Chien-Ying Wang
Monmouth Junction, NJ, USA - This submission from Artist, Chien-Ying Wang, subverts our gaze of everyday movement by weaving it amongst choreographed dance and the ordered movement of ceremony. Hit play and let your mind sway!
From the Artist: ‘Slice of Life’ explores the spirituality of everyday activities as well as the sanctity of human gestures in worship. The dance film investigates the juxtaposition of pedestrian movements as theatrical dance and choreographed dance as ordinary daily movements.
Director/Producer: Chien-Ying Wang
Choreographer : Chien-Ying Wang in collaboration with the dancers
Original Score: Vincent Pierce Smith
Dancers: Yi Ying Zhao and Yi Chi Xu
Editor: Chien-Ying Wang
Camera Work: Paul C. Ocampo and Chien-Ying Wang
Still Photographer: Paul C. Ocampo
Costume Concept: Chien-Ying Wang
Production Coordinator: Paul C. Ocampo
Bio provided by Artist: As an artist and dance scholar, I am passionate about interdisciplinary discourse. My research aims to bring Chinese perspectives of dance, religion, philosophy, history and psychology together. The research focuses on the spiritual relationship between mortals and gods, presented as a dance film documenting visual images and aural tones in various Chinese temples. Like Western churches, Chinese temples are places where people go to seek solace, find hope, peace and comfort, and increase faith when they are in a state of vulnerability. Through various ritualistic gestures such as kneeling, lighting of incense and candles, burning paper money, and offering foods for the gods, the faithful believe that the gods will hear their prayers. The existence of temple serves a vital role in Chinese society; it is the structure that aspires to bring mortals close to the realm of gods. During this pandemic, like most artists, I have been devoting most of my time in creating new choreographic works and making dance films. By sharing Slice of Life to a wider audience, I am hoping that one could find a sense of calmness and peacefulness in this uncertain time.
Chien-Ying Wang, a choreographer, dancer and film maker, hails from Taiwan and is Co-Artistic Director of OcampoWang Dance. She received her MFA degree in Dance from The Ohio State University. Wang was a soloist with Repertory Dance Theatre. She was a finalist of Bogliasco Fellowship and recipient of the Project Support Grant from Salt Lake City Arts Council. Wang has been commissioned by Ballet Philippines, Lustig Dance Theatre, RDT, OSU, Boston Conservatory, National Taiwan University of Arts, TongJi University, and Beijing Normal University. Her choreographic works has been presented in Manhattan Movement & Arts Center, Ailey Citigroup Theatre, Gelsey Kirkland Arts Center, Dixon Place, Judson Memorial Church and 92nd Street Y in NYC, Cultural Center of the Philippines, National Chiang Kai-Shek Cultural Center, and other performance venues. Wang’s current research deals with the interfacing of live performance and video dance as well screendance.