Choreographers Naishi Wang and Jean Abreu decipher the immigrant experience in new dance work, Deciphers

The Ontario premiere of Deciphers at Harbourfront Centre Theatre promises to be transformative. Born of Naishi Wang and Jean Abreu’s unique experiences of displacement, dislocation and communication, the contemporary duet will take audiences on a journey into the immigrant experience as well as an exploration of human identity, cross-cultural divides and the forging of home in the “spaces in between”. 

This distinctive dance/theatre hybrid is presented by Harbourfront Centre and DanceWorks from February 8–10, 2024, as part of the 2023/24 Torque International Contemporary Dance series, showcases an innovative collaboration between independent dancemakers Wang and Abreu. The 60-minute performance, which the creators call body poetry, embodies a provocative cultural exchange, delving into post-colonial histories and the feelings of torn-ness through an intensely physical dialogue.

Deciphers is a melding of traditional Chinese and Brazilian dance, interwoven with bilingual spoken word inspired by US Poet Laureate Mark Strand and the late Brazilian writer Fernando Sabino, to navigate the intricacies of communication across cultural divides. The piece is deeply personal, drawing on Wang and Abreu’s individual immigrant stories: Wang’s journey from China to Toronto, where he studied at the Dance Arts Institute (formerly School of Toronto Dance Theatre). It was here that he became aware of the Brazilian-born Abreu, who immigrated to London in 1996 to study at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire for Music and Dance on a scholarship. They were drawn to each other through their common experience of living in an adoptive country where they did not speak the dominant language. As a result, each became especially attuned to communication through the  nonverbal means: body language, movement and facial expressions. This led them to the wider themes of language, translation and the body as the primal source of communication and tool of linguistic expression. 

In development since 2020, Deciphers is the result of in-person and virtual exploratory sessions between Wang and Abreu. Plans to collaborate in a studio were halted by the pandemic until late 2021, when the National Arts Centre, (one of Deciphers’ key presenting sponsors), provided the opportunity for them to work together in Ottawa through the NAC’s Visiting Dance Artist Program.

Together, the collaborators explore their dual cultural experiences and vocal traditions in the folk music of their birth countries.The choreography combines fluid movement and energetic rhythm sequences which tap into Wang and Abreu’s backgrounds in folk and traditional dances against a minimalist stage setting, highlighting the raw emotional essence of their work. Accompanied by Lucie Bazzo’s lighting, Ivy Wang’s visual design, and Olesia Onykllenko’s soundscapes, with dramaturgical input from Guy Cools and Ginelle Chagnon, the performance is a cathartic exploration of identity and transformation. 

After the performance on Friday, February 9, the audience can delve deeper into the collaborators’ artistic vision through a post-show Q-and-A with them, offering an intimate and personal glimpse into the creative process behind Deciphers. Following its Toronto premiere, Deciphers is set to tour in Montreal and the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. 

This long-awaited performance invites audiences to decipher the transcendent nature of identity and the complex language of connection. In an in-depth interview with SesayArts Magazine, Wang and Abreu delve into the evolution of the work, the development of their movement languages, and their appreciation for all those that helped Deciphers into being. 

SesayArts Magazine: The process of creating Deciphers was unique, involving virtual collaboration and the exchange of letters filled with poetry, pictures, and personal histories. Could you elaborate on how this method of communication shaped the development of the show and influenced the final piece?

Naishi Wang: The final picture of Deciphers boasts a refined structure and purpose, forms like reading poetry with ample empty space that sparks imagination, particularly in capturing the immigrant experience. Throughout our communication and development journey, we endeavored to transform individual bodily emotions and desires into various forms of expression. While inspiration flowed between us, the fundamental principle was independence, steering clear of imitation. 

Jean Abreu: In Deciphers from very early conversations we both were interested in translation and body linguistics as a starting point, everything evolved from there. We wanted to place the body as the ultimate source and transmitter of meaning. The various iterations of our creative journey have all represented different attempts to connect, and served  the purposes for us to discover how best to convey our true bodily emotions and personal immigrant journeys. In Deciphers, we wanted to highlight the body in the act of this continuous attempt to translate, peeling away all the unnecessary things, leaving space for the viewer to find their own interpretation.

SesayArts Magazine: Having split half your lives in your birth countries and the other half in your adopted homes, how has this sense of being ‘untethered’ from a clear cultural identity influenced the choreography and thematic elements of Deciphers?

Naishi Wang: The spaces in between have undeniably been a wellspring of inspiration for our work. In those realms where I simultaneously feel like a stranger and yet familiar, navigating between China and Canada, a profound sense of misunderstanding and curiosity propels me forward into the ongoing narrative. This intense sentiment guided our engagement with the material which we called embodiment, manifesting in a circular movement energy bubble — a deliberate “wringing of the body”. This physical expression mirrors our internal world about being caught between our native country and our adopted home, encapsulating the essence of a dual identity. 

