Award Recipients  |  1999

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1999

The Hong Kong Dance Award 1999 is awarded to Irene Lo and Elvin Beh in recognition of their contribution to the development of the Art of the Dance through their breakthrough performances. As new members of the Hong Kong Ballet, having recently been recruited from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts School of Dance, Lo and Beh have distinguished themselves in their exuberant performances of the youthful lovers in Yuri Ng’s 1998 choreography of The Butterfly Lovers. Their example of hard work and determination are models for all young dancers.

The Hong Kong Dance Award 1999 is awarded to Andy Wong in recognition of his contribution to the development of the Art of the Dance by bringing dance to special communities. Wong’s work for individuals with Down Syndrome and those with other mental capacity disorders, for people with A.I.D.S., for those who are sight impaired for those who are wheelchair assisted, for the elderly, and for other non-traditional dancers has helped create a new and beautiful dance world. To these artists as well as to their parents, teachers, social workers, audiences, and the able bodied dancers who have embraced Wong’s work, his gift is unparalleled.

The Hong Kong Dance Award 1999 is awarded to the Hong Kong Ballet Education Unit in recognition of its contribution to the development of the Art of the Dance through its innovative outreach programmes. The Education unit exposes the young and the old, dance aficionados and dance neophytes, balletomanes, traditionalists and modernists to dance through well-planned performances, lecture/ demonstrations, short-term and ongoing workshops. The Hong Kong Ballet Education Unit takes dance to the community and starts the community dancing.

The Hong Kong Dance Award 1999 is awarded to Leo Cheung in recognition of his contribution to the development of the Art of the Dance through his dance lighting. Cheung’s illumination of Xian Hua Shin’s 1998 choreography, Jo Dou, for the Hong Kong Dance Company and Willy Tsao’s 1998 choreography, Sexing Three Millenniums for the City Contemporary Dance Company, allow us to behold these masterworks in all their glory. Through his lighting, Cheung is able to create an environment in which dance thrives. His work supports and reveals. He translates the choreographer’s vision into one that we see as well as feel and accomplishes this magic without calling attention to the lighting itself, but rather focusing our attention on the dance.

The Hong Kong Dance Award 1999 is awarded to Lam Lee and Xing Liang in recognition of their contribution to the development of the Art of the Dance through their performance artistry. In their fully realized performance in Jiang Hua Xuan’s 1998 choreography Jo Dou for the Hong Kong Dance Company, these expert dancer demonstrate the pinnacle of achievement in the Art of dancing. They bring to their dancing great power, maturity nuance, and deeply felt emotions. The exploration of their characters is so complete that their movements seem inevitable. We are privileged to witness two such superb artists at the height of their abilities.

The Hong Kong Dance Award is awarded to Ringo Chan in recognition to his contribution to the development of the Art of the Dance through his photographic record of dance’s fleeting images. Chan’s prodigious body of work is beautifully represented in his 1998 publication The Dance Photography of Ringo Chan. As a dancer, dance teacher, and dance director, Chan brings to his photography the urgency of the moment. His pictures capture movement. Through his photography he is able to distill the myriad details, qualities, messages, and relationships of a dance moment into a single startling icon that resonates with the force of the whole work.

The Hong Kong Dance Award 1999 is awarded to Helen Lai in recognition of her contribution to the development of the Art of the Dance through her rich and varied choreography. Lai ingeniously demonstrates her mastery of the art of choreography in her investigation of creation mythology in the exquisite 1998 work In the Beginning for the City Contemporary Dance Company. In this work she weaves modern sensibilities, innovative movement vocabulary, and a daring use of the environment. Through her explorations of our disparate beliefs of creation across time and cultures, she allows us to see their commonality and relish in their singularity.