1. 知己間的身體對話 | Dialogue with A Contemporary
[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]文：驫舞劇場
計劃緣起：一段台灣與泰國、個人與群體、記憶與文化的舞蹈對話
來自台灣的陳武康，與來自泰國的皮歇．克朗淳(Pichet Klunchun，以下簡稱皮歇)，年齡相近，外貌有些相仿，一個 12 歲開始學習芭蕾，一個從 16 歲起與泰國傳統舞結下不解之緣，兩人的身體皆擁有厚實的傳統訓練基礎，卻又不約而同地投入當代舞蹈創作，也許是他們體內叛逆因子的相互吸引，也或許是生命的緣份使然，2016 年的夏天，驫舞劇場邀請到皮歇來到台灣，與陳武康共同發想主題 – 身體的傳統，以兩週的時間，進行在創作、文化與個人經驗的交流，兩個藝術家之間首次的碰撞，讓他們對於彼此產生更多的好奇，也持續進行過程中激盪出來的哲思與提問；2017 年，武康赴曼谷拜訪皮歇的排練場與其自行興建的象劇場 (Chang Theatre)，並進行了同樣為期兩週的交流與排練工作。
經歷 2016 – 17 年的雙向交流過程中，兩位藝術家透過密集的身體對話、傳統議題的對談，探討各自的傳統文化與成長背景：當身體的記憶/回憶，不只是口述或歷史的傳統時，傳統對於自身的意義是什麼?何謂傳統? 當代如何沿著傳統的足跡進而衍伸?而兩者存在的蛛絲馬跡又有多少? 這些提問，開啟了陳武康與皮歇，共同創作 2018 年《半身相》作品的創作契機。[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Translated by: Richard Chua
How did the project come about?
From Taipei to Bangkok to Japan and back to Taipei, dancers Chen Wu Kang and Pichet Klunchun had numerous conversations about dance, life and bodies. With their dance trainings as the point of departure, they spoke about their lives in dance and fatherhood, as well as personal philosophies at different points in life. Wu Kang started dancing through Ballet; Pichet, Thai classical dance Khon. Both dance forms have their own unique disciplines. In 2016, they presented a piece of work, an outcome of their first conversation entitled Tale of Life Journey Through Body Movement. In 2017 Bangkok, they continued the conversation in Chang Theatre, Pichet’s arts space. The conversation involved histories and social structures of the cities they came from. The work-in-progress was presented to participating audiences in the show where they fielded many questions. Coming May 2018, Wu Kang and Pichet will premiere their final outcome at the Cloud Gate Theatre in Taipei.
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《半身相》 創作臨寫之二
圖：陳藝堂
文：陶維均
保存傳統，為了瞭解自己往哪裡去
泰國的箜舞源於阿瑜陀耶(Ayutthaya)王朝，當時是只有貴族男性才能登台獻藝的宮廷娛樂。華美繁複的布景，極費工時精工製作的服飾及面具，源自神話傳說的固定文本，傳統箜舞對於何時該演、該怎麼演都有詳盡嚴格的律定，被認為是吳哥王朝所延續下來的、泰國文化中最精煉的表演形式之一。
然而，傳統是什麼？
或許可以說，「傳統」必須是因對比而存在。現代過於浮躁，傳統穩重可考；新創魏成氣候，經典時興不墜。關於此間爭論絡繹不絕，老少新舊孰輕孰重，在世界各地各領域都是常見的議題。比如流行音樂借用古調，比如藥妝百貨塗改百年建物門面。
皮歇．克朗淳從箜舞學到如何面對自己，傳統讓他有底氣迎向未來。
12歲獨自從鄉村搬到曼谷，孤獨一人在大都市求學，他成了到處找架打的麻煩少年。16歲在學校活動遇見箜舞大師柴佑．庫馬尼（Chaiyot Khummanee），不知箜舞為何重要，也許孤獨感使然，他主動求入師門。箜舞講究基本功，16歲中途出家也非舞蹈科班出身的他，入師門三個月光練一個踏步就滿身傷，他本想放棄，但自己也不知原因的又回返師門。最後，皮歇成為庫馬尼的家人，不再稱他老師而是爸爸，直到自己也當了爸爸，直到庫馬尼和師母相繼離世，他都持續補貼師父家用。
