On October 24-25, 2025, the contemporary dance performance "Voices in Contemporary—Global Masters' Showcase" will debut at the Guangzhou Opera House, marking its exclusive stop in Southern China for the debut tour.
This performance is produced by Rice Theatre, a pioneer in Chinese contemporary stage art, bringing together three masterpieces of international contemporary dance: "I wonder where the dreams I don't remember go," "Cacti," and "Minus 16." Initiated by 15 outstanding Chinese independent dancers, the pieces will be brought to life by a cast of 24 performers.
The production team of "Voices in Contemporary—Global Masters' Showcase" meticulously curated three international works spanning nearly thirty years.
"I wonder where the dreams I don't remember go" (premiered in 2020) is a collaborative creation by French artists Yoann Bourgeois and Marie Bourgeois. The work responds to the uncertainties of the 2020s with the question: "What remains when we awaken?" Yoann is renowned for his distinctive style that blends acrobatics, dance, and principles of physics, exploring the relationship between body and gravity through minimalist installations. This work utilizes specially designed stage machinery—serving as slides, walls, and even the dancers' "partners"—to create a dreamlike space where time flows and reality is questioned.
"Cacti" (premiered in 2010) was created by the world-renowned Swedish choreographer Alexander Ekman, who was appointed Artistic Director and Choreographer for the Opening Ceremony of the Paris 2024 Paralympics. This humorous, fast-paced, and self-deprecating contemporary dance satire features sixteen dancers running, falling, twisting, and interacting with cacti on oversized Scrabble tiles. With a complex and dramatic rhythm, the work explores how we appreciate art and the nature of art criticism.
"Minus 16" (premiered in 1999) was created by Ohad Naharin, former artistic director of the Batsheva Dance Company and creator of the "Gaga" movement language. Premiered on the eve of the new millennium, this work captures the complex emotions—joy, anticipation, and hesitation—of a world transitioning into a new century. Rooted in the "Gaga" system, it encourages dancers to break through inherent limitations and explore sensory experiences. In addition, the piece blurs the line between performers and the audience, where physical tension and clear structure collide and merge, with energy surging from 0 to 100 in an instant.
Time: October 24-25, 2025 (Friday-Saturday)
Venue: Opera Hall, Guangzhou Opera House
Ticket Price: 180/280/380/480/680/880 RMB
Duration: Approximately 110 minutes (including two 15-minute intermissions)
*One ticket per person. No admission for children under 1.2 meters in height.
Editor | Deng Li (intern), Wang Lihan (intern), Wei Shen, James Campion, Shen He
