Bruce Lee’s life, philosophy and kung fu style celebrated in Hong Kong dance drama
‘Kung Fu Artistry – Bruce Lee’s No Way as Way’ by the Hong Kong Dance Company is a high-energy mix of martial arts, dance and jazz
Debuting on November 27, this fusion of martial arts, dance and jazz promises to do more than celebrate Lee’s life; it will reflect the complex, hybrid identity of Hong Kong itself, its creators say, and present Lee’s philosophy as a source of inspiration for a new generation.
Lee himself was a great dancer and was crowned the Crown Colony Cha-Cha champion in Hong Kong in 1958.
Yang Yuntao, choreographer and the HKDC artistic director, says his primary inspiration came from Lee’s handwritten letters, which reveal how the martial artist – who coined the phrase “Be water, my friend” – embodied the changing forms of water to overcome personal and professional challenges.
Yang also incorporated elements of Lee’s jeet kune do – the martial arts expression of his philosophy that uses minimal movements for maximum effect – and required dancers to channel Lee’s spirit as well as copy his movements.
“The continuity of movements can be achieved through a shift in the centre of gravity, which directly affects the use of the spine in simulating the permeability of water,” senior dancer Huang Haiyun says – and the result is a lot of improvisation.