︎


CHÂU Kim-Sanh (she/her) is a choreographer-dancer, filmmaker, and cultural worker. Her stage creations have been presented at the MAI, Tangente, l’Arsenal, l’Écart (Canada), Krossing-Over (Vietnam), Performance Curator Initiatives (Philippines), and SIDance (Korea), among others. In 2023, she collaborates as a dancer with compagnies Katie Ward, Carpe Diem /Emmanuel Jouthe, Mandoline Hybride /Priscilla Guy. Châu is an associate artist at Equivoc’ and artistic director at Studio 303.

Châu Kim-Sanh(elle) est chorégraphe-interprète,  réalisatrice et travailleuse culturelle. Son travail chorégraphique a été présenté au MAI, l’Arsenal, l'Écart, Tangente, et à travers plusieurs festivals internationaux, dont SIDance (Corée), PCI (Philippines) et Krossing-Over (Vietnam). En 2023, elle est interprète pour des projets de Katie Ward, Carpe Diem /Emmanuel Jouthe et Mandoline Hybride /Priscilla Guy. Châu est artiste associée chez Equivoc’ et directrice artistique au Studio 303.


NODES
︎ Equivoc’
︎ Media

︎ Journal
︎ Share

FR


BLEU NEON



In a distant, fictional Vietnam, the echoes of pop music on cassette tape reverberate against the sounds of modern Vietnamese rap. Châu Kim-Sanh inhabits this space, metamorphosing through bodily states generated by the presence of coloured neon lights. Of this evening blue erupts a purpleness: “bầu trời màu tím xẩm” – an uncertain translation. Eyes closed, the neon haze returns her to the sensation of her ancestral land. Saigon, like many cities in South-East Asia, is flushed with these vivid lights. Here, embodied memory and the imaginary take a ride on a Honda Dream II motorcycle, across a humid sky whose wetness whips the face.

This solo is performed in its entirety from the squat position – a typically Asian posture. Audio recordings bespeckle the choreography, navigating between fantasized nostalgia, loss of language and sexual objectification – all three widely experienced by Asian diasporic populations. In Southeast Asia, rap culture is increasingly popular – giving a voice to a population marked by silence. Rap here is a prayer.

Lyrics (by Jonair) here



Credits
Choreography & performance Kim-Sanh Châu
Music Hazy Montagne Mystique, JONAIR and Rắn Cạp Đuôi Collective
Rehearsal Louise Michel Jackson
Dramaturgy Be Heintzman Hope
Lighting & technic Jon Cleveland
Rap support Vladimir ‘7Starr’ Laurore, LilWaterboi Chuong Trinh, Nguyen Kim Phuong

Shows
MAI (Montréal, arts interculturels)(Canada) April 28-29-30 2022
Festival de danse contemporaine de Sherbrooke (Canada) August 19 2022
Festival Quartier des spectacles /Chinatown (Canada) Sept 23 2022
Semaines culturelles vietnamiennes /CCV Montréal /Maison de la culture NDG Oct 4 2023
Festival des arts performatifs de Rouyn-Noranda (Canada) Oct 13 2022
Kinergie /studio version (Vietnam) April 5 2023
Krossing Over Art Festival (Vietnam) April 14 2023
Guang Ming College /studio version (Philippines) April 20 2023
Performance Curators Initiatives /Dance Forum (Philippines) April 27 2023

Residencies
Institut Français & Dancenter (Vietnam) March 2019
CCOV (Canada) July 2021
Maison de la culture Marie Uguay (Canada) December 2021
MAI (Canada) 2021-22

Financial Support
Above residecy partners
+
FTA Respirations
Conseil des arts de Montréal
Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec
Conseil des arts du Canada
Total budget of $44,000 (research & production) - hourly rate base of $35/h for all