(Hong Kong, 15 January 2024) City Contemporary Dance Company (CCDC) concludes its ‘It’s Summer!’ dance season with the premiere of Living Up/噏 to Death last week. Led by interdisciplinary theatre director/ choreographer Ivanhoe Lam, the experimental dance theatre piece devised by a diverse and talented creative team delves into profound themes of life and death. The programme is now running up to 21 Jan 2024 (Sun) at The Box, Freespace, West Kowloon Cultural District, with tickets available at CCDC website and URBTIX.

Living in the Moment: Experiencing Rebirth in the Theatre

Living Up/噏 to Death, choreographed and directed by Ivanhoe Lam, endeavors to bridge the realms of dance and life through the creative team’s collaboration with the ‘Silent Teachers’ Body Donation Program, alongside archive research. Central to the conception of the work, Lam suggests “Leaving is merely another beginning”. In view of the universal yet personal finality of life, he emphasizes the significance of how the living honor and continue the legacies of their predecessors. Despite its partial title reference to ‘death’, Lam aspires for the audience to experience from the experimental theatre a transformed perspective on separation and existence, encouraging viewers to seek new meanings and answers within the concept of ‘living’.

The 90-minute performance blends dance, installations, text, live videos and electronic music into an immersive experience for the audience. The multidisciplinary production features Dance Artists not only performing contemporary dances, but also presenting a series of spectacular and unconventional performances, weaving multiple narratives within the same space. Lam notes, “Everyone has different experiences and ways of dealing with and facing life, which represents a contemporary view of all beings.”

In redefining the viewing experience, the creative team has turned the theatre space into a ‘laboratory’. Each audience member becomes a ‘laboratory technician’, free to observe and wander through different areas, and to select their viewing distance based on personal psychological comfort or preference, thus engaging in a thought experiment. Inside The Box, both the body and the mind are granted infinite possibilities. The audience is invited to envision their future life journey,  experiencing a sense of rebirth akin to emerging from a cocoon. Living Up/噏 to Death is crafted to create unique stories for each individual, underscoring the power of life.

Revolutionary Front and Back Stage Ensemble in the Meticulously Designed The Big Box Space

Following Living up to Her in 2020, Ivanhoe Lam furthers the ‘Living Up’ theme with new theatrical directions. In this latest creative work, he reunites with playwright Santayana Li and teams up with esteemed talents. Among them are Golden Melody Award winner hirsk for original music, acclaimed Stylist Kary Kwok for image design, set designer Jan Wong, video designer Dan Fong and director of cinematography Ziv Chun. The creative team reimagined The Box performance space and designed an unorthodox laboratory through installations and design, engaging in real-time interaction and exchange with the audience.

In a historic first for its 44-year history, CCDC has assembled an exceptional performance team, uniting its Artistic Director, Artist in Residence, Company Dramaturg and all Dance Artists. This striking ensemble exemplifies the allure of contemporary dance, embodying the transformative nature of life through their dynamic dance vernacular and unique physicality. The lineup is unparalleled: Artistic Director Yuri Ng and Company Dramaturg Melissa Leung, returning after many years, join forces with Artist in Residence Qiao Yang, a dedicated full-time dancer with the company for over 27 years, along with a range of veteran and young dancers. The diverse, intergenerational cast is set to deliver unexpected delights and awe-inspiring moments for the audience in the theatre.

Performance Details

About the Main Creative Team

Choreography and Direction: Ivanhoe LAM

Music: hirsk (aka Khris NUNG)

Creative Text: Santayana LI

Dramaturgy: Alysa LEUNG

Video Design: Dan FONG^

Cinematography: Ziv CHUN

Set Design: Jan WONG

Image Design: Kary KWOK

Sound Design: Candog HA

Lighting Design: Lawmanway

Assistant Choreography: LIM Wei-wei

Rehearsal Mistress: Shirley LOK

Creation and Performance: Suyi HON, Felix KE, Eric KWONG,  Melissa LEUNG, Genie LOK*, Yuri NG, QIAO Yang, SHUM Pui-yung, Ninia WANG, Brian YAM, Skye YAO, Simpson YAU, Tally ZHUANG

* The ‘Dance Artistic Internship Scheme’ is supported by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council

^ With support and kind permission of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts

About the Main Creative Team