Rising choreographer LAI Hung-chung, founder of HUNG DANCE in Taiwan, is making his mark with inventive creations at the crossroads of tradition, martial arts, tai chi, and contemporary dance. BIRDY reimagines iconic accessories from Peking opera, including the Ling Zi—a long pheasant feather of extraordinary grace, symbolizing warrior power—as well as the spear. Eight performers embody the tension between momentum and oppression at the heart of Taiwan’s social dynamics, along with the secret desire to take flight.
Blending electronic music with classical Chinese sounds, tradition and modernity intertwine, evoking a universal quest for harmony between the individual and the collective. A dreamlike work of striking beauty.
“Dancers, each adorned with a long pheasant feather, form tableaux expressing a longing for flight. And the magic of Birdy takes hold.” Le Figaro, Paris
