Swire Island East Urban Dance Festival
Where Artistry Merges with Cityscape

Swire Island East’s long-term commitment in bringing an eclectic art and cultural programme to the community shows its continuous support to local art development and art education for youngsters.  Collaborating once again with the Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation (YAF),  Swire Island East Urban Dance Festival  will be staged on 12 December this year.  The dance extravaganza is an ideal platform for local performing artists to showcase their talent and creativity.
 
A total of 11 dance groups, over 150 local and overseas choreographers, professional and emerging dancers take inspiration from various locations in Island East to create dance pieces specifically for the chosen sites. Dance workshops for student dancers have been conducted since September during which they learn from professional choreographers and create their own dance steps in the festival.
  
Performance highlights
Christina Jensen and Brown Note Collective
One of the many colourful performances at the festival is a piece combining sights, sounds and scents that take place at Island East’s multi-purpose venue, ArtisTree.   Choreographed by Yin John and Christina Jensen, who specially flies to Hong Kong from the UK, the performance will use different media to express the senses: smell, sound, light and texture.  Coupled with the versatile nature of ArtisTree, audience  explore the possibilities of the venue as they immerse in this dance piece. 

Adding a further dimension to this dance piece is a photo exhibition by renowned  photographer Gareth Brown. Titled “Bodies in Motion, Bodies at Rest”, 30 of Brown’s works will be on show at ArtisTree from 1 to 12 December as a prelude to the dance festival. These selected images by Brown will also become part of Jensen and John’s flowing dance piece. 
 
Queenie Chick and Student Dancers
In contrast with the enclosed environment of ArtisTree, choreographer Queenie Chick and student dancers create pieces that are performed inside and outside the latest One Island East building.  Chick draws inspiration from endless streams of people passing through this site. Busy urbanites rushing here and there seem to be the norm of a cosmopolitan city like Hong Kong. Chick intends to remind the audience relax every now and then and to find a balance between life and work.
 
Lindsey McAlister and Student Dancers
YAF founder Lindsey McAlister will be leading a group of 11 to 14 year-old student dancers for a dance show on Tong Chong Street. Literally meaning “Sugar Factory Street”, Tong Chong Street of Island East, was the site of a sugar refinery more than a hundred years ago. McAlister’s dance piece is brimming with positive vibes which encourage people to look on the sweetness of things rather than focusing on the bitter bits all the time.  Dancers will be donning dazzling costumes and form a sharp procession throughout Tong Chong Street area, adding spice to the festive atmosphere.

This extravaganza of spectacular dance performances along with various related activities is a refreshing dose of the hustling and bustling Island East. 

Time:         
11 am - 6 pm
Venues:         
Tong Chong Street, TaiKoo Place & selected signature venues in Island East campus

Activities:            
-A spectacular series of 11 site-specific dances (altogether 66 performances) with over 150 professional and student dancers.
-Dance workshops: Back to back FREE workshops with different dance styles for the public to explore including Jazz Funk, Modern Dance, Argentine Tango, Musical, Indian Classical Dance, Capoeira and Scottish Country Dance.
-Roaming characters in costumes all of whom perform little stories for the audience.
-Guided tours for public: Led by docent guides, participants can learn more about contemporary dance through selected performances.

The Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation (YAF) (www.hkyaf.com) is a charity that provides access to high quality, non-competitive arts experiences for all young people aged 5 to 25. Established in 1993 by Lindsey McAlister OBE, YAF organises inclusive and inspirational projects that reach out to young people of all cultures, backgrounds, languages and abilities, and actively creates opportunities for disadvantaged and underprivileged young people. Each year we reach over 800,000 young people through our projects, exhibitions and performances.