White Fan

When Feng Feng was a teenager training at the Shanghai Dance Academy it was common to learn many classical and folk dances which required very strict performance practices. Many of these are well known for their use of fans as part of the dance.

After Feng Feng had spent 6 months studying choreography at the VCA in Australia she decided to explore what would happen if she took this traditional fan dance form and instil the new techniques and styles she had been developing as part of her Masters Degree. Hence White Fan was created as a solo piece to rebuild the traditional form in a contemporary context.

The piece forms a section of a larger dance work which follows a story from the Tsung dynasty - A princess in Mongolia, trying to release her emotions after she falls in love with a Mongolian Samurai soldier. She is forbidden from courting the warrior, but after watching him dance decides to disguise herself as a boy and joins him on stage as part of the performance. The story embodies many asian characteristics - Chinese often hide a lot of their emotions repressing their feelings for the greater good of society, but when they are released it is like the power of a volcano. The princess is a very shy and conservative person but she has lots of passion inside. As the White Fan begins she cradles the fan in her arms, protecting herself and her position in her culture until she finally decides to release her emotions.

The music of Tan Dun was chosen because it also uses traditional Chinese instruments in a modern style. The music gave Feng Feng much of the inspiration for the initial concept. The result is neither a traditional Chinese dance, nor contemporary a western piece, but something unique and spellbinding.

• Choreographer/Dancer
  • Feng Feng Wang
• Music Composed by
  • Tan Dun