Without a fixed theme, modern dance My Life as a Dancer The Evolution presents an atmosphere of freedom. Second from right in the back row is Lau Siu-ming, 76, Hong Kong's pioneer of modern dance.
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Can a 76-year-old man perform modern dance? The answer is yes. Lau Siu-ming, Hong Kong's pioneer of modern dance, demonstrated that age is not a problem in modern dance as long as you have the spirit of freedom. Though he hasn't given a solo performance for almost 30 years, Lau won warm applause from his performance in My Life as a Dancer The Evolution, held last week at Hong Kong's Kwai Tsing Theater as part of the 2007 Hong Kong Arts Festival.

The production gathered 16 of the best modern dancers/choreographers in Hong Kong for the first time and has already become a milestone in the city's history of modern dance. "My biggest benefit from this work is the process of creating a dance together," said Lau. "We are like a family, and each has his or her own personality."

Lau was Hong Kong's first modern dancer to study abroad. In 1964, he joined Maurice Bejart's Ballet of the 20th Century in Belgium. However, in the 1970s after he returned to Hong Kong, he became a film actor because he couldn't support himself by just dancing in Hong Kong.

Compared to Lau, the younger generations of modern dancers are much luckier. Forty-year-old Daniel Yeung started dance training when he was 27, but became an active modern dancer who keeps presenting new works in Hong Kong and around the world.

When Yeung was invited to join the other 15 modern dancers to create a dance together, he regarded it mission impossible. "We all have different styles, and it was hard for me to imagine how we could perform together," said Yeung. "But during rehearsals, we came up with many good ideas and became excited. At last, the show turned out to be something between a performance and a party."

In one part, Yeung and Lau, who have the shortest and longest career as modern dancers among the cast, gave a pas de deux that juxtaposed the situations of the two dancers.

"Lau shared with me his rich experience as a modern dancer and told me his understanding of dance and life," said Yeung. "I'm used to choreographing a whole work by myself, but this time I have a good chance to learn from and exchange with other dancers."

My Life as a Dancer The Evolution, which runs for two hours and 15 minutes, is divided into 17 parts, including solos, pas des deux, trios, and group dances. The forms and moods of each part differ greatly. One can find fragments of ballet, tap dance and jazz and some parts trigger loud laughter while others lead to serious pondering.

"Modern dance is not one style of dance, but a dance of free expression," said Willy Tsao, founder of Hong Kong's first professional modern dance group City Contemporary Dance Company, and one of the 16 dancers/choreographers of My Life as a Dancer The Evolution.

"We didn't dance according to a fixed theme, for we want to present an atmosphere of freedom. However, the audience are expected to feel something in general after seeing the performance 'this is Hong Kong's modern dance'."

Besides performing dances, the dancers made jokes and played games to depict the lives of modern dancers and the hardship and pleasure of their career.

Tsao said that while Western ballet and traditional Chinese dances have their audiences in Hong Kong, modern dance can best represent the city's own dance culture.

"Though every modern dancer has his or her unique style, we appreciate each other, and this work is a product of mutual respect," said he.

This is most clearly demonstrated in the last part, in which a dancer rapped about many other modern dancers or groups which did not participate this performance, as all the performers performed hip-hop dance in group, leading the work to its climax.

(China Daily March 27, 2007)