Jean Abreu:  I encountered this sense of disconnectedness and otherness at a very early age already in Brazil, moving from my birthplace in the Northeast to Rio de Janeiro. When first moving to London, this sense of displacement only became amplified and I was hyper aware about the language/culture barrier. Experiencing London in the first year was totally a sonic and visual experience, physically sensing  what it meant to be understood or misunderstood. These embodied experiences of the world is what Naishi and I eventually – through the creative process – discovered was a rich source for deciphers

SesayArts Magazine: Both of you have faced assumptions about your cultural identities based on your places of birth – Brazilians with football, Chinese with kung fu. How does Deciphers confront or challenge – or play with – these stereotypes?

Naishi Wang: In my narrative, it seems that Deciphers may not have explicitly delved into unpacking the assumptions surrounding cultural identity imposed by others. While not obvious, there is a deeper layer beneath the surface that warrants exploration. Like any other contemporary work, Deciphers needs the audience to create their own meaning. 

Jean Abreu: For us we never consciously chose to focus on these stereotypical assumptions because we are mostly interested in the journey of the body, what happens to these cultural landmarks? Myself, and equally Naishi, we went from traditional dances to forge a career as contemporary dance artists. For us what was interesting was to look at this process of how our new found body language was formed, what was left from our early training? Does it mean that we no longer practice our traditional forms? Or is just part of us but reshaped in a new way and we’re in a continual process of transformation.  

SesayArts Magazine: Both of you bring multidisciplinary artistic backgrounds to this collaboration – Naishi with his experience in Chinese martial arts and visual arts, and Jean with his focus on creative and digital technology in dance. How have these diverse artistic disciplines influenced the choreography and overall aesthetic of Deciphers?

Naishi Wang: I actively strive to create a convergence between my dance and calligraphy practices, often blending elements in what I describe as ‘Dancing on paper with a brush’ or ‘Writing/Drawing on stage with my body.’ In this context, Deciphers seamlessly embraces the aesthetics of empty spaces and the philosophy of ‘less is more,’ characteristics synonymous with Chinese calligraphy and water painting. 

Jean Abreu: Dance/movement to me is an ephemeral art form and yet acutely present and felt … I have always been inquisitive where movement starts and where it finishes and how it exists beyond the physical body. It is in this spirit that we invite other mediums to also move with us in Deciphers – where lighting, sound is another extension and part of our embodied experience on the stage. This is also true to the voice and spoken word that we bring into the work – all of the different elements serve the purpose of translating and expressing our body emotions. 

SesayArts Magazine: The show seems to be a deeply personal journey for both of you, reflecting your experiences as immigrants. How has working on Deciphers impacted your understanding of your own cultural identities, and what do you hope audiences will take away from this exploration?

Naishi Wang: Throughout the process of creating and researching Deciphers, my focus has increasingly turned towards first-generation Chinese immigrants. Notable examples include a Beijing opera singer in Ottawa who steadfastly masters the art form by performing exclusively in Chinese, and a Chinese chef in Toronto known for the fusion of southern-style Chinese cuisine with others. These individuals exemplify a strong determination to recreate our cultures in adopted countries—a survival instinct and a nuanced adaptation to forge a new cultural identity. I refer to this theme as ‘How to continue.’

Deciphers, we call body poetry, delves into the nuanced journey of self-insecurity that unfolds during the adaptation to a new cultural identity. Personally, I emphasize the element of ‘honesty’ in my work, hoping that audiences will carry this sincerity with them on their journey home.

Jean Abreu: Today my own sense of who I am is eternally in this oscillatory, permanently transitory place. It is a feeling of being incredibly close to something and yet endlessly far… in some ways it sums up my experience… Brazil to me after more than 20 years is such an abstract culture that I feel equally familiar and like an outsider. That also is true to my chosen home in London UK, which brings a sense of inadequacy – always having to overcompensate and over-explaining myself wherever I am. 

Therefore, there is no alternative but to truly be present where I am. My home is where my body is. This is both a gift and a curse. Immigration has been a reality in human history for millions of years, and in our cozy modern lives we often forget that humans are transient beings, migrating through life in our own individual ways. 

SesayArts Magazine: What would you like to add that I didn’t ask?

Naishi Wang: I’d like to take a moment to extend credit to our exceptional collaborators and dedicated team who played pivotal roles in bringing Deciphers to life. Special acknowledgments go to Ivy Wang for her outstanding visual design, Lucie Bazzo for her expertise in lighting design, Olesia Onykiienko for composing the evocative music, Emerson Kafarowski for her technical direction, and A.J Morra for skillfully managing the stage. Their collective efforts and contributions were integral to the creation of Deciphers, emphasizing that it’s truly a collaborative experience and a testament to the dedication of our entire team.

Jean Abreu: Deciphers is an international collaboration between UK and Canada, made possible by the support of organizations in both places. In Canada by the NAC, Ottawa, MAI Montreal, Harbourfront Centre, DanceWorks Toronto, PuSh International Performing Arts Festival + NewWorks Dance, The Candance Network, Canada Council for the Arts, Toronto Arts Council and Ontario Arts Council.

In the UK:  Fabric Dance, Dance City NewCastle, Brighton Dome, Towner Gallery, South East Dance and Arts Council England.

We wanted to acknowledge our appreciation for their unwavering support to make this project happen. 

Deciphers is on stage at the Harbourfront Centre Theatre February 7 – 10, 2024, 7:30 pm. Reserve tickets on harbourfrontcentre.com.

© Arpita Ghosal, SesayArts Magazine, 2024