Interview by William Chan
In an exclusive interview with the Post earlier this week, dance choreographers Leong On Kei and Liu Yi Fei revealed that their latest dance theatre production for local art organisation T Theatre, “Immersed in the Deep Blue Sea,” explores the relationship between humans and nature, as well as the roles and values of individuals in modern society.
Established in 2016, T Theatre promotes various forms of choreography, aiming to explore diverse body practices across different media and backgrounds. This dance drama belongs to their “Reaching Art” project, which through its creative process conducts research and puts the professionalism and experimentalism of dance or theatre into practice.
This year, the “Reaching Art” project invited local dancer Leong and Liu from the mainland to collaborate, delving into history, culture, and everyday life, and weaving a dance piece that explores the relationship and connection between the individual and society.
Leong and Liu noted that their original dance theatre production features three characters: the female protagonist Lam Mak, a fisherman, and the last oyster in the world. The story revolves around Lam Mak’s search for the last oyster, whereas the fisherman reflects humanity’s endless pursuit and exploitation of natural resources, revealing the impact on the environment and negligence of the consequences.
“Amidst the sound of the sea waves, Lam Mak, the fisherman, and the last oyster in the world have become a community of shared fate in their journey of exploring the conflict of individual values and environmental issues,” they said.
Leong and Liu noted that Lam Mak is the human embodiment of A-Ma, and her character carries both the spirit of A-Ma’s great compassion and human-centric qualities. “We use the oyster to represent the environment, since Macau was once known as the “Oyster Mirror” (蠔鏡) due to its [erstwhile] abundant oyster production,” they said, adding that in the story, due to environmental pollution and species extinction, only the world’s last oyster survives, symbolising the conflict between the natural world and humanity.
“Macau is closely connected to the customs of A-Ma, and we have always wanted to create a work related to local culture,” Leong and Liu said, adding that they are believers of A-Ma, and hope to use their professional skills to promote the spirit of A-Ma’s culture.
Leong and Liu also noted that they had conducted field research in A-Ma’s legendary hometown, Meizhou Island in Putian city of Fujian province, to gain a deeper understanding of A-Ma culture. They also based their rehearsals at Xiamen University in Fujian.
Leong and Liu added that the dance theatre also incorporates music. “We worked together with a percussion teacher, who observed our dance movements and provided corresponding sounds based on the variations in movement and character emotions. Through continuous collaboration, we presented a segment where percussion and dance blend together,” they said.
The performances will be held on June 21 starting at 8 p.m. and on June 22 beginning at 3 p.m. at the Macau Cultural Centre’s (CCM) smaller black box theatre Black Box I. Tickets are priced at 180 patacas, with various discounts available. For more information, visit: https://mmzkhzdp0fdssf9s.mikecrm.com/66jyrEn
Leong On Kei as Lam Mak
Oyster dancer
Fisherman
Dance choreographer Liu Yi Fei
Dancers rehearse at Xiamen University recently for their upcoming performance “Immersed in the Deep Blue Sea”.
– Photos provided by T Theatre
