The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) presented the School of Dance Graduation Performances on Friday 27 April as the opening event of the 2nd Academy Festival (the Festival). Council members, management of the Academy and honourable guests enjoyed some welcoming performances during the cocktail reception.
"This year, the Academy is delighted to present its second Academy Festival. Again, it aims to showcase the talents of Academy students through a series of engaging performances featuring dance, music, Chinese opera and drama complemented by captivating film screenings and exhibitions. As supported by the Home Affairs Bureau, the Academy also plays an important role in enriching the cultural life and landscape of the Hong Kong community. I hope the Festival will help encourage more members of the public to join us to appreciate and enjoy the richness and beauty of performing arts. My heartfelt thanks also go to all our Academy staff members and students for their efforts in presenting the 2nd Festival to the public.” Professor Adrian Walter, Director of the Academy remarked.
As the opening event, the School of Dance Graduation Performances presented three works by graduating students and invited international artists, one from each of the streams: Ballet, Chinese Dance and Contemporary Dance. Students from the Ballet stream presented a new work Eternity Formed by Fragments choreographed by the School of Dance Artist in Residence, Anh Ngoc Nguyen. Chinese Dance students performed The Homeland, a work created by the eminent choreographer and Chair of Dance at Taipei National University for the Arts, Zhang Xiaoxiong. Set and Reset/Reset, a re-working of a seminal work by one of the 20th century’s most important contemporary choreographers, Trisha Brown, re-staged by the companies present Associate Artistic Director Diane Madden and performed by students from the contemporary stream. This exciting programme encompassing a broad range of dance styles showcases the talents of the wonderful young artists and sends them to the next step in the careers.
The Festival runs a wide array of performing arts events from April to early July this year. Some programmes offer free admission to public. For more programme details of the 2nd Academy Festival, please visit http://www.hkapa.edu/event/AcademyFestival2018/
Photo 1:
Council members, management of the Academy and honourable guests at the cocktail reception before the opening event School of Dance Graduation Performances.
Photo 2:
Ballet - Eternity Formed by Fragments
Photo 3:
Chinese Dance - The Homeland
Photo 4:
Contemporary Dance - Set and Reset/Reset
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About The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) (www.hkapa.edu)
The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, established by Government Ordinance in 1984, is a leading tertiary institution in performing arts in Asia. It provides professional undergraduate education and practice-based postgraduate studies. The study encompasses Chinese Opera, Dance, Drama, Film and Television, Music, and Theatre and Entertainment Arts. Its educational philosophy reflects the cultural diversity of Hong Kong with emphasis on Chinese and Western traditions, and interdisciplinary learning.