The Hong Kong Ballet | Emerging Choreographers 2012

The Hong Kong Ballet and the Hong Kong Dance Company join hands to showcase their choreographic talents, with the theme “2012: the beginning or the end?”

Liu Miao-miao Photograph Almond Chu

<Hong Kong – 16 July 2012> The Hong Kong Ballet’s legacy of celebrating its dancers’ creative talents continues with Emerging Choreographers 2012, which will be staged at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre’s Studio Theatre from 21-23 September 2012. For the first time ever, The Hong Kong Ballet will collaborate with the Hong Kong Dance Company, whose choreographers will create two exciting pieces to be performed by the dancers of The Hong Kong Ballet.

The programme presents a total of seven dance pieces choreographed by dancers from The Hong Kong Ballet and the Hong Kong Dance Company, all inspired by the theme ‘2012: the beginning or the end?’, a topic that everyone is talking about as we approach 21 December 2012. Six young dancers from The Hong Kong Ballet – Li Yi-ran, Liu Miao-miao, Yuh Egami, Ricky Hu, Li Jia-bo and Jonathan Spigner – and two from the Hong Kong Dance Company – Xie Yin and Liu Yinghong – will turn their keen choreographic skills towards the 2012 Phenomenon and express their own interpretations through short and innovative dance works. The choreographers from the Hong Kong Dance Company will create unique dance pieces blending Chinese dance with ballet, resulting in a true East-meets-West aesthetic. In combination with different styles of music, stage and multi-media effects, these pieces will inspire you to reflect on what the future holds.

Tickets are available at all URBTIX outlets and via URBTIX website, from 20 July 2012. Suitable for ages 6 and above. For details, please visit Hong Kong Ballet’s website.

Choreographers

The Hong Kong Ballet

Born in Japan, Egami graduated from The Royal Ballet School in London. He   joined The Hong Kong Ballet in 2002 and has created several works including   Kagé, Sakula, Collage of One, Mirage and OIOIO. As Associate Choreographer,   he created the full-length ballet Firecracker with Yuri Ng in 2010.

Ricky Hu

Born in Jiangxi, Ricky Hu graduated from the School of Dance of   the Shanghai Theatre Academy (Major in Chinese Dance) in 2004 before going on   to train at the LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts in Singapore. He received   both a scholarship to study at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and   an Asian Cultural Council Dance Fellowship. Since joining The Hong Kong   Ballet in 2008, he has created works including Twins and Voicing. His most   recent creation, Play with Abandon, was featured in the 2012 Hong Kong Arts   Festival Contemporary Dance Series.
Li Jia-bo

Born in Shanghai, Li Jia-bo started his ballet training at the   Shanghai Far East Ballet School before going on to study at The Hong Kong   Academy for Performing Arts. He joined The Hong Kong Ballet after graduation   in 2005. He has danced many important roles including the Prince in The   Nutcracker, Calaf in Turandot, the lead role in A Room of Her Own, and   Steptext at the Shanghai World Expo 2010 performance.

Li Yi-ran

Born in Shanghai, Li   danced with the National Ballet of China before joining The Hong Kong Ballet   in 2005. Her choreographic works include Take it Easy, Just do it!, Nothing,   Let It Go, Moonlight and Bunny & the Wolf.

Liu Miao-miao

Born in Sichuan, Liu Miao-miao graduated from the Secondary   School of the Beijing Dance Academy (Majoring in Ballet). Since joining The   Hong Kong Ballet in 2005, she has performed in many productions, with roles   including the Arabian dancer in The Nutcracker, Liuin Turandot and the   Princess from Russia in Swan Lake.

Jonathan Spigner

Born in the United States, Spigner graduated from the South   Carolina Governor’s School of Arts and Humanities, before attending the   Princess Grace Academy. He received dance awards from Youth America Grand   Prix Regionals in 2004, 2008 and 2009. He joined The Hong Kong Ballet in 2010   and created his first choreographic work The Wonderful Known Tick in 2011.

Guest Choreographers

Hong Kong Dance Company
Liu Yinghong

Liu Yinghong, a National First Class actor in China, is a   Principal Dancer with the Hong Kong Dance Company. He has received numerous   awards including the Best Actor Award in the 2004 Hehua Cup Dance Competition   (Dance Drama Division), and a Hong Kong Dance Award in 2007 for his   performances as the younger brother in Red Poppies and as Linghu Chong in The   Smiling, Proud Wanderer. He has choreographed for 8/F Platform – Dancing   Emotions, My Little Green Planet and Joseph Koo’s Classic Melodies.

Xie Yin

Xie Jin joined the Hong Kong Dance Company in 2002 and was   promoted to Principal Dancer in 2003. She is now the Company’s Artistic   Coordinator and Instructor (Youth Troupe). Xie Jin was recognised at the Hong   Kong Dance Awards in 2006 for creating (in collaboration with Yuri Ng and   other dancers) 8/F Platform – Min Jian Chuan Qi. Feng Shui Xing, her   co-choreography with Chen Lei in 2008, was awarded the Hong Kong Dance Award.

Emerging Choreographers – 2012: the beginning or the end?

$350(VIP), $240, $100
Studio Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre

Tickets available at URBTIX from 20 July 2012
Ticketing Enquiries 2734 9009
Credit Card Booking 2111 5999
Programme Enquiries 2105 9724

Choreographers:
Yuh Egami & Ricky Hu
Li Jia-bo
Li Yi-ran
Liu Miao-miao
Jonathan Spigner

Guest Choreographers:
Liu Yinghong
(Principal Dancer, Hong Kong Dance Company)

Xie Yin
(Artistic Coordinator and Instructor (Youth Troupe), Hong Kong Dance Company)

PROGRAMME PLUS!

Meet-The-Artists

The choreographers will meet the audience after the performance of 21. 9. 2012 to talk about their creative process and share their thoughts.

Date: 21. 9. 2012 (Friday)
Time: After evening performance
Venue: Studio Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre

Primarily conducted in English and Putonghua.
Admission with performance tickets.

About The Hong Kong Ballet

One of the premier classical ballet companies in Asia, The Hong Kong Ballet turned 33 in 2012. It is becoming internationally recognised as a world-class institution with an identity that fully reflects the unique vitality of Hong Kong.

The Company’s artistic team of over 40 dancers is led by Artistic Director Madeleine Onne. The majority of The Hong Kong Ballet’s dancers hail from China while others are from elsewhere in Asia, Europe and North America. The Company performs a repertoire that combines 19th to 21st century classical masterpieces, acclaimed contemporary works and newly commissioned ballets. Since 1997, The Hong Kong Ballet has raised its international profile by conducting over 20 tours. An integral part of the Company’s activities is an extensive education and community outreach programme, which brings the art of ballet to students as well as to the wider community of Hong Kong.