Director and visual artist Tianzhuo Chen crafts a minimal yet compelling setting for dancer and choreographer Siko Setyanto, the protagonist of this evocative performance inspired by the stage of Japanese Noh, the oldest theatre art still performed today. They explore the intersection of ancient traditions and expressive dance improvisation to narrate the captivating tale of an encounter between the ancestors and a whale.
Joined by musicians Kadapat and Kakushin Nishihara, Setyanto leads the audience on a meditative journey, drawing upon the fluid, expansive narratives of the ocean. The use of simplicity and stillness in the choreography contrasts with the intensity of the music. Together, they create an immersive experience that dissolves the boundary between reality and the spiritual.
Chen and Setyanto create two performances, independent of each other but linked by a thin thread, like opposite sides of the same planet. We can choose just one of the two, or travel to both. Chen gained recognition in recent years for his exceptional visual language.

Moyang 先祖 & Seaman 漁師 is a production of Tianzhuo Chen and partner in crime
in coproduction with Kunstenfestivaldesarts.
Moyang 先祖 & Seaman 漁師 is based on Ocean Cage, a production by Tianzhuo Chen and partner in crime in coproduction with HAU Hebbel am Ufer, Arsenic, Kyoto Experiment, Kampnagel and tanzhaus nrw
Supported with funds from the HKF-Capital Cultural Fund Berlin.

Premiere: May 11, 2025, Kunstenfestivaldesarts

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