BY EVA AMESSé

In print | Published October 30, 2008

Shen Wei and his company, Shen Wei Dance Arts, choreographed material for the 2008 Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, which was viewed by over four billion people worldwide. The Swarthmore community had the pleasure of a more intimate experience with Shen Wei Dance Arts on Friday evening when the ensemble performed two of their well-known pieces, “Rite of Spring” and “Re–(part1),” in the Pearson-Hall Theatre.

Shen Wei Dance Arts has performed repeatedly at the American Dance Festival, Lincoln Center Festival, the Venice Biennale, Los Angeles Music Center, Het Muziektheater Amsterdam and many more premier festivals around the world. It is a thrill that Shen Wei Dance Arts added Swarthmore to their performance schedule this season, which was made possible by the William J. Cooper Foundation.

Wei, a choreographer, director, dancer, painter, photographer and designer, is an artist in every sense of the word. His cross-cultural, interdisciplinary and innovative approach to modern dance has been praised by critics worldwide. Wei utilizes visual art and elements from traditional Chinese opera in conjunction with Western performance art to develop an original dance vocabulary for his abstract repertory. On Friday evening the Swarthmore community enjoyed a mesmerizing piece called “Rite of Spring” set to Igor Stravinsky’s influential work by the same name. The Chinese Opera walks were instantly recognizable as the dancers treaded swiftly and lightly with very still upper bodies. When Stravinsky’s dissonant and rhythmic chords began to sound, an explosion of sharp and acrobatic movement followed. The dancers moved with such agility that their movements often evoked the nimble, dexterous twists and curvatures of limber felines. Throughout the entire piece the dancers moved in synchronization with each of their breaths and intimated a provocative connection with gravity, sometimes pulling each part of their bodies off the ground one inch at a time.

After intermission, the audience was surprised to find the stage transformed into a work of art, with symbols traced by colorful confetti on the floor. “‘Re–(part1)’ was meditation through movement and we had the pleasure of experiencing it through the dancers,” Lori Barkin ’12 said. The flying confetti created a beautiful effect. After the performance Wei explained that the music for this piece was a traditional Tibetan chant and prayer that he encountered during his travels. “Re–(part1)” was created as a “wish for peace,” Wei said, “a hope that we can all come together peacefully.”

Associate in Performance Jon Sherman was awed by the dancers’ sheer athleticism and ability to combine simple and complex movements. “[‘Rite of Spring’] was amazingly imaginative and incredible to watch. I can’t say enough about it,” Sherman said. Associate in Performance and alumnus Jumatatu Poe ’04 was also impressed by the dancers’ extensive movement vocabulary. “I felt it gave unison a whole new meaning because the movements were so specific and fully embodied by the performers,” Poe said. “It made me excited about dance. It’s hard for me to get into work that is so abstract.” Kathryn Stockbower ’11 rushed to the performance after basketball practice to catch the second piece and admitted that she has never seen anything quite like this. “I am so glad that I made it,” Stockbower said, “I really enjoyed it. The way they used confetti to emphasize the movement was really creative, and I noticed the interplay between the dancers.”

Stockbower’s observation that the dancers were always playing off of each other is a key element in “Rite of Spring.” According to a member of the company, Jessica Harris, a lot of the movement is improvised allowing the dancers to just feel and react to each other. “We have clear rules but we play on each others’ energy,” Harris said.

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