Renowned Chinese choreographer and dancer, Yang Liping, creates a breathtaking portrayal of a turning point in Chinese history, described to be full of “beauty, blood and backflipping warlords.” Under Siege explores the epic battle between the Chu and Han armies, an event which changed the course of Chinese history, through powerful hallucinatory beauty. She combines contemporary dance with Chinese folk dance, kung fu, tai chi, and hip-hop, Chinese opera with live musicians on stage, and a captivating variety of ominous set pieces, dense with dark symbolism. We picked Liping’s incredibly creative brain to learn more about this ancient epic tale and her visually stunning production.
What sorts of emotions are you striving to bring to the surface in this performance?
This is a very emotive piece. I hope that through this work, every audience member can deeply feel the destruction that war brings to all things good.
Can you tell me about the piece's title, Under Siege?
The title refers to the name of an ancient story that has been circulating around China for thousands of years, so it was fitting for the show.
The performance recounts the Chu-Han Contention. How are you making a historical event that happened around 200 BC relevant in the contemporary world of 2018?
Looking at the world today, I find that we are repeating mistakes that we've already made and tragedies that have already occurred; therefore, I feel that this ancient story still retains its practical significance.
Although today's world is generally peaceful and beautiful, there continues to be many local conflicts and even the danger of a potential large-scale war. I hope this story will give the modern world a warning.
© LI Yi Jian
In your opinion, what is the underlying story? One of war? Love? Lust?
To a certain extent, it depends on the audience's interpretation. I really hope that this judgment can be left to the audience members themselves.
What role do the thousands of pairs of scissors play in the piece?
The scissors allude to an environment of oppression, which helps immerse the audience in the story. In addition, the tens of thousands of pairs of scissors in the performance demonstrate that many large crises actually stem from the accumulation of countless small, imperceptible crises.
Speaking of visual effects, using vibrant red feathers in place of blood is a really interesting substitute.
© LI Yi Jian
In an interview with The Japan Times you claimed, "my mentor is nature." What have you learned from watching nature and how have you incorporated it into the production of this show?
This work is very different from my previous works in terms of form. It doesn't directly draw on images from nature, such as animals and plants; only the feathers come directly from nature. But the laws of human society are part of the laws of nature, and the concepts of good and evil, beauty and ugliness, are the same.
Are there elements from China that you are eager to introduce to the Middle East?
Indeed. The work incorporates many Chinese elements such as: scissors, paper-cutting, shadow puppetry, Beijing opera, and kung fu.
Under Siege has already hit the Chinese and London stages. How have reactions been so far?
We've also conducted tours in Australia, Austria, the Netherlands, and other places. So far we've received very enthusiastic responses. The media has also given 4 and 5 star reviews – we are very satisfied with the positive feedback.
© LI Yi Jian
Is this your first time performing in Israel?
Yes.
How does one marry kung fu / tai chi fighters, contemporary dancers, and live musicians all in one creative space?
It was very natural. All of these elements are very familiar to me – they come from my blood. When I first became eager to tell this story, these elements naturally jumped into my mind.
What role does the actor from the Beijing Opera play?
He plays the role of storyteller in the play.
Do you feel that you've succeeded in keeping traditional Chinese folk dance alive?
Yes, I hope I have made some progress in this area.
What's next for Yang Liping?
We are in the process of developing a new version of Rite of Spring – a series of codes that Stravinsky leaves for future generations of dancers. Our goal is to develop a new, more aesthetic interpretation. We've shown our concept to many important people in the international dance world. Sadler's Wells (in London), the Edinburgh Festival, and the Melbourne Arts Festival are all interested in co-producing, which gives us great confidence for future success.
April 26-28, check out the event HERE