Urban dance has attracted young learners from all over the world. For the mainstream culture in the USA and the young people there, it has become an overwhelming force. When it has landed on foreign soil, it cross-breeds with distinctive local culture and the local historical background, and hence transforms itself into a series of peculiar cultural phenomena.
In Hong Kong, several young instructors of dance are under the influence of this overwhelming trend. “Tai Lun” (吳漢倫), “Wing” (劉詠誼) and “Ah Lun” (周啟麟) are good friends with each other; in 2015, they participated together in the first “Arena” national competition of group dance in Chengdu. They lost. Without any awards, they were still undeterred; they even want to make a second attempt at the competition through which to reach out to the international scene. Their objective for 2016 is to collaborate to create a special dance work, and then head for the “Arena” competition in Chengdu again, with a troupe newly formed in Hong Kong. The three of them have very different personalities and preferences, but the same goals. They show us the passion and determination which exist only in the minority of Hongkongers; they also show us the influence of dancing on them.
Although Hong Kong is often described as lacking very much in culture, and notwithstanding the fact that pursuing our dreams is regarded by many as unrealistic, the three of them still have hopes, as they are expecting to win the approval of others by their own capability. Having learnt the lesson from the fiasco of the Arena competition last year, the three of them are trying to equip themselves better this time for another attempt.
Before setting off for Chengdu again, in order to prepare better for the competition, the three of them visited the USA, Japan and Korea to exchange with the local dancers and learn about the merits of different dancing skills, after which they choreographed a work for the competition. For these three dancers, this journey is not only about finding the true meanings of dancing, it is also a journey of self-discovery. In first five episodes, we will witness how the three of them find their way to the national stage step by step.
