As part of this year’s French May Arts Festival, the performance titled “New World Symphony” will present diverse repertoire from Europe, Asia, Africa and South America.
Ziwani, who is leading the collaboration, told The Washington Post that the idea behind it was to create a new world “where we embrace new forms and act with the diversity of music and dance.”
“In France, it’s not common to play this kind of music on a classical performance stage. The New World Symphony allows people to discover the world not only through music, but also through dance,” she said.
On stage, Mourad Merzouki, known as the “ambassador of French hip-hop”, will bring a dynamic fusion of hip-hop, break dance, martial arts and modern dance to energetic musical rhythms.
As a choreographer trained in martial arts and circus acrobatics, Melzocchi said expanding the boundaries of hip-hop dance has been a long-term endeavor.
“Breaking barriers, crossing disciplines, creating unexpected conversations, disrupting things, and being blown away are the deep driving forces in my creative process,” Merzuki said.
This is a great opportunity to create a project about the Olympic spirit
He said he hopes the combination of classical music and the world of hip-hop will bring both genres to a wider audience.
While the unique nature of both art forms presented challenges, both Zivanni and Merzuki found the New World Symphony collaboration to be a rewarding experiment.
“This collaboration allows [both] Both to grow in openness and to take risks,” says Merzouki.
For Ziwani, the fusion with hip-hop dance brings energy and diversity to classical music and also resonates with the inclusion of breakdance in Olympic plans.
“This is a great opportunity to create a project about the Olympic spirit,” she said. “The Olympic Games are not only a sports feast and a grand event, but also a collision of different cultures and Olympic values.”
Merzuki said the performance embodied the spirit of sportsmanship and its values of excellence, friendship and respect.
“Our goal is to take the audience on a journey that resonates with poetry, beauty, light and generosity. In a sense, we need to balance the complexity of today’s world,” he added.
Coincidentally, another cross-border fusion of music and dance will be staged at Free Space in the West Kowloon Cultural District in June.
Dubbed “Elements of Freestyle,” Amsterdam-based ISH Dance Collective’s show promises to blend breakdancing, inline skating, skateboarding, freestyle basketball, BMX and free running, accompanied by cellist Annie Tangberg and violinist Wei La Vanderbilt.
Paul Tam, executive director of performing arts at the Cultural District, said it demonstrates the endless possibilities of contemporary performance and the innovative and transformative power of free space.
In addition to performances June 28-30, members of the ISH Dance Collective will lead three public workshops in June.
“New World Symphony”, Hong Kong Cultural Center Grand Theater, May 23-24, 8pm. access www.frenchmay.com Learn more. “Elements of Freestyle,” ISH Dance Collective, The Box, Free Space, June 28-29, 8pm, June 30, 3pm. access www.westkowloon.hk Learn more.
