Joyce Liao
Experiment With Introspective Dances
As a dancer and choreographer, I believe that dance is one of the most powerful forms of art that allows individuals to express themselves through movement. In recent years, I have focused my skills in choreography, writing, and short films to create dances that have the power to evoke emotions and inspire new ideas.
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My choreography is recognized for its introspective qualities, often featuring a subdued soundtrack that fosters a meditative and deep atmosphere. This approach allows the performer to fully inhabit their movements and gives the audience enough space to establish their profound personal connection with the dance. I strive to instill each step with clarity, purpose, and intention. Through every piece, my goal is to breathe life into my vision and present the beauty of dance in a fresh and captivating way.
2022 "CountDown"
As a choreographer, I strive to create pieces that challenge and engage my audience. In my 2022 project, “CountDown”, I incorporated scientific reports on global warming into my creative writing to create a collection of video clips. This project allowed me to reflect on my purpose as an artist and the role we play in raising awareness about this critical issue. My goal is to create thought-provoking pieces that resonate with both the intellect and emotions, fostering awareness and contemplation.
2020 In Place: Light, Trees, Motion
Amid the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, I shifted my creative space to the backyard of our house, delving into the realm of experimenting and creating outdoor dance videos. The Backyard Dance Lab was born! Despite the absence of a polished dance floor, this unique environment allowed me to delve deeper into each movement, adapting to the outdoor scenes and lighting, enriching the texture of my works.
2019 "Time - rEvert"
The “Time - and rEvert” project was a result of my exploration of how people’s old memories affected them and how those memories could transform subconsciously. Over a span of three years, I engaged in numerous improvisations to a dance score and utilized video clips of these spontaneous movements to craft a novel choreography.
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2018 In the Room: From Score to Screen
Throughout parts of 2017-2018, I committed a consistent part of my week to experiment with dance scores and choreography. Each week, I crafted my dance scores a day before entering the studio and recorded the sessions where I executed these scores. In my dance, I played with stories, concepts and stage props to create an immersive on-stage experience. Subsequently, I transformed the recorded video clips into various photos and dance films.
2016 - 2017 PlacePlay: A Body in Motion
From 2016 - 2017, I created small dances set in diverse site-specific locations. From downtown to suburban neighborhoods to abandoned old buildings, my aim was to produce works inspired by the unique atmospheres of each location and immerse myself into the stories of these sites. ​(The photograph on the left captures a moment at the Saint-Sulpice Church in Paris, France, in August 2017. It seems that I was engaged in an inner dialogue with myself on that day!)