Notion of 'The Vanishing Proximity' Explored in 'Around Here'
The Shanghai International Dance Center is presenting "Around Here" on December 26-27, an interactive dance work supported by its Youth Incubation Platform.
The dance mainly explores the liveness of the body and the sense of isolation in contemporary life. Inspired by anthropologist Xiang Biao's notion of "The Vanishing Proximity," the piece does not aim to reproduce traditional culture, but rather uses the body as a medium to reflect on how, in a society fragmented by technology and convenience, we might rebuild a warmer, more present "ecological circle" of human connection.
Its cultural inspiration comes from the Xizang Guozhuang dance, whose circular structure and alternating call-and-response singing suggest collective modes of interaction.
In Proximity, Guozhuang is reinterpreted as a contemporary bodily practice, posing questions: As collectivity recedes and human relations are reshaped by algorithms, do we still retain the capacity to love, to care, to trust? If each individual becomes an island, is it still possible – through the presence of the body – to awaken the connections that once belonged to the nearby?
Date: December 26, 7pm; December 27, 2pm
Duration: Approximately 60 minutes
Venue: Experimental Theater, Shanghai International Dance Center
Address: 1650 Hongqiao Rd
虹桥路1650号
Tickets: 100 yuan (US$14)
How to Buy Tickets
