Jiayun
Dramaturg: Kai TUCHMANN (Germany)
Performers: LI Xinmin, LI Yuyao, LIU Zhuying, WEN Hui
Lighting Designer: Edwin van Steenbergen (Netherlands)
Video: ZOU Xueping
Stage Designer: ZHOU Jie
Interviewers: WEN Hui, ZHUANG Jiayun, ZOU Xueping
Music: WEN Luyuan
Translation: GUO Rui, XU Qian
A Co-‐production between the Beijing Living-‐Dance Studio and the Goethe-‐Institut China
International Documentary Theatre Festival – AKCENT 2018
The Cost of Life
25 October – 8 December 2018
Archa Theatre, Prague
www.festivalakcent.cz
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