Workshop with 優人神鼓

Since I got back I have been quite frustrated about of not being able to find a common reference point with the average joe to communicate what it what I want to do.. all the more so because these include old friends/relatives I care about and want them to understand me!

However... this workshop in Macau has lead me to realise that there may be hope after all. It was with this Taiwanese theatre group 優人神鼓 (U theatre) who train as a community in the mountains an hour from Taipei. And with this I realise that we do have the convergence of art, self knowledge and community in our traditions (usually in the martial arts). This is exciting for me because now I feel like there is a paradigm I can work with to pursuit my work here in the Chinese speaking world.

The other thing I realised is that it is true that things are very difficult in HK, the commercial competitive mindset leaves little space here for creativity, and dance is particularly undeveloped. However, in Taiwan and Macau there is more space. Especially Taiwan... the population as a whole is more literary and progressive in thinking – just in terms of for example, the quality and quantity of books read and available in Taiwan, or of vegetarian food... and so I think... there are places in the Chinese speaking world where there is more breathing space for creativity. Of course, I know preciously little about the Macau and Taiwan community, and I still have my two year stint here in HK, but now I think.. I don't really need to look so far away from home to find inspiration and a common language.