Dance Me! in China
Dance Me! In China is a re-creation by_ao_ao_ing ensemble based on the original work’s concept and structure. Six amateur performers born in the 1960s and 1970s, selected from open auditions, will share the stage with performers born in the 1990s. Through dance and music, they discuss over the generational gap between the two generations in China. What defines a generation? Can the wisdom, worries, desires, weariness, and confusion of each generation be expressed through dance and music? Is there still anything left to say between two generations? Dance Me! In China is an attempt onstage to see and hear each other, a confrontation between one generation and their parents’ generation, and a live dance-dialogue using their own body expression to showcase their differences.
_ao_ao_ing is a Shanghai-based performance collective, founded in 2018, with six core members from diverse backgrounds. Specializing in contemporary experimental theatre, their work defies categorization, evolving into forms like blackbox theatre, participatory performances, happenings, workshops, and digital art. For _ao_ao_ing, performance is a flexible medium—a ritual in daily life, a tool to challenge norms, or a way to process trauma. Their work emerges from the interplay between their unique perspectives and the environments they engage with, blurring the line between theatre and everyday life. The group operates as a decentralised collective, emphasizing collaborative creation, care, and provocation. They explore the balance between collectivism and individuality, constantly pushing the boundaries of shared artistic and personal experiences.
www.aoaoing.com
Credits
Original Concept: She She Pop (Germany).
Creative Team: _ao_ao_ing ensemble, Production & Dramaturgy: ZHANG Yuan, Producer: GE Huichao.
A Production by Beijing Body On and On Cultural Exchange Center in cooperation with She She Pop (Berlin).
Co-Commissioned by: Shanghai International Dance Center Theater, OõEli.
Supporting Organization: Cultural and Educational Department of the German Consulate General in Shanghai.