Prisca Tang
Xie Xin, the choreographer of the upcoming dance show “From In” at the Macau Cultural Centre (CCM), says that she includes Chinese flavour in contemporary dance by connecting breathing and dancing.
Xie made the remarks on Monday during a meeting-the-press event at the centre in Nape.
The Chinese title of “From In” consists of the two strokes that form the word people (人), according to Xie, who said that if one rearranges the strokes, it forms the word “in” (入) in Chinese. She pointed out that she deconstructed the Chinese characters to emphasise the importance of a connection point, adding that the connection represents the warmth of two human beings.
Xie said that she wanted the audience learn the importance of relationships through her work. She noted that a lot of people do not understand contemporary dance, so she encourages them to “feel the movement”.
According to Xie, she wants her dancers to “feel the movement” and to believe in the chemistry between one another.
“Contemporary dance is like a butterfly effect – one thing should lead to another. There is a connection between them,” Xie pointed out.
Contemporary dance is a combination of everything
Xie said that every dance genre has a frame, apart from contemporary dance. She underlined that contemporary dance is a way to express one’s thoughts through body movements.
Xie said that while growing up she learnt Chinese traditional dance, ballet, and many other types of dances, adding that the dances she learnt defined her roots and equipped her with technique. She pointed out that in her composition she combines everything and expresses who she has become.
Xie said her works are heavily influenced by Chinese culture, adding she doesn’t feel obligated to add Chinese elements but that it just happens “naturally”.
According to Xie, a lot of Western artists in the dance industry have turned their eyes to Asia. She noted that in Western dance, the expression of “out” is more powerful than “in”, while in Oriental culture, “in” and “out” are equally powerful.
Xie said when she dances, she emphasises air “qi” (氣).
“I focus on the [air] circulation of my breath that connects to my body and my action,” Xie said while demonstrating how movements are connected with her breath.
Grasping the opportunities
Xie had her own dance studio and she confessed that the COVID-19 pandemic last year was a time for internal growth for her and her team.
She said the novel coronavirus epidemic limited her team’s chances to go overseas last year. However, she said that her team has made use of the one-year hiatus and grown in different ways. She noted that last year she went on a television dance show, and some of her dancers created their own stage performances.
She said that she was not the type of person to wait for opportunities to come to her but to “grasp my own chances”.
Using body to connect with the world
Xie held a workshop last week with local dancers in Macau from different dance fields. She said that during her workshop, she took time to explain how modern dance works.
“I tried to enlighten them to expand the possibility of their bodies,” Xie said.
She admitted that two classes cannot bring a huge difference to the dancers but she hoped that she had planted some seeds in them that could further their growth.
When asked for a piece of advice for local dancers, Xie said: “Express who you are through your dance”. She said that everyone can be a dancer but one had to convey one’s cultural background and story through one’s movements to stand out.
Xie said, after all, dancing is not a basic skill but a method “to connect the world with your body”. She encouraged local dancers to be more original and unique.
Besides being a dancer, Xie is also a clothing designer, a mother, an instructor and a choreographer. Xie said she tried to keep a pure heart and creating a more comfortable environment for others was her way to success.
Xie stressed that this is a special time when Western culture is giving a lot more support to female choreographers and is intrigued by Asia, especially Chinese, choreographies. Xie said this was the time for dancers to express their own thoughts and amplify one’s emotions through body movements.
The sold-out performance of “From In” is on at Macau Cultural Centre today and tomorrow at 7:45 p.m.
The choreographer of the up-coming dance show “From In” at the Macau Cultural Centre (CCM), Xie Xin, poses on the sidelines of Monday’s interview at centre in Nape. Photo: Prisca Tang
This photo shows Xie Xin instructing local dancers during a workshop over the weekend.
Photos provided by Macau Cultural Centre of the contemporary dance show “From In” and workshop.
