Danscross: dancing in a shaking world

This collaborative, six month project was co-directed by Christopher Bannerman, Head of ResCen Research Centre and Xu Rui, Associate Professor and Vice-Chair, Department of Dance Studies at the Beijing Dance Academy (BDA). It focused on the creation of eight dance works by western and Chinese choreographers which were created to a specific brief, testing Stravinsky's proposition that the imposition of rules sets the artist free. The creative processes were observed by teams of academics from the BDA; the China National Academy for Arts Research; University of California at Los Angeles, Center for World Arts and Cultures; University College Falmouth, Dartington College; Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts; National University of Singapore; International Institute for Education and Research in Theatre and Film Arts, Waseda University; University of Washington. The researchers contributed to an online record of the project as well as presenting papers at the subsequent conference and for publication. The project's premise was that the empathetic, catalytic space of creative practice offers a unique way of encountering and understanding the other.
The examination by international and Chinese academics of the creative strategies of UK and Chinese choreographers, each working with dancers trained in Classical Chinese Dance and/or Asian Folk Dance, provided a metaphor for other acts of translation and adaption. While key challenges today (the pervasiveness of climate change, financial instability and viral infections), are unconfined by national boundaries, the research premise tested the hypothesis that by examining the particular, the panoramic becomes open to speculative enquiry.

The performances at the Poly Theatre Beijing, which attracted wide public interest including television coverage, were followed by a conference, the proceedings of which will be published.