Review-Dream Illusion Bubble Shadow-Zuni Icosahedron
20-9-14
‘Ding Dong’ the Duck is dead!
Fitting in with the theme of the evening, one of Hong Kong’s favorite icons was punctured and left behind in the history archives where it belongs. If you want to know more, you must go see the show.
Zuni Icosahedron based in Hong Kong and Dance Forum Taipei, Taiwan worked collaboratively to create Dream Illusion Bubble Shadow. It is a multi-media music and dance experience with artists from Taiwan, Tokyo and Hong Kong working together.
While packaged as a contemporary dance piece – merging elements of multimedia, live guitar, dance and movement and verse – it pulled inspiration from the ancient Buddhist text Diamond Sutra, which presents the premise that, “All conditioned phenomena are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, shadows”. They were also influenced
in style by Japanese Noh (No) Theatre, which originated in the 14th Century. Noh embraces the use of time and negative space; intertwining music, drama, dance and poetry.
All that being said, this collaborative effort was beautiful, insightful, baffling, inspiring and a bit confusing. It began with the duck and a fluttering of movement before the house was closed. As the doors where shut, the company stepped forward and chose a card. Cards that the audience also received before entering the lobby. On each of these cards was a Buddhist Verse or Sanskrit. The cards were then read aloud and both the live guitarist and dancer responded to and reacted to this verse in an improvisational and synergetic fashion. The dancers presented some truly beautiful moments.
There were four parts to the overall piece. I didn’t really understand the second piece, as it also integrated spoken verse and ambient nature sounds. The concepts didn’t really seem to resonate as much as the others.
The third piece was impactful. Backed by a large white wall that descended from the theatre flies, we were slowly introduced to more and more zeroes and ones – 01001110011 – until the wall was covered with them. The artists depicted the monotony of our lives in a digitized world and how our only break from this uniformity of living as a number on a page is our relationships and interactions with people. Or at least, this was my take on it. To someone else, it could mean something totally different, which is what is great about art.
The fourth piece seemed to explore the human need for what is tangible and palpable – our need and desire for contact on all levels.
The final piece seemed to explore their core philosophy of the Logic of Negation. To my understanding this is a Buddhist belief that to truly understand any and all things we must let go of all things worldly. The performers did this and both the music and dance ended in great joy. And, to a point, they challenged the audience to follow their example in letting go. I guess Elsa had it right.
Throughout the evening, there was a lot of multimedia visuals and the skillful influences of Ellen Joyce Loo on her guitar. Her collaboration and interaction with the artists was truly remarkable.
As for the evening overall, the concepts were large and often heady and difficult to understand. But, the dancers from these three parts of the world worked flawlessly together. Audience members could just sit back and enjoy some skillful dance performances. Or, you could allow yourself to be influenced by the performance and think a little. It is one of those pieces where you don’t walk away in awe, exuberance or tears, but one that will sit with you for a while as you contemplate its implications.
As a side note, they decided to use digital programs. I love this idea as it greatly reduces the destruction of our forests and leaves room for much needed oxygen to our polluted city. However, since the Grand Cultural Center's internet block makes it impossible to use your device, the program is not accessible until after you leave. For a piece like this, a little direction, or a title of each section or at the bare minimum a suggestion as to what it is about would have been helpful. Might I suggest a single A5 page with the basic information along with a CRC code that suggests that you may access the full program later?
Overall, a truly enjoyable evening. It may not be for everyone, but if you enjoy music, dance or would enjoy some art with a voice, then it is well worth taking 90 minutes out of your weekend to experience Dream Illusion Bubble Shadow.
Dream Illusion Bubble Shadow is playing through Sunday. For more information, click here.
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