The eventful performance was filled with folk music, staccato rhythm and stunning folk costumes and props, such as, umbrella, stool, clippers and clogs. S1 and S2 classes took turn to tell a story with slapstick, winks, gazes, and poise, engaging the audience in their imaginative world. At times, dancers couched and bent forward, at times, they had their hands wide open. We were fed with stunning spins, swings and witty use of space on the stage. In the open section, there were more sophisticated arrangements with stronger expressions of feelings.
The School Dance Team gave us a treat to a Russian Dance in which twenty enthusiastic dancers from senior forms dispelled bad luck with handkerchiefs. Another piece from the team was a traditional Korean Dance, in which spirited Korean girls expressed their hope for the future with twirls and traditional drum kits.
Sr Veronica, Ms Priscilla Kwok and Miss So, together with Miss Janet Wu, our Dance teacher, and Miss Tai, an experienced dancer and educator of Chinese dance presented prizes to winning classes from S1-2, winners of open section, designers of headpieces and backdrops, as well as student-choreographers from the School Dance Team after the stunning dance competition on 2 July.
It was our pleasure to hear advice from Miss Tai from Hong Kong Dance Company, a government-funded NGO, aiming to promote Chinese dance and nurture the young dancers. According to Miss Tai, it is imperative that dancers spend more time on research about the tradition of folk dance of their own choice. She considers it crucial for an artist to be sensitive to the stylistic features and to enhance rapport throughout a performance. Miss Tai is impressed with our student-choreographers’ competence to plan the movements of dancers on stage. She finds the headpieces and stagecraft gorgeous.
But for the untiring guidance from Miss Janet Wu and her Dance Team, the support from the School Backstage Team, the School photographers and Mrs Winnie Poon’s language support, this would not have been possible.
