Six students from the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭ā苍辞补 dance program in the returned from an international dance tour across London, Paris and Poitiers, France this spring, performing and collaborating with artists from around the world.
The group, joined by two dance instructors, traveled in March and April for a tour that culminated at the innovative Festival à corps at the Université de Poitiers in France. The festival explores and questions the body and its aesthetic, physical and contemporary representations.
“Participating in an international tour showed me that movement transcends borders,” said Karissa Thuy Deen-Bugaj, a theatre and dance master of fine arts (MFA) candidate. “To feel an audience connected with the work across borders is one of the reasons I love my craft.”
Hina inspired
At the center of the tour was the original and dynamic production of Tides of the Moon, a 20-minute dance theater performance created by university educators and artists Sami L.A. Akuna and Kara Jhalak Miller.
Inspired by the Pacific Moon goddess Hina, the choreography explores the connection between water and sky, body and tide while reflecting on climate, change and transformation. The process based work was performed in Poitiers as part of an international festival. Tides of the Moon sold out and ended with a standing ovation.
“When the audience rose to their feet, cheering and applauding, I felt something happen that I’ve only read about in theory: the dancing body really can speak across cultures,” said Kun Zhou, a theatre and dance, and performance studies graduate student. “As a dance PhD student researching cross-cultural embodiment, that standing ovation turned theory into something I could feel in my own body.“
According to Akuna, Tides of the Moon drew from moʻolelo of Hina, the Hawaiian moon calendar and themes of climate change. While on tour, the dancers took part in performances, workshops and creative exchanges at the Intercultural Roots conference, dedicated to the cultivation of supportive environments in which artistic practices grow, contributing to positive transformation locally and globally.
“Our students interacted with performers from Portugal, Berlin, Korea and France through various workshops and performances and left with new friendships and a lasting experience they will never forget,” Akuna said.
Student artists
Students on the tour were Zhou, Thuy Deen-Bugaj, Ellie Fischenich, Santiago Isaac Rivera Rodas, Bayardo Rodriguez Jr. and Zhenhao Wen, who performed, taught and presented original choreography and dance films throughout the trip.