Maximum movement
5 November 2024This month, we welcome Max Lee to Company Chameleon, as the second of three artists to be in residence as part of UPLIFT, our artist development programme for dance artists in the North West.
Here Max talks to us about the focus of their residency, experimenting with movement and technology.
Q1) Tell us about yourself and your work.
I’m Max Lee, a choreographer and video artist from Hong Kong, now living in Manchester. As part of my residency at Chameleon, I’m collaborating with sound artist, Eagle Wu, to explore how your living environment shapes you as a person.
We’re also examining the changes and developments in living space and housing design in recent years and how it affects the surrounding communities.
Q2) What are you working on during your residency at Company Chameleon?
Exploring places where you used to live, the work is set in the flat where I grew up on the Choi Hung Estate in Hong Kong.
We’re testing out the idea of using a miniature model of the flat as a set and using cameras to project the set onto a screen behind a performer.
Experimenting with interactivity between the set and the performer, the idea is that the furniture, walls, and the direction of the model will be manipulated live, so the set changes throughout the performance.
We’re also testing out sensors on the performer to see how they can affect the sound and video with movement.
Q3) Why is the type of support that UPLIFT provides important?
UPLIFT provides artists with time, space and support to explore ideas. Without this important support, it’s really hard for artists to develop and it’s great to be given the opportunity to do so.
Q4) Can you tell us anything about what you plan to share at the UPLIFT performance evening in November?
We plan to perform a rough, shortened version of the work as a dance performance to demonstrate the ideas we have for a full performance. There will be video projection and reactive sound to accompany the dance, which is exciting.
Please come and see the performance to see how we play with the idea of working with projection and movement together!
Max will present their work as part of a triple-bill of dance at Chameleon Presents: UPLIFT on Friday 15 November, which will showcase new works in progress from some of the region’s most exciting Dance Makers.
Chameleon presents: UPLIFT
Friday 15 November
7:30-9:30pm (doors open 7pm)
Company Chameleon, Barrass Street, Openshaw
Tickets: Pay as you feel
UPLIFT is a programme, which demonstrates Company Chameleon’s commitment to raising the bar for dance in the North West and supporting dance artists with different voices, histories and stories. Find out more about how we’re supporting dance talent in the North West here.
PLEASE READ: IMPORTANT UPDATE –
Please note, due to injury, UPLIFT artist Jen Malarkey’s work will not be featured in the UPLIFT performance programme. Instead, we’re excited to share an excerpt choreographed by Alice Bonazzi for a new production we’re creating with the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), which premieres in January.