'A Reason for Falling' by Hwa Wei-An

Event information

A Reason for Falling is an exploration of the possibilities that exist between a loss of balance and a meeting with the ground. It is a look at what happens when we let go of control, give in to gravity, and embrace the experience of a fall.

This work is inspired by the experience of watching freeriding, the practice of riding down uncurated mountain faces on bikes, snowboards or skis. It is one dancer's way of translating these practices from vast, open terrains onto the flat, safe space of the dance floor, and to pursue possibility, wonder, and joy.

Credits:

Choreographer, Performer, Producer, and Song Lyrics: Hwa Wei-An
Dramaturg: Arco Renz
Performance Coach: Lee Ren Xin
Composer: Kent Lee
Lighting Designer: Liu Yong Huay
Production Manager: Low Pey Sien

A Reason for Falling is commissioned by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, Singapore.

The work was created with the collaboration of Dance Nucleus (Singapore), Rimbun Dahan (Malaysia), KongsiKL (Malaysia), DansiT (Norway), Campbelltown Arts Centre (Australia), and Seoul Dance Centre (S. Korea).


Hwa Wei-An has spent his whole life falling down, a by-product of stubbornly learning things on his own — whether that meant trying to spin on his head or backflip before he was ready, or how to snowboard. And though he may not be the best at those activities, he's become quite good at falling. He has, in fact, built his contemporary practice around his love-hate relationship with gravity, and the connections this relationship has with the psychological state of flow.