By Gai DaGai
On Tuesday, April 2nd, Asia Society presented Shen Wei Dance Arts at 725 Park Avenue at 70th Street in New York City.
The event began with an introduction given by Rachel Cooper, director of Global Performing Arts and Special Cultural Initiatives for Asia Society. Shortly after Shen Wei, artistic director of Shen Wei Dance Arts gave his introduction.
The first screening of the night began with an excerpt from RE-(Part III), choreography and costumes by Shen Wei. Music by David Lang, and performed by Javier Baca, Brooke Broussard, Cecily Campbell, Hunter Carter, Sarah Lisette Chiesa, Evan Copeland, Andrew Cowan, Jenna Fakhoury, Jessica Harris, Sara Procopio, Joan Wadopian, and Adam Weinert.
Next performance was RE – III Thru Out New York, choreography by Shen Wei. Music by Steve Reich, Iannis Xenakis, Arvo Part, and David Lang. Filmed by N9 Productions, and performed by Cecily Campbell, Hunter Carter, Sarah Lisette Chiesa, Kathleen Jewett, Burr Johnson, Cynthia Koppe, Sara Procopio, Evan Teitelbaum, Ada Weinert, and Brandon Whited.
The end of the first screening was a dance performance: Excerpts from Collective Measures, concept, choreography, and video design by Shen Wei. Original score by Daniel Burke, costumes by Austin Scarlett. Video and animation technicians by Fake Love, Josh Horowitz, and Layne Braunstein, and performed by Cecily Campbell, Sara Lisette Chiesa, Evan Copeland, Jordan Isadore, Kathleen Jewett, Burr Johnson, Janice Lancaster Larsen, Austin Selden, and Brandon Whited.
Then came the second screening with excerpts from Second Visit to the Empress, choreography, sets, costumes, and directed by Shen Wei. Music direct by Zhenguo Liu and traditional music by Being Opera. And performed by Reid Bartelme, Brooke Broussard, Lindsay Clark, Andrew Cowan, Dai Jian, Duan Ni, Jessica Harris, James Healey, Hou Ying, Sara Procopio, Shen Wei, and Joan Wadopian.
And ending the night was a dance performance: Solo from Collective Measures, concept, choreography, and video design by Shen Wei. Original score by Daniel Burke. Bide and animation technicians by Fake Love, Josh Horowitz, and Layne Braunstein. And Performed by Kathleen Jewett.
Shen Wei (沈偉) is a Chinese-born American choreographer, visual artist and director. Widely recognized for his defining vision of an intercultural and interdisciplinary mode of movement-based performance, Shen Wei creates original works that employ an assortment of media elements, including dance, painting, sound, sculpture, theater and video. Shen Wei earned numerous awards such as; MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship in 2007, the U.S. Artists Fellow award, John Simon Guggenhei Fellowship, Nijinsky Emerging Choreographer Award, the Asian American Arts Alliance Award, and the World Economic Forum’s Young global Leader Honor.
In July of 2000, Shen Wei founded Shen Wei Dance Arts and became the Artistic Director of the contemporary dance company. Shen Wei Dance Arts quickly entered the international touring trip. Throughout the past 12 years, Shen Wei Dance Arts has toured on four continents performing at leadering festivals such as Venice Biennale, Berliner Festpiele, the Edinburgh International Festival, Lincoln Center Festival, and annually at the American Dance Festival. For more, please visit: www.shenweidancearts.org
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