AKCENT 2012 / A meeting with Wen Hui and presentation of Beijing independent art centre The Living Dance Studio

In 1994 dancer and choreographer Wen Hui founded the Living Dance Studio together with documentary filmmaker Wu Wenguang. In the centre on the outskirts of Beijing, which works independently with the support of the Chinese government, both artists create projects focussing on current problems in today's China and the traumas of modern Chinese history. In their work they combine real stories, light design, documentary film, dance and music. Since its foundation the Living Dance Studio has created more than sixteen projects which have been acclaimed in Europe and the USA. Their latest performance from the "Memory" series was created on the basis of interviews by young arts students with residents of Chinese villages who could be their great-grandparents.

Wen Hui: “We want to concentrate on real everyday life, the things that are happening around us, the things that we are feeling right now. That's why our company is called Living Dance. We want to ask questions, not look for answers.”