© Ringo Chan City Contemporary 'Feng' reviews City Contemporary 'Shui' reviews recent City Contemporary reviews more Natasha Rogai reviews Discuss this review (Open for at least 6 months)

Yeung’s Feng portrays different aspects of Wind in a series of cleverly-titled scenes (Windsurfers, Windflowers, Windmill…). The sparse design and simple white costumes create an impression of space, light and air – this is a piece where you can breathe. Video projections are used sparingly to good effect. A slow, controlled opening solo by Chan Yi Jing ends abruptly as he vanishes through a trap door in the stage and Xing Liang soars into the air to begin the superb Windsurfer sequence, in which six male dancers create images of flying and floating on the wind like skydivers. Equally stunning was Windmill, where all the dancers come together to create spectacular effects through the simplest of means – whirling arms. Windflowers included some attractive double work (rather rare at CCDC), with a spectacular lift at the end.

The piece is a little long, and the prologue performed while the audience is coming in seemed redundant. However, it was a pleasure to see so much genuinely original, and beautiful, choreography. Yeung is known for his sculptural approach, and this was much in evidence, in both solos and the striking groupings. The dancing was excellent, Xing Liang being especially oustanding. I hope this will remain in the repertoire.
 

Regretfully, I cannot say the same for Mui’s disappointing Shui. The piece opens promisingly, with a clever, mirrored set and Qiao Yang using her lovely long hair to create a vivid impression of being underwater. After that, the piece loses its way. There is too little dance, and too much of what seems more like experimental theatre. Rather than creating images of water by using movement, Mui relies too much on having basins of actual water being splashed about on stage. That may be wet, but it is not an effective way to portray Water as an element.

A version of this review appeared previously in the South China Morning Post