“Dream-Talk” 《梦》is a performance opus originating from a practice-as-research approach. Practice-as-Research is a field of inquiry that emphasizes the articulation and sharing of know-how, a term which Practice-as-Research scholar Robin Nelson describes as tacit, embodied knowledge. Knowledge situated primarily in the body that is dealt with and transferred through practical means, instead of intellectual discourse.

Initiated since 2018, “Dream-Talk” 《话梦》has been in constant development. It is a work that is — and will always be — evolving, according to the accumulated artistic experiences and growth of the artists involved. As practice-as-research, Dream-Talk is not a one-off production, but rather, a means in which to closely reflect the artists’ approaches and methodologies of performer training and craft. As such, it has undergone several phases of work, each of which differ from the others, and is now gradually approaching its third stage of development since its inception. The material sourced in the project draws upon the artists’ own cultural heritage, in an exploration of dreams and memories. The work intents to manifest and explore through performative work these fundamental questions: How do we straddle the line between spontaneity and precision? What precedes the creative impulse? What makes flow? How can the performing body be guided towards embodiment and transformation?

featured photo: Kow Xiao Jun

photos by Isabella Quaranta / Kow Xiao Jun