Metropolis Magazine
(September, 2008)

The festival was ‘committed to bridging cultures through movement.’ The Kim Robards Dance thrilled audiences with their ‘driving physicality’ and dynamic range of choreographed movements. The dance company of nine to twelve dancers is renowned internationally for their incredible athleticism. They exuded a raw energy and precision on stage rarely seen in China.

All the performances were first-rate. One of the many great performances was a hip-hop piece called ‘The Factory’, choreographed by Trey Barber with a production line of dancers from the Odyssey Dance Theater. The young hip company of seven pulled a few members from the audience to dance along. By the end of their routine they had the crowd cheering.

The performances aside, the festival was committed to educating audiences about the power and beauty of dance. Students and migrant workers from diverse communities throughout Beijing were able to experience dance for the first time. The US dance companies offered free master classes and producer Jodi Kaplan taught a business/touring workshop to the dance community in Beijing. A portion of the ticket sales went to the Hua Dan Sichuan Earthquake Survivors Theater Project. Hua Dan is a Beijing-based non-profit organization dedicated to empowering China’s rural and migrant population through participation in arts-based projects.

Let’s hope that there are many more dance festivals of this caliber in the capital.

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