皮歇去了一趟紐約。紐約讓他開始質疑自己是誰，家的意義是什麼，他傳承的是怎樣的傳統。他回泰國成立了舞團，褪去箜舞的濃妝華服，讓觀眾看見身軀血肉的彎曲和扭摺，看見靈魂與軀體共舞之美，一片譁然。他成了國際知名的舞蹈藝術家，當然也捲進了「傳統是否該有所革新」的論戰中，他不怕，偏往極險厄處行。傳統是必須被提問，甚至某程度可被摧毀的，是可以抗拒的。「我們並非真正了解何謂『當代』，這個概念是從西方借用而來。全球化的浪潮快速地將西方文化帶進東南亞，影響東南亞對於藝術的觀念，以及藝術史脈絡的演進。⋯⋯對於這些問題，我更認為我們應該回到自身重新思考。」皮歇認為泰國古典舞蹈中的威權主義體制的特點是，當學習者和觀眾的自由仍有所限制，統治者的行動和決策不受權利的限制，「當代藝術是反映現今社會的藝術。由創作者和觀眾自由決定，透過交換觀點來學習和延續充滿意識的存在，而促進社會平等。當代藝術不是引領或支配思想的藝術。它是交流未發生的想法、觀點和預測的藝術，同時也反映了民主在社會中的地位。」
保存傳統，是為了讓我們了解過去，進而乘載著過去數代人精氣神的累積而往未來走去。皮歇說，傳統是自由的。距離初次接觸箜舞已近三十年，魚尾紋從臉側魚貫長出，下巴蓄起了短鬢，他已不再糾結於是否拋下傳統，而是想，能否從身上的傳統中脫胎，作為人類舞史的一小節點，能夠傳承或引發些什麼。
身上無可抹滅的，是「家」的傳統
「這是一件讓我可以專注的活動，就在第一堂的芭蕾課當中，我感受到我第一次的專注，專注在自己身體的變化。動作、頭、眼睛、手、呼吸之間的關係。」
傳統箜舞只限男性登台獻藝，但在臺灣，在陳武康的成長時期，少男學芭蕾是少數異類。也是一過動男孩，血氣方剛之際接觸了舞蹈，習舞習佛結婚生子，組舞團推創作，和皮歇類似，陳武康也去了紐約。來回將近十年，他從溝通障礙到能以英文流利對答，入選了紐約的舞團也結識世界各地的舞友，他更反思自己所乘載的傳統究竟為何。
這次的《半身相》，便是他對傳統的一次回應。如何回應身體與文化的傳統，他想起身邊的父親。
如今陳武康年已四十，學舞超過半輩子。他花了一輩子找自己，發現認識自己最久的人是父親。「我的偶像是誰？過去15年來，我的偶像是我爸。從他巴金森斯病發到現在，他活出了人生的高潮。」父親嚴慈兼備但慈多於嚴，從事軍職鍛鍊的意志和精神影響了陳武康，也感畫了他年少時的暴戾之氣。陳武康回顧過往人生，與父親一先一後，始終對類似的事物感興趣。騎腳踏車，寫書法，學佛甚至跳舞，「他彷彿為我預告了人生道路上到底有哪些事值得我花時間學習，而且他都學得比我早也比我好。」如今，自己已為人父，陳武康強烈感受到時間往前挪移一格的不可逆感。原本只有自己與父親的兩人關係現在成了三代同堂，真真實實成了中生代，小孩每一天長大，他知道自己離死亡更近了一天，父親的生命也又少了一天。
一生都避不開的傳統，是死亡
皮歇．克朗淳認為死亡有三個面向，Rupa（形式），Nama（名字），Citta（心靈）。死亡只是一個名字，但心靈卻能在死後永在，是不朽的。出生、活著與死亡不斷在每一刻循環，所有的情感隨著Tilakkhana（三法印）而變化。
也許，人世間唯一亙古不變的傳統就是皆有一死。「法印」意味佛正法有如世間的印信，而「三法印」代表著「諸行無常印，諸法無我印，涅槃寂靜印」。世間萬物不來也不去，曾有的已經變幻，現有的終會滅亡。所謂的「我」，只是相對的生理意識與心理幻像。「死亡是人類唯一無法贏取的事情」皮歇說，「你可以在舞台上真的親吻，可以在舞台上真的性愛，但無法在舞台上真的死亡。人類願意付出所有的金錢換取活著的權力，但終究是一場徒勞。」死亡是唯一真正的民主平等，無論政治地位的高低，無論教育或貧富的水平差距，終究都要死去。
不須害怕死亡，不要假裝死亡不在。試圖迎戰一個不可能擊敗的敵人，促使我們活過充實的人生。死亡就在我們身邊，死亡其實很美麗。[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]
Picture: 蘇威嘉
Choreographer/ Performer｜CHEN WU-Kang
Wu-Kang began studying dance at the age of twelve. He graduated from the Taiwan University of Arts, and was the first place winner of the Annual Choreographic Competition held by the National Dance Association of Taiwan in 1999. In 2001, he joined the Feld’s Ballet Tech and became their soloist the next year and started his long-term collaboration with choreographer Eliot Feld, and had been working between New York and Taiwan ever since. He was also the guest dancer in Dimond Project of New York City Ballet in 2006.
