The Presence, A Heritage Dance Performance At Drinkle 3
Film Producer: Menglin Huang
Project Description:
"The Presence" is Saskatoon-based artist Xiao Han's latest research-creation project based on her relationship with the Chinese dance club community in Saskatoon, Canada. As an extension of a research creation project from 2021, "The Presence" adopts Chinese heritage dance as a vehicle to present narratives about the overlooked stories from the community. The project focuses on the absence of Chinese female figures in the historical archive during the early 20th century. Using choreography, music, and heritage dance, "The Presence" will convey a narrative that tells the story of the early Chinese immigrant community.
Organized by Saskatoon-based artist Xiao Han, "The Presence" is a heritage dance performance night with the Saskatoon Chinese Dance Club. The event will take place at The Avenue Room in Drinkle 3 Building on November 19th, 2023. The event includes historical speeches, storytelling, choreography, and various engaging elements. We invite you to join us in exploring the history that tells the story of absent figures and the experiences of Chinese immigrants and their relationship with the land.
"The Presence" is a public art project created during the 2023 CreativeSpace Public Art Residency.
Link to CreativeSpace Public Art Residency:
https://stepspublicart.org/createspace-public-art-residency/
I want to express our gratitude to the 2023 CreateSpace Public Art Residency for their support in research and the production of this meaningful public art project.
We also extend our thanks to SK Arts for their support through the IA program for our research.
Furthermore, we appreciate the support from Drinkle 3, including the location and historical materials.
Special thanks go to Hong Jiang and the Saskatoon Chinese Dance Club for their collaboration and coordination. The presence of the dancers completed the project.
“The Presence” STEPS- 2023 CreateSpace Public Art Residency official website:
This project is supported by the SK Arts Independent Artist Grant.