X-PROJECT is a long-term artistic project with a focus on contemporary dance conceived in Hoi An. It is the result of 6 months of collaborative work between choreographer Ngô Thanh Phương (known for her choreography of Lune Production’s ‘Palao’ and ‘Tehdar’) and the five performers (participants of MORUA ARTS PROJECT, an artist-in-residency program for contemporary dance in Hoi An) Nguyên Nguyễn, Thương Lê, Hoàng Anh, Khang Nguyễn, Đức Phúc. After its debut this past July in Hue, X-PROJECT is now travelling to other cities to continue exploring new possibilities and ways of presenting itself to different communities.

X-PROJECT takes as its inspiration the variant ‘X’ (in maths), and the chromosome ‘X’ (in the determination and classification of both sexes). What is the body constructed of? Do we exist outside of our bodies? Can our bodies contain our dreams and the nuances of our emotions? How do we respond to our subconscious selves, and the selves of others? In our everyday life when we pass by each other, do we really encounter and interact? With X-PROJECT, the participating artists use the language of their bodies to seek answers, by mixing different genres of HipHop, Popping and Breaking with contemporary dance, and by moving between different cultural spheres and physical spaces.

X-PROJECT premieres in Saigon at The Factory, for only 2 nights—Oct 2 and Oct 3!

X-PROJECT is co-organized by The Factory and MORUA with sponsorship from The Factory and Goethe Institut Saigon’s ‘Idea Booster’ program. Special thanks to Arabesque and Star Academy for their support.

> Artists information: 

  • Choreographer: Ngô Thanh Phương
  • Assistant choreographer: Nguyễn Công Nguyên
  • Stage and lighting designer: Nguyễn Thúy Hằng
  • Music: La Y San
  • Performers: Nguyễn Hạ Xuân Nguyên, Thương Lê, Khang Nguyễn, Đức Phúc, Hoàng Anh
  • Project manager: Red 

> Program schedule:

October 2 2020

  • 8:00 – 8:45 PM: X-PROJECT performance
  • 8:45 – 9:30 PM: Artist talk with choreographer Ngô Thanh Phương and the performers

Discuss with the crew to explore the formation of X-PROJECT, the method of collaboration between crew members and the experience of different spaces that the performance takes place

October 3 2020

  • 8:00 – 8:45 PM: X-PROJECT performance
  • 9:00 – 10:00 PM: Cypher with Sami Lee

A cypher is freestyle dance jam where an open circle is created and people take turns dancing in the center. The cypher (or cipher) has deep, long-standing cultural roots in hip hop culture, African tradition, and even religious beliefs (source: Internet)