DreamDance2 to Perform at the Ford Amphitheatre

 

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                          Contact: Vincent Liao

Monday, September 2, 2009                                                              info@dreamdancefoundation.org

626-254-9307

Photos available on request

 

CHINESE DANCE COMES TO THE FORD ON OCTOBER 10

DreamDance II to Perform “East West Fusion”

including two premieres

 

DreamDance II presents “East West Fusion,” an evening of classic and contemporary Chinese dances, at the Ford Amphitheatre. The performance is on Saturday, October 10th, at 8:00 p.m. The company, under the direction of Ting-Ting Chang - winner of the 10th Annual Dance under Stars Choreography Festival at McCallum Theater and 6^th China National Dance Competition – unveils two new works: Yellow River, set to the Yellow River piano concerto, and Chasing the Moon. “East West Fusion” also features classic Chinese dances of the Han (206 BC – 220 AD) and the Tang Dynasties (618 -907 AD) and is the Ford’s first evening devoted to Chinese dance.

 

The performance caps the Ford Amphitheatre 2009 Summer Season, a multi-disciplinary arts series produced by the Los Angeles County Arts Commission in cooperation with Los Angeles County-based arts organizations.

 

“We are very proud to be associated with the Ford Amphitheatre,” said Chang, currently an Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in dance and a faculty member at Washington University in St. Louis. “It is a great honor to be performing at this beautiful facility, and receiving the generous help and support from the Ford Theatres and the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.” 

 

DreamDance II specializes in fresh looks of traditional Chinese dances designed to share the essence of Chinese culture with the Los Angeles community. In “East West Fusion,” traditional flowing Chinese costumes and props such ribbons and umbrellas meld with contemporary choreographic styles, evocative lighting and enchanting sounds to create a singular dance landscape.

 

The first half of the program includes classical sleeve dances from the Han and Tang dynasties. Peach Blossoms, choreographed by Rebecca Shen, and Green Sleeves, choreographed by Ting-Ting Chang, feature costumes with very long sleeves that extend the arm movements to convey the feelings and emotions of the dancers. Sleeve dances originated from Chinese opera and incorporate hundreds of movements. Most movements imitate the flow of water, while the heavy influence of Chinese calligraphy is also evident. Owing to the extravagant costumes and the amount of training that is required to perform the dance, sleeve dances were performed almost exclusively in the Imperial Palace or for aristocrats. The combination of flowing long sleeves and delicate body movements produces beautiful images on stage.

The richness and magnificence of the powerful Chinese empire are evoked by the elegant costumes and extravagant hairpieces in two works choreographed by Ting-Ting Chang. The Tang dynasty is illustrated in The Lady in the Tang Garden, and Ladies in the Chu Palace, dating from the Han period, refers to a story thousands of years earlier from the ancient state of Chu in Southern China, in which young ladies danced to impress the king.

 

The second half of the performance features more contemporary dance movements and choreography, including the premieres of Chasing the Moon from Wen-qi Xu, a former senior lecturer of the Beijing Dance Academy, and a brand new three-section version of Yellow River by Ting-Ting Chang and Ya-Jing Zhang. The title Yellow River refers to the famous Yellow River Piano Concerto to which the dance is set. The concerto has been very popular among Chinese communities all over the world since its 1969 premiere during the Cultural Revolution Period (1966-1976). The music is a rally call for the Chinese people to reunite after years of chaos. The four-section version by the same choreographers premiered earlier this year, and has been extensively reworked for presentation at the Ford as part of “East West Fusion.”

 

DreamDance II is one of two companies of the DreamDance Foundation, a state registered non-profit organization based in Arcadia, California, that produces both contemporary and intercultural performances, as well as traditional dance projects. Its other company, DreamDance Contemporary Arts, produces contemporary modern dance. In the past year, DreamDance Foundation has reached more than 15,000 audience members by performing in such distinguished venues and events as the L.A. County Holiday Celebration at the Music Center and the Bowers Museum’s Terra Cotta Warriors exhibition, among others. DreamDance II will be featured in the one-hour music and dance special comprised of the “best of” LA County Holiday Celebration that will be broadcast on PBS stations across the nation in December 2009.

 

The price of the event is $30, and $5 for full-time students with ID and children 12 and under. Tickets are available at www.FordTheatres.org or at the Ford Box Office at 323 461-3673. (for non-visual media, 323 GO-1-FORD). The $5 student/child tickets are made possible thanks to a grant from Target, sponsor of Target Dance Series at the Ford. Target strives to make the arts affordable and accessible to youth and families because the arts help foster an appreciation and understanding of various cultures and points of view.

 

The Ford Amphitheatre is located at 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Hollywood, CA 90068, just off the 101 Hollywood Freeway across from the Hollywood Bowl and south of Universal Studios. The grounds open two hours before showtime for picnicking. The Ford offers a number of dining options: a variety of food and beverages is available on site and box dinners for evening events may be ordered in advance. Patrons are welcome to bring their own food and drink. The Ford is disabled accessible. Portable wireless listening devices are available upon request. On-site, stacked parking costs $5 per vehicle for evening shows and $1 per vehicle for morning family shows. For evening shows only, FREE non-stacked parking serviced by a FREE shuttle to the Ford, for evening amphitheatre performances only, is available at the Universal City Metro Station lot at Lankershim Blvd. and Campo de Cahuenga. The shuttle, which cycles every 15-20 minutes, stops in the "kiss and ride" area.

 

 

#                      #                      #