The American Dance Pageant (ADF) has launched Planting Seeds: ADF and Fashionable Dance in China, an oral historical past undertaking tracing ADF’s involvement in nurturing the event of contemporary dance in China. The gathering of greater than 21 hours of video interviews with 16 people, performed on Zoom between June 2022 and Might 2023, is totally bilingual with English and Chinese language closed captions to make sure accessibility. It’s now out there to the general public.
Jodee Nimerichter, ADF’s Govt Director, says, “This undertaking not solely gives perception into the previous 40 years of contemporary dance in China but in addition informs conversations about what is required to help the continuation of Chinese language trendy dance.”
ADF’s reference to China started within the Eighties when Chinese language choreographers, educators and directors, together with Yang Meiqi, attended ADF. Yang Meiqi requested ADF Director Charles Reinhart if ADF would assist set up the primary trendy dance program in China, ensuing within the Guangdong Fashionable Dance Experimental Program at Guangdong Dance Academy and later the Guangdong Fashionable Dance Firm. The objective was to not copy what was being achieved elsewhere however for American choreographers and academics to present Chinese language dancers the instruments to develop trendy dance from their very own tradition. Yang Meiqi and Reinhart are amongst these interviewed, sharing how their authentic objectives and hopes had been realized and the way the seeds they planted led straight or not directly to success tales, such because the careers of a number of artists, significantly Shen Wei and Jin Xing, who’re additionally interviewed.
The undertaking additional paperwork the experiences and impressions of the artists who taught in China and the scholars who participated in lessons. The not too long ago deceased Sarah Stackhouse remembers instructing foundations of contemporary dance and items of Limón repertory in 1987. Ruby Shang, who taught at Guangdong in 1988, offers her perspective whereas her college students Jin Xing and Wang Mei speak about their first experiences with trendy dance. Interviews with Wang Yabin, Hou Ying, Eiko Otake and Wen Hui make clear how ADF’s worldwide initiatives, just like the Worldwide Linkages Program (ILP) and the Worldwide Choreographers Residency (ICR) program, have fostered collaboration and cultural cross-pollination between the U.S. and China.
Past preserving the individuals’ experiences, the undertaking goals to doc what was taking place in dance in China whereas ADF was providing worldwide alternate packages and fostering new concepts and trendy dance. Interviews with Ralph Samuelson, who served for over three a long time in varied capabilities on the Asian Cultural Council (ACC) and its predecessor, the John D. Rockefeller (JDR) third Fund, and Michelle Vosper, Director of the ACC in Hong Kong from 1986 to 2012, reveal the institutional help that was essential to make the imaginative and prescient of Yang Meiqi and Charles Reinhart develop into a actuality.
Interviews had been performed in Chinese language and English by Emily Wilcox, a 2024 Guggenheim Fellow, scholar of Chinese language dance research, and affiliate professor at William & Mary, who served as Venture Director. Captions had been created by Yao Xu, a doctoral candidate in dance research at Temple College, who served as Manufacturing Assistant. Dean Jeffrey, ADF Director of Archives, oversaw technical features.
The undertaking as a complete was developed, designed and produced by Jodee Nimerichter, ADF Govt Director, with particular due to Cecily Prepare dinner, Yang Meiqi, Charles Reinhart and Ralph Samuelson.
For extra, go to americandancefestival.org/planting-seeds.
