FUSE#5

FUSE #5
Growth:
This path allowed me to leave my comfort zones, cut away distractions,
and focus on thinking about my work in new ways as senses that had
been dulled by life were being sharpened again. This is what growth
means to me; the outcomes are not just ends in themselves, but embody
contexts and struggles behind them, and most importantly that they
reflect who I am back to me.
Chance allowed me to get to know a female artist who uses
traditional dance to question the identity and positions of women in
society. When I went to watch a show with her, I noticed a contrast
between her personality interacting with her seniors and friends and
the one reflected in the description of her works I read online. Women
meet their culture’s expectations to varying degrees, yet because the
ethos of the times emphasises the will and opinions of the individual,
they are in a challenging position. Each female artist engages with and
articulates this challenge differently, and this act is considered an act of
courage. With regards to my recent performance, “courage” was a word
I always heard because of my decision to perform naked. But in this
female artist, I saw a different kind of courage which was not a one-off
demonstration in an artistic performance, but manifested in daily acts
of exploration, change, and communication. It is a quiet but steady
strength which is just as hard to come by.
I did not expect a week-long residency in a foreign plane to
bring me so much inspiration. But with Hong Kong in a turbulent and
unstable state since June 2019 to now, being able to leave that space
and breathe a different kind of air released the desire to create that had
been suppressed for so long, allowing it to run freely, unbridled.
Rebecca Wong is a graduate of the Hong
Kong Academy for Performing Arts. Her
choreography and performances question
stereotypes from a female perspective.
At times provocative, her works evoke a
revaluation of attitudes by and towards
women, body, and desires—especially sex.
As a dance artist, Wong seeks to enrich her
choreography through the contemplation
of social issues. She anticipates creating
more works from the perspective of women
who question traditional Asian mindsets.
Her major works included When Time
Limps, Woman.Body, 19841012 and Nook,
and she has performed in many countries,
including Iceland, Japan, Korea, Malaysia,
Singapore and China.
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