International Choreographic Interlink:
Toronto/Taipei
For almost 4 years members of Toronto/Taipei Interlink (Michael Caldwell, Andrea Nann, and Heidi Strauss from Toronto; WuKang Chen, Wen Huang, Fangas Nayaw, and PinWen Su from Taipei) have been deeply immersed in a long term artistic exchange. In 2023 the collective engaged in two cultural exchange residencies: Toronto August 2023 & Taiwan October 2024. Across diverse geographies and long distances, we are practicing actions of reciprocity and connection; generating opportunities for embodied relational exchange and shared community experiences.
Visit our website at https://ici-ttlink.space/en/home/
Connect w/The Bones with WuKang Chen
August 3 from 10:00am - 12:00pm
Description: It would be my attempt to combine the sensations I gained from some of my favourite movement practices. Includes touch/stretch/walking/running.
For you if: you are willing to touch and be touched (with clothes on).
Bio: Born and raised in Taiwan and trained in National Taiwan University Academy of Arts, Wu-Kang danced with Feld's Ballet Tech and Peridance in New York where he grew fully as a dancer under Mr. Feld’s creative work (2001-2013). He established an ensemble, HORSE a dance collective troupe in Taiwan, which he is the artistic director from 2004 until now.
Move to Play: find your motif with Fangas Nayaw + I-Fen Tung
August 9 from 10:00am - 12:00pm
Description: Think about body movements in the way of competitive sports and create a playful relationship between the body and individuals, objects, and two people. An extended body development approach from sports to dance, everyone who is interested in body movement, dance, and performance is welcome to participate.
For you if: you have an interest in playful and athletic movement, duo-related dance, and if you have a movement background not necessarily dance-focussed - but are interested in creative ways to challenge the body's movement.
Bio: Fist & Cake Production was founded by choreographer I-Fen Tung and stage director Fangas Nayaw. Fascinated by themovement of "people" in "society" and "nature", the group continues to explore the natural world, aiding humans in society to voice their whims out loud. Fist & Cake Production was founded to extract the inner foundations of performing arts, to explore the diversity of the ever-growing, ever-moving contemporary arts. The spectrum of their work includes but is not limited to theatre, dance, exhibition, installations, sounds, multimedia, film, and text; presentations are displayed using mixed diverse materials.
My Nude Self with PinWen Su
August 10 from 9:30am - 2:30pm (w/break 11:30 - 2:30)
Description: Tactility, skin, and nudity. In this workshop, I will share my practice that began with tactility in 2013, expanded into the study of skin experiences, and progressed towards nudity as the form of artistic expression, with a focus on embodied experiences. This workshop aims to guide participants in exploring non-visual dominant bodily methods, re-evaluating their personal sensory experiences, and approaching a holistic presence. Through this, PinWen responds to feminism's critique on the "gaze."
For you if: you are an artist with experience in body performance, including art students. The process may trigger discussions related to feminism, gender, race, and culture, thus requiring participants to be sensitive and inclusive regarding body politics. Considering that there may be nude practices during the session, participants are advised to be adults who can exercise personal discernment and take responsibility for their decisions.
Bio: SU Pin-Wen is a Feminist Artist. Artistic Director of KuaBo Dance Theatre and residency at Chiayi Performing Arts Center . SU holds MFA in Choreography at Taipei National University of the Arts and Bachelor in Philosophy at NanHua University. SU’s work challenges the heteronormative revolving around notions of gender, feminism and nudity. Since 2013, SU's researched and practiced tactile culture. They take dance into conceptual art beyond the aesthetic genre.
Producers Talk / Open Studio
co-presented by adelheid & Dreamwalker Dance Company
with support from SummerWorks, the Citadel and the Taipei Cultural Center in New York
Producers Talk
August 6 from 2:15-3:45pm
This conversation is an opportunity to learn from different contexts by sharing experience and knowledge as resources; a chance to hear what's on the mind of producers working on international projects and collaborations including questions they're asking, strategies they're developing, and what they’re excited about.
Guest producers include: Wen Huang /Taiwan, Ariana Shaw/Toronto, Kevin Matthew Wong/Toronto, and Aislinn Rose / Toronto
Venue: Meridian Hall
Open Studio [Toronto/Taipei]
August 9 from 1-2pm
This is an informal sharing of in-process performance work that brings together emerging choreographers Naceku [Taiwan] & Nyda Kwasowsky [Toronto]
Venue: The Citadel, 304 Parliament Street
PWYC at the door
