March 2019: with cinder, ash to ember

Coming this month, MARCH 2019

Asian Art Museum, Asian Improv aRts, API Cultural Center & Lenora Lee Dance present:

with cinder
ash to ember
new choreographic works by Jory Horn, Yi-Ting (Gama) Hsu, and Hien Huynh

as part of the Museum’s Thursday Nights series
Thursday, March 28
6-7:15 pm and 8-9:1 5pm

Asian Art Museum
200 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
www.asianart.org/events/1662

Free with general admission

with cinder, ash to ember features new choreographic works by Jory Horn, Yi-Ting (Gama) Hsu and Hien Huynh inspired by their mothers. The three pieces will focus, respectively, on reincarnation, rebirth and the transmigration of refugees; the bond between mother and child separated by distance; and the merging of embodied memories and imprinted experiences with unspoken and recovered history. Co-presented by Asian Improv aRts, API Cultural Center and Lenora Lee Dance.

PROGRAM

When Smoke Escapes the Body
Choreography, text, and performance by Jory Horn

“It was as if I was reborn…” a phrase Jory’s mother, Sarou Mouy expressed when speaking of surviving the Khmer Genocide from 1975-1979 and coming to America in 1990. Including the elements of fire as an ignition to release a trapped soul and water as the metaphor for rebirth, this piece speaks of spirituality through the lens of Jory’s Cambodian Mother’s past traumas and the strength it has taken to build a new life and raise a family of 8 on foreign soil.
*This project was created through a research study in Cambodia January 15 through March 15, 2019. Supported in part by Dancers’ Group’s CA$H grant program.

Unfold
by Yi-Ting (Gama) Hsu
A collaboration performed by Chinchin Hsu, Yaoru Kong, Yi-Ting (Gama) Hsu

As we unfold our own paths of memories, we start perceiving our traumas with love, support, and comprehension. To acknowledge them as we unfold and unfold into clarity with harmony as mother and daughters.

Soft Wounds
by Hien Huynh
Soft Wounds is a duet performance between Hien Huynh and his mother, Moui Lu.

A movement art and shared moment that unites mother and son on stage together for the first time. Through sharing and understanding his mother’s imprisonment in post-war Vietnam, physical injuries, and recollection, Hien and his mother engage in memories and experiences and charge the performance space with unspoken and recovered history.
*This piece is supported in part by Dancers’ Group’s CA$H grant program.

photo Jory Horn by Tony Nguyen
photo Hien Huynh by Hoa Huynh
photo Yi-Ting (Gama) Hsu by Jason Lam

BIOGRAPHIES

Jory Horn combines Cambodian culture and dance, as a means of advocacy to address challenges and celebrations of the Cambodian-American community. His guidance and mentorship of the Cambodian art form is a true testament of the strength and resilience of his people and survived through living dance masters Chayra Burt, Chey Chankethya, and Prumsodun Ok. Jory holds a BA in Dance and minor in Recreation Administration from CSU Sacramento.

Yi-Ting (Gama) Hsu was born and raised in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and has trained in contemporary, ballet, modern, Chinese martial art, Chinese folk dance, Tai-chi initiation, composition, choreography and improvisation. Yi-Ting is a graduate of Tsoying High School, and received her BFA from University of Taipei of the Arts. She moved to San Francisco in 2015 and has danced with Hsu Chen Wei Production, Les Petites Choses Production, David Herrera Performance Company, Lenora Lee Dance, Alyssandra Katherine Dance Project, Epiphany Dance Theater and Kinetech Arts. www.gamahsu.com

Hien Huynh was born in Da Nang, Vietnam. At 3 years old, he migrated with his family to Oakland, CA. Through embodied practices, Hien aspires to seek understanding and recognition of the vibrations of life, deepen awarenesses, and open heart for human compassion. He is honored to have performed in the works of Lenora Lee Dance, Kim Epifano, Robert Moses’ Kin, Kinetech Arts, PUSH, Deborah Slater Dance Theater, Christy Funsch & Nol Simonse, and punkkiCo. www.hien-huynh.com

Chinchin Hsu is a native of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, who loves to move, create, share, eat and listen to stories. She has trained in ballet, various modern techniques, Tai Chi, Chinese martial art and improvisation. Chinchin graduated cum laude and received her BFA from New World School of the Arts. In 2008, Chinchin moved to San Francisco and has worked with ODC, KUNST- STOFF, Anne Bluethenthal and Dancers, Tanya Bello, Kara Davis, Lenora Lee, LEVYdance, Katie Faulkner, Christy Funsch and Margaret Jenkins Dance Company. Outside of studio time, Chinchin is an artist mentor with Performing Arts Workshop serving various youth communities in the Bay Area. Thanks to her husband and family for their support through time.

Alan Yip has had an interest in the Classical Chinese arts since childhood. With teachers in the United States and China, he has been a disciple of the foremost masters of the guqin, erhu, and court-style painting. Alan teaches in the Bay Area and at the University of California, Davis. A long time lover of nature and plants, he holds degrees in horticulture and botany. alanyip.art

with cinder, ash to ember is supported in part by Zellerbach Family Foundation, Dancers’ Group’s CA$H grant program, San Francisco Grants for the Arts