‘Play and Play’ to open Arts Festival tonight

Janet Wong (right)

The 28th Macao Arts Festival kicks off today with a reinterpretation of Schubert and Ravel’s classics by world-renowned North American modern dance company, Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane. The performance is titled “Play and Play: An Evening of Movement and Music”. The same company will also present the performance “A Letter to My Nephew” on May 1. Both shows will be held at the Macau Cultural Center.

During a meeting with journalists yesterday, Janet Wong, Associate Artistic Director and Video Designer of the company, indicated that the performances do not convey any specific storylines.

“The first act will be just music and dance, people should just relax and absorb it,” explained Won, “but you will see a community of people working together towards a goal. You cannot explain what it really is.”

However, she clarified, “you can appreciate the dancers’ movements, the music; you don’t need to care too much about whether there is a story or meaning.”

Likewise, “A Letter to My Nephew” is an abstract performance without a specific story, according to Wong.

“The second story is very abstract, and is deconstructed, […] it [may depict a sort of] relationship between uncle and nephew, and it’s an American piece, […] there might be something about fear, something about this nephew’s ballet training when he is eight, maybe something about Macau,” said Wong.

Wong, who was born in Hong Kong, pursued her career interests in New York.

This is the first time her team is visiting Macau, and her second personal visit to the territory.

Most noticeably, her dancers will collaborate with four members of the Macao Orchestra when presenting the show to the audiences.

“Wherever we go, we enjoy collaborating with local musicians,” said Wong. “We can use recorded music, but live music and recorded music are really different. […] It really makes a difference in our muscles and bones to collaborate with something that’s breathing and alive. It’s really expensive, but I think it’s worth it,” noted Wong. 

The U.S. company is famous for its inventive choreography, for which Bill T. Jones has been awarded several New York Dance and Performance Awards. In the year 2000, The Dance Heritage Coalition named Jones “an irreplaceable dance treasure.”

The shows will be held in one sitting at the Macau Cultural Center’s Grand Auditorium at 8 p.m. on April 28. JZ