Shen sets poetry in motion on stage

Celebrated international dancer-choreographer Shen Wei returned to the Kennedy Center in Washington DC with his latest contemporary dance drama, Dongpo: Life in Poems, between March 8 and 10.

Produced and performed by the China Oriental Performing Arts Group, the dance drama, which features guqin (Chinese zither) player Zhao Xiaoxia, is based on the poetry and life of the renowned Song Dynasty (960-1279) poet, Su Dongpo.

As the production's playwright, director, set and costume designer, and visual effects art director, Shen transforms the comprehension of poetry into movement and contemporary audiovisual expressions.

His creative team includes composer Chen Qigang, who was musical director for the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Games.

Since its premiere in Shanghai in July 2023, the production has toured cities including Beijing, Hangzhou in Zhejiang province and Chengdu in Sichuan province.

The 2024 US tour of Dongpo: Life in Poems is co-presented by the American Dance Festival.

Shen's Scroll Painting, which was performed as part of the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2008 Olympics, was viewed by billions of people around the world. He lives between New York and Paris and was approached by the China Oriental Performing Arts Group to participate in the production in November 2021.

To prepare, Shen researched Su for months, reading his poems and learning about the man who was a master of many classical literary and artistic forms, including poetry and essays, as well as calligraphy and painting.

The drama will also be staged at David H. Koch Theater in New York from March 15 to 17.