The Second floor of China Exchange has served multiple purposes and is reimagined with every new activity it hosts and nurtures. During this year’s Mid-Autumn festival, it became a dance studio where the bodies and moves of a diverse group took ownership of the space. Curiosity and community led the enthusiastic members to engage in dance workshops leading to a final public performance.
Set over four weeks, two of these groups uniting dancers from all levels and backgrounds worked together to undergo the process of constructing a contemporary piece, led by contemporary dancer and choreographer Quang Kien Van. Through games and exercises organised by the dancers workshop participants gained confidence and built a piece of their own making.
The aim of the project was to enhance participants’ sense of community and explore the idea of belonging through movement and dance. In practice, participants built friendships with other members of the community and had a lot of fun discovering something new in a playful atmosphere. This process also developed everyone’s confidence in the lead to their final performance. “Our choreographer is extremely enthusiastic, so that makes us feel keen and also makes us feel as though we are able to do it. And we were able to do it” a participant tells us.
The professional dancers also greatly enjoyed sharing their knowledge and passion with their attentive crowd.
This Mid-Autumn dance-project was made possible thanks to the Arts Council England and China Exchange, and supported by Pure Essentials and KU BAR.