CHÂU Kim-Sanh is a choreographer-dancer, filmmaker, and cultural worker. Her practice comprises choreographic and video making – with an interest for the emergence of imaginary landscapes through the body – distilled from far away dreams and imaginary memories.

Her dance creations have been presented at the MAI, Tangente, l’Arsenal (Canada), Krossing-Over (Vietnam), Performance Curator Initiatives (Philippines), 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 affiliated to organisations such as Studio 303 (as artistic director) and Company Equivoc’ (as associate artist).

She graduated in Dance (MA UQAM) and finance (MA ASB Denmark / Harvard USA).


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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.



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