In The White Body, Sola uses choreography and text to explore the meaning of servitude and freedom in the context of globalisation, drawing on the words of philosopher Étienne de La Boetie's 'The Discourse of Voluntary Servitude'.

Her intellectual choreography has been described as 'dance for thought', but she is equally known for 'energy and emotion - passion of movements and sounds.'

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Ea Sola
Choreographer and Director

Ea Sola, both French and Vietnamese, grew up in Southern Vietnam and lived in the jungle until Vietnam was hit by colonial war. After fleeing from her homeland she arrived in Paris in 1978 and began creating underground performances on the streets of France's glamorous capital, in works compared to avant-garde performances of the era.

From 1980 to 1984, she continued to create underground "happenings", studied classical theatre, and participated in the research laboratories of the Grotowski's dance theatre group.

Until 1992, she created a series of performances to explore the memory of the body in collaboration with the magazine Diagonal, Etats de corps (Body States). She attended Min Tanaka's workshops and became a dancer his Sacre du Printemps and was dancer-performer in "The Rite of Spring". She was also dancer-choreographer in Ubu Roi by Roland Topor. She never attended a dance school and claims her independence from any kind of "school" in dance.

In 1989, Ea Sola returned to Vietnam after 15 years of absence. From 1991 to 1996, she was awarded the Leonardo da Vinci scholarship by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in France and undertook research on traditional dance and music of Vietnam working with Nguyen Xuan Son.

Since 1995 Ea Sola has created five pieces, including "Secheresse et pluie" (1995) (the piece for which she became famous) and "Secheresse et pluie vol. II" (2005) admitting easily that "an artist doesn't have something important to tell every year". With a concept in mind from the beginning, Ea Sola's projects come to maturity over years interweaving her life story and experiences of living through the Vietnam war throughout her work.

She feels no obligation to work with professional dancers. The old women that were on stage in 'Secheresse et pluie' were actually former peasants who left their farms and signed up as factory workers. Although in "Secheresse et pluie vol. II" she worked with dancers from the Hanoi Opera Ballet.
The magazine Ballettanz International named Ea Sola as the Artist of the Year in 2001.

In The White Body, which premieres in Hong Kong in 2009 Ea Sola tells the story through three people whose lives are linked to the core of the work, the book, Discourse of Voluntary Servitude by Étienne de La Boetie: a teacher, a university professor and an intellectual, all in their sixties. There will be choreography, but for the first time, a stage work by Ea Sola will be based on a written text.

Nguyen Xuan Son
Composer

After Graduating from the Hanoi School of Traditional Music, Nguyen Xuan Son was percussionist at Cheo the Hanoi National Theatre from 1989-1994. From 1994-2002 he was music assistant and percussionist to Ea Sola and in 2005 composed the music for Secheresse et Pluie Vol.2.

He has composed percussion and strings for: Exit, Etudes 1 pour percussion, Dans la nuit (In the night), Un visage1 (A Face 1) as well as the music for the film Bride of Silence. And has also created the art video installations: Alone, Truong Chi, Visage2 (2000-2004).

Nguyen Thanh Thuy
Zither

Having graduated from the Hanoi Conservatory of Music, she was awarded the Radio and Television prize for Best Interpretation of Traditional Music in 1992, and first prize for Best Interpretation of Traditional Vietnamese Music in 1998. From 1998 she performs with orchestras in Denmark, Sweden, Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore, China and Russia and in 2007, she graduated with a Master of Arts from the Institute of Traditional Vietnamese Arts. Nguyen Thanh Thuy teaches at the Hanoi Academy of Music.

Where: SKYCITY Theatre
When: Fri 6 - Mon 9 March
Price: $40 - $65
Bookings: Ticketek 0800 842 538
More information: www.aucklandfestival.co.nz

15/01/09