Hong Sungyop Ah-Q

Date: Tuesday 04 November 2008
Time: 7:30pm (70min without intermission)
Venue: Bonnie Bird Theatre, LABAN, Creekside, London SE8 3DZ
Tickets : £15 / £10 (concessions)
Box Office 0208 469 9500 / Book online http://www.purchase-tickets-online.co.uk/ (via Greenwich Theatre)

Produced by Dance Theatre ON(co-production LG Arts Center)
Supported by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism / Korean Cultural Centre UK
Managed by KCPA

If a blossom of passion blooms on my tired back,
Would they say my back is miserable?
Would they say the blossom is ugly?
If the bloom dries out;
And red buds rise on the branch,
Would we remember?
That a scattered breath was hidden under the old branch...

Uma Shankari, The Business Time, Singapore
Foolishness, ignorance portrayed in dance: South Korea offering Ah Q examines the universal themes through a series of riveting dance sketches

Tara Tan, The Strait Times, Singapore
Ah Q, arts festival offering from Korea, proved to be an unexpected gem. The work explored the universal themes of foolishness and ignorance with a series of startling-yet aesthetically pleasing-vignettes that looked unflinchingly at the consequences of such folly.

■ Ah-Q ■
Choreographer HONG Sung-yop’s Ah Q, which reveals both of the popularity and artistry by showing critical mind of the moderners with a fine sense of humour and various ways of expression, has been invited to Singapore Arts Festival in 2008 and drawn enthusiastic applause. Ah Q is motivated by of the "True Story of Ah Q(阿Q正傳)" of the Chinese writer ‘Lu Xun(魯迅)’. To express ‘silliness’, the theme of Ah Q, HONG Sung-yop used a variety of items such as flowers, knives and peaked hats. His unique and witty ideas will be transferred to a symbol of human existence by refined movements of the dancers. The audience can enjoy the pleasure of sympathy and speculation as well as visual delight.

The "True Story of Ah Q(阿Q正傳)", describing tragic life of the main character ‘Ah Q’, who is a victim of the power and maneuver, is the work of ‘Lu Xun(魯迅)’, who is called the father of Chinese contemporary literature. ‘Ah Q’, as a day labourer, is extremely incapable and silly, but has much self-respect. He thinks he won against people who insulted him by his own way to victory, ‘mental triumph’. In the confusion of Chinese Revolution, ‘Ah Q’ tries to behave cunningly, but he is swept in other people’s opinion not knowing anything about the ideology and the current of the revolution and shot to death in the end.

Chinese master writer ‘Lu Xun(魯迅)’ has lived only for 56 years, but his strong spirit as author and philosopher shook and moved China and the world. He wrote "The True Story of Ah Q(阿Q正傳)" to bring attention to the people who were living in a hopeless life in the turbulent period. He frankly revealed the picture of Chinese people of the period without hiding anything. Therefore, when his work was published in China, it aroused so many people’s sympathy making them think themselves as ‘Ah Q’. The main character ‘Ah Q’ represents the people who have lived in the chaos, but we also find him around ourselves in the present.

Choreographer / Hong Sungyop
Music composer / Kim Taekn
Set designer / Eom Jin Seon
Set designer assistant / Eom Sung Hun
Light designer / Shin Seong Hwan
Light designer assistant / Kim Yoon Joo
Costume designer / Hong Sungyop, Son Hye Ryun
Stage designer / Kang Hee Soon
Coordinator/ Kang Da Hae

Casts
Lee Kwong Suk, Kim Yong Hwa, Bae Hae Won, Yoon Hye Jung, Song Bo Kyung, Choi Min Sun, Park Ji Wun, Lee Jae Sun, Kang Jinan, Lee So Jin, Shin Soon Young,
Lim Jin Ho, Ji Kyung Min

■ Dance Theatre ON ■
Dance Theatre ON, currently the most widely recognised modern dance company in Korea, was founded in 1993 by Hong Sungyop, a choreographer who has expertise and experience in classical ballet and modern dance. Since it first presented its founding performance at Seoul Art Center in 1994, it has consistently released new choreographies. With its first international performance in September 2000(the 9th France Lyon Dance Biennale), it has been globally spot-lighted. Until today, it has regularly performed around the world, including Denmark(2003), Finland(2003), Canada(2005), Germany(Frankfurt Book Fair, 2005), Spain(Asian Dance Festival, 2006), U.S. A.P.A.P(New York Association of Performing Arts Presenters, 2007), Japan(Institute Women’s College Performing Arts Festival, 2007), and Singapore(Singapore Arts Festival, 2008).

Dance Theatre ON’s serious effort to bring art closer to the public through artistic performances has been welcomed by many critics and audiences. Some of its highly artistic performances that express the multi-level conflicts of mankind have been evaluated as being [abstracted, modern art of sophistication], [logic outside logic; poetic language of choreography], [genius of ideas], [comprehensive composition of stage space], and [a catalyst of change preserving the unique formation and analytical frame of Western dance, yet adding innovation in between movements].

■ Choreographer_ Hong Sungyop ■
Hong Sungyop, the philosopher of dance and magician of movements, is known for his innovative ideas and modern expression of human introversion. He is also acclaimed to be the genius of unique movements and ensembles or the arbitrator of delicate movements.

His reputation has been proven by the compliments he received with [Moon-looking Dog] and [Deja Vu] at France Lyon Dance Biennale in 2000 and the award he was bestowed with at the 2nd Korea-France Cultural Awards. His performances were highly praised by the local media and tickets to all of the five shows were completely sold out. With his successful debut in Europe, Hong Sungyop opened a new era in the field of dancing in Korea. Lyon Dance Biennale’s Artistic Director, Guy Darmet likened him to William Forsythe from Asia and asked him to join their production (Deja Vu).

Hong Sungyop and Dance Theatre On have been regarded as the most innovative and best Contemporary Choreographer and Dance Company in Korea.

■ Works of Hong Sungyop ■
" Horn" [co-production, LG Arts Center](2008)
" Ah-Q" [co-production, LG Arts Center](2006)
"Cyfrica" (2004)
"Mosaic" (2004)
"Shadow Cafe" [co-production, LG Arts Center] (2003)
"Shadows More Than Two" [co-production, LG Arts Center]" (2003)
"Red Buddha" [co-production, LG Arts Center] (2001)
"Deja vu" [co-production, Lyon Dance Biennale] (2000)
"Moon-Looking Dog" (1999)
"The Blood in Horses' Eyes..." (1999)
"The 5th Character" (1998)
"The Snow-White" (1997)
"He is numbering again" (1997)
"Mountain Passing Backward" (1996)
"The Monkey in Blue Shirts" (1996)
"Faunus' Pendulum" (1995)
"Scamper of 13 Kids" (1995)
"The Grave Faraway"
"The Dream of Old Man, Mr. Kim" (1994)
"The Third Question of the Speechless Word" (1994)

Dance Theatre ON(person in charge Kang Dahae)
Tel : 82-2-3436-9048 Fax : 82-2-3436-9018
E-mail : dancetheatreon@hanmail.net
Website : www.dancetheatreon.net
Add: Step B/D B1F, 115-12, Jungkok-4dong, Kwangjin-gu, Seoul, Korea