Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, October 25, 1995 TAG: 9510250025
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MATT CHITTUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
He's a Chinese modern dancer and choreographer.
Ten years ago, there wasn't a single modern dance school in China.
Shen grew up doing Chinese opera and traditional dance, but until six years ago, he hadn't danced so much as a step of modern dance.
But after four years at the Guangdong Dance School, China's first and only school of modern dance, he was the toast of China.
His country recognized him as the most beautiful dancer and choreographer it had.
``In China it's very comfortable,'' he said last week - from his apartment in Brooklyn. Eight months ago, Shen was granted a visa to come to the United States to study at the Nikolais-Louis Dance Lab.
``I in China 26 years,'' he said in his best broken English. In that 26 years he never studied English. ``I want see something different.''
He's seen plenty. He's danced in Hong Kong, Singapore, India, London and New York
This week, Shen, now 27, is going to see a little of Roanoke. He is one of the featured performers at Hollins College's third annual Fall Dance Gathering, which begins tonight and runs through Sunday.
``I can't imagine how he got out of China,'' said Donna Faye Birchfield, head of the dance program at Hollins.
But according to Ralph Samuelson, director of the Asian Cultural Council in New York, ``It's no miracle.''
A few years ago, Samuelson said, travel out of China was difficult at best for artists, but recently there has been an increase in the cultural exchange. It's easier to come and go now. Shen has since returned to Hong Kong and left again.
The western dance world got it's first real look at Shen last December when several teachers visited the Guangdong School.
Betty Jones and her husband, Fritz Ludin, of the Theatre Contemparain de la Dance in Paris, say he's the best China has to offer, and has plenty of potential yet.
They taught Shen in China and recognized then it was time for him to get out and learn more.
``I think he probably will rise to the top,'' Ludin said.
So Shen left China, where the dance school paid for his house and other things, for Brooklyn.
``It's OK,'' Shen said of his current home. ``It's so expensive.''
But then, everything seems expensive when you can't get paid. Shen doesn't have a Social Security number yet, so no one can put him on the payroll. He's been getting by on odd choreography jobs with dance companies that can pay him in cash. He gets his Social Security number in a few weeks.
When he has danced, though, like at the prestigious American Dance Festival at Duke University, he's been extremely well-received.
``It's pure, it's beautiful, and you don't even question where he learned it,'' said Birchfield, who is dean of the festival.
``Imagine Michaelangelo's David as a sultry rock star,'' wrote a reviewer for the Village Voice.
Shen is long, narrow and androgynous. His dark hair hangs in his face when he dances.
``It's this magical hair,'' Birchfield says. When she first saw him dance, she asked Betty Jones if Shen could just pull his hair back ``so we could see who he is.''
``Oh, no. Don't mention that,'' Jones said. ``His hair is part of who he is.''
But while you can't see his face, Shen bares some of his soul whenever he performs.
His dances, like ``The Bed'' and ``Insomnia,'' which he will perform at Hollins, come from simple ideas.
``I like sleeping. I dream all night ... I dream too much.'' he said in a lazy voice. ``Many, many people like the bed. Everybody has to think about sleeping and the bed. I think about many things in the bed: dream, insomnia, make love, people die in bed.''
Shen talks almost as much about his oil paintings as he does dancing. He taught himself to paint. His paintings are mostly portraits. They are, like his dance, modern and not terribly Eastern in style, though the subjects are often Chinese.
Last year, he had an exhibition at the Hong Kong Museum of Art. Next year in Munich he plans to combine a show of his paintings with a dance performance for the first time.
Most of Shen's future, though, seems uncertain.
He says he can travel and work in other countries as long as he has artists to work with.
``It's not easy, you know?'' he said. ``It difficult for me.''
He misses China, too.
``I have many friends. I want to come back and talk with them about New York, the dance, the art, the people.''
Samuelson, of the Asian Cultural Council, says he hopes Shen doesn't plan to stay in the U.S. permanently.
``He has a great contribution to make in his own country,'' Samuelson said.
But even Shen can't say what is plans are. All he can say is he wants to stay in the U.S. a while longer.
``Two or three years,'' he said. ``Maybe two or three or four. I don't know.''
Hollins College Fall Dance Gathering Main performances are at 8:15 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, in the Hollins Theatre. Tickets are $6 for general admission, $3 for students. For reservations, call (540) 362-6517.
by CNB