In 2004, he co-founded HORSE Dance Theatre, an originally all-male dance troupe, co-choreographed works including Velocity, which is granted the 6th Annual Taishin Arts Awards in performing arts in 2007. Other works and credit with HORSE includes: 2 Men, the work Wu-Kang co-created in 2012, was the first place winner of the 2013 Kurt-Joos-Preis and the Audiences’ Choice; Playdead, for the double-bill dance programme in 2013, and later one dance, one dances, one danced in the mix dance programmes in 2017 presented both by the National Theatre, Taiwan; Two Duet in 2015. He is currently in research of Southeast Asia and has been collaborating with Pichet Klunchun since 2016.
He was in the International Choreographers Residency Program of the American Dance Festival in 2008; the choreographer of the opening ceremony of the 21st Summer Deaflympics, Taipei in 2009. He received a scholarship from the Asian Cultural Council to attend the residency program in New York in 2014.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]
Picture: 蘇威嘉
Choreographer/ Performer｜Pichet Klunchun
Pichet Klunchun bridges traditional Thai Classical Dance language with contemporary sensibility, while keeping the heart and wisdom of the convention. He trained in Thai Classical Mask Dance, Khon, from age 16 with Chaiyot Khummanee, one of the best Khon masters in Thailand. After receiving his degree in Thai Classical Dance at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, he pursued theatre both as dancer and choreographer at high-profile occasions.
Pichet has earned domestic notoriety for his efforts in contemporising Khon. He has participated lately in several intercultural performing arts programs as a Thai representative and as an international dancer-choreographer in North America, Asia and Europe. With his international working experiences and desire to establish a professional standard, Pichet founded Pichet Klunchun Dance Company in 2004.
In 2008, he received ‘Routes’ ECF Princess Margriet Award for Cultural Diversity from European Cultural Foundation. In 2012, he received another award “Chevalier of the French Arts and Literature Order” from the French Ministry of Culture for his contribution to the influence of Culture in France, in Thailand and all over the world.
In 2014, Pichet was awarded the John D. Rockefeller 3rd Award by the Asian Cultural Council for significant contribution to the international understanding, practice, or study of the visual or performing arts of Asia.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]
Dramaturge｜TANG Fu-Kuen
Tang Fu-Kuen is an independent Bangkok-based cultural worker in contemporary performance and visual fields, working in Asia and Europe. He was the sole curator of the Singapore pavilion at the 53rd Venice Biennale. He has worked in the Singapore Arts Festival, Indonesian Dance Festival, In Transit Festival (Berlin), Bangkok Fringe Festival, Colombo Dance Platform, amongst others.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]
藤本隆行 (Takayuki Fujimoto/Kinsei) /燈光設計
Director for Kinsei R&D, and lighting designer. As a member of the artist group “dumb type”, he mainly heads the lighting and technical management. In 2007, aside from the group activities, he released an organic stage performance named “true/ 本 当 のこと ”, which focused on the synchronization of digital equipment and human bodies based on his reflections about the human brain. Recently, he has been active in such areas like adding LED lighting to classical Noh performances, as well as widening his experience at home and abroad, doing everything from art work creation and performance direction to lighting design.
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Project development key dates:
- Work-in-progress presentations – Sep. 2016, Treasure Hill, Taipei, Taiwan
- May 2017, Chang Theatre, Bangkok, Thailand
- Development – April 12 – 18 2018, Taipei, Taiwan
- Final development – May 2 – 14 2018, Kinosaki International Arts Center, Japan
- Premiere – May 25-27 2018, Cloud Gate Theatre, Taiwan.
The Team:
Choreagrapher & Performer｜Pichet Klunchun、Wu-Kang Chen
Dramaturge｜TANG Fu-Kuen
Technical Director｜Chia-Ming Liu
Lighting Design｜Takayuki Fujimoto/ Kinsei
Costume Superviser｜Keith Lin
Stage Design｜Yin-Chiao Liao
Stage Manager｜Jiou-Fang Peng
Photographer｜Etang Chen
Production｜HORSE
Co-production｜Cloud Gate Theatre[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uau2SFXeL34&t=2s”][/vc_column][/vc_row]
