Premiere

Cosmic Wander: NeZha + KuanYinKali

CANCELLED: Choy Ka Fai
Dates
05.06.2020 – 06.06.2020

The double evening grants a view on the multitude of shamanistic phenomena in Taiwan and Singapore, staged as bridging the paranormal with the technological enhancements of humans by media artist and choreographer Choy Ka Fai: Here, shamanist practice meets the upsurge of post-human consciousness that may lead to a new concept of humanity.
During the first part, “Cosmic Wander: NeZha”, Choy Ka Fai, former tanzhaus nrw Factory Artist, follows traces left by the deity NeZha, examining Taiwanese incarnations and choreographic explorations in everyday life. Therein, the deity receives worship in traditional
forms as well as in current entertainment dimensions, thus finding its space in a Taiwan characterised by technological developments and democratic zeitgeist.
The second part, “Cosmic Wander: KuanYinKali”, is a trance-like voguing party, spearheaded by a divine medium formed from Chinese and Indian deities. In search of religious ecstasy and freedom of expression, the figure of KuanYinKali immerses itself into suburban Singapore, where the needs and desires of the city state manifest.

So, Cosmic Wander grants insight into Asia’s shamanistic dance cultures. Choy Ka Fai especially focuses on spectacular, immersive trance experiences, aiming to create a shared extrasensory dance experience.
Together with performers he met during his 18-month research phase in different Asian countries, he creates a speculation on alternative forms of life and knowledge as well as the design for possibility on how to form interactions with and the perception and questioning of realities surrounding us. The performances draw inspiration from personal experiences and encounters with more than 50 shamans in Singapore, Taiwan, Vietnam, Siberia and Indonesia.

Duration: 120 min. incl. intermission

Concept, artistic director, documentation: Choy Ka Fai; Dramaturgy: Tang Fu Kuen; Visual design, programming: Brandon Tay; Lighting design, stage design: Ray Tseng; Production, technical management: Yap Seok Hui ARTFACTORY; Creative producer, management: Mara Nedelcu.
Cosmic Wander: Nezha (Taiwan) Choreography, performance: Lin Su-Lien, Fangas Nayaw, Song Wei-Jie; Sound design, performance: Betty Apple.
Cosmic Wander: KuanYinKali (Singapur) Choreography, Performance: Sun Phitthaya Phaefuang; Sound design, performance: NADA (Rizman Putra, Safuan Johari), Cheryl Ong.
A project by Choy Ka Fai, co-produced by tanzhaus nrw in the framework of Bündnis internationaler Produktionshäuser, funded by Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien and Taipei Art Festival. Supported by Singapore Arts Museum and NATIONALE PERFORMANCE NETZ Koproduktionsförderung Tanz, funded by Beauftragten der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien. The research was supported by Creation Fund, National Arts Councils, Singapore and Kunststiftung NRW. The performances at tanzhaus nrw are funded by National Arts Councils Singapore.