I was not sure what to expect. What I saw in the Ukiyo, at Gluttony, was a group of men displaying extraordinary physical skill and dexterity. I think I counted eight of them, but given the speed which they move I may have counted one twice, or missed one all together. No matter. What they bring is complete performance which encompasses dance, beat-boxing, martial arts, tricks. and parkour. These dancers, straight from Hong Kong have been wowing audiences all over the world.
They have woven traditional and contemporary Chinese art forms into a clever tapestry of movement, interaction and story telling. This is not just a display of dance moves, acrobatic tricks and strength but a joyous celebration of life. The climax comes with a dragon head, as would be used in a dragon dance, while members of the group take turns to emulate the dance, using red stools. Don’t ask – you have to see it to see how well this segment works.
Music ranges from Bach and Vivaldi through to modern and jazz. At times the rhythm and sounds are produced by one of the group using his voice and a hand held microphone. The movement is continuous and disciplined, with an underlying theme which suggests that the dancers are seeking some sense of their identity and this is created through the interactions between them. The artistic director Hugh Cho has created a fusion of styles which move seamlessly from one to another creating a complete performance. This makes it more than skilled acrobatics and dancing, but a narrative emanating from Hong Kong initially, but reaching out to a much larger world.
Such magic is hard to describe. Magic must be seen to be believed.
Festival Fringe Ukiyo The Gluttony
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