In ancient Chinese myth, the one who creates humans from the earth is a creation
goddess: Nüwa was walking along the Yellow River and suddenly discovered her reflection
in the water. She decided to use the mud from the riverbed to sculpt figures like her own.
Nüwa blew on the figures, and that's how life was breathed into them. The characters
became small, intelligent and dexterous, living things that could walk and talk. Nüwa called
them 'Ren' , meaning 'human'.

WHIRLING LADDER | UPRIGHT is the second creation in the WHIRLING LADDER
series, in which choreographer Chun Zhang continues her practice of 'embodied process'.
This piece addresses the question 'how does the spine deal with gravity over time?'.
Drawing inspiration from the human developmental stages, the piece explores the
physical, mental and spiritual significance of the human body's unique process of
uprightness. It celebrates the animalistic, humane, divine beauty of women's backs with a
minimalist spinal movement derived from somatic research and choreography: a poetic
journey of the body rising from the earth and dancing with the three-dimensional force.
Meanwhile, the female body is the earth where human arises.

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'The observation of movement changes life'

--Chun Zhang

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Workshow

10.05.2023 16:00 Bürgerhaus, Velbert, DE

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World Premiere

12.05.2023 20:00 Fabrik Heeder, Krefeld, DE | Festival Tanz NRW 2023

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Further Dates

04.07.2023 21:30 Villa Floridiana, Naples, IT | Campania Teatro Festival 23 

22.09.2023 20:00 TanzFaktur, Köln, DE

23.09.2023 20:00 TanzFaktur, Köln, DE

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Involved

Choreography, Artistic Direction: Chun Zhang
Performance: Ludovica Pinna, Francesca Pavesio, Enora Gemin, Nene Okada, Kyoko Oku
Music, Sound: Kai Strathmann
Light: Tobias Heide
Costume: Anne Bentgens

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Production

YIBU DANCE

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Co-Production

Cultural Office Krefeld

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Funded by

Ministry for Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia,  NRW Landesbüro Freie Darstellende Künste, City of Velbert

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Supported by

Bi Hong Zhao