Prof. Anna CY Chan

Professor Chan is the Dean of the School of Dance at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, a visiting professor at the Central Academy of Drama, a Council Member of the China Dancers' Association, Emeritus Chairperson of the Hong Kong Dance Alliance, an Advisor to the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, a Board Director of Tai Kwun Culture and Arts company, and the newly elected President of the World Dance Alliance Asia Pacific (WDAAP). Her accolades include the Hong Kong Dance Award (2004), the City Contemporary Dance Laureate Award (2016), the prestigious Hong Kong Dance Award for Distinguished Achievement (2018), and the Leading Woman in Arts, Sports & Leisure Award at the 20th AmCham Women of Influence Awards (2024). Since 2014, Professor Chan has frequently collaborated with international artists to organise a series of dance projects exploring new creative and performance methods, and researching contemporary performance-related issues. These include Dance Dialogue with Wayne McGregor, Screendance, Writing Choreographic Process, Dance x Multimedia, Choreographer x Composer Lab, Dance in Alternative Space, and Dramaturgy and Beyond. In 2018, she founded the Asia Network for Dance (AND+), and in 2022 she curated the SWEAT International Dance Festival, which included ArtsCross Hong Kong 2022, the Digital International Festival for Dance Academies and the WDA Global Summit.

The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts

The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA), established by The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Ordinance in 1984, is a leading tertiary institution in the performing arts in Asia. It provides professional undergraduate education and practice-based postgraduate studies. The study encompasses Chinese Opera, Dance, Drama, Film and Television, Music, and Theatre and Entertainment Arts. Its educational philosophy reflects the cultural diversity of Hong Kong with emphasis on Chinese and Western traditions and interdisciplinary learning.

Since 2008, the Academy has attained the Programme Area Accreditation (PAA) status awarded by the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ) to self-monitor and accredit its own undergraduate and post-secondary programmes in the five programme areas of Dance, Drama, Film and Television, Music, and Theatre and Entertainment Arts. Since 2016, the PAA status has been extended to cover Master’s Degree programmes and below; and since 2023, the programmes operated by the School of Chinese Opera accredited by HKCAAVQ has also received PAA status for its post-secondary and undergraduate programmes.

Besides the main campus in Wanchai, Béthanie, the site of the Academy’s Landmark Heritage Campus in Pokfulam, has housed training facilities for the School of Film and Television since 2006.

In the QS University Rankings announced in 2024, the Academy ranks 1st in Asia in the Performing Arts category.

Adriaan Luteijn

Connection and human variety are central to Adriaan Luteijn's work. He thrives on the friction that arises when collaborating with dancers from diverse backgrounds, including professionals hip-hop waacking and voguing dancers alongside community members, such as Dutch Olympic Volleyball players, older adults and dancers with varying abilities. This dynamic approach fuels energy for both dancers and audiences alike.

Luteijn embraces “serendipities”—unexpected opportunities that inspire creativity and collaboration. His method involves mixing modern or contemporary dancers with guest performers, fostering a warm yet challenging rehearsal atmosphere that questions and expands each person's potential. This structured process leads to high-quality performances where dance becomes a powerful means of communication. Luteijn believes in building bridges through the non-verbal art of dance, a philosophy embodied in his work with Introdans, known for engaging with thousands across generations, connecting people through the transformative power of dance.

Introdans

For more than 50 years, Introdans has passionately promoted the art of dance, showcasing world-leading heritage and contemporary works. As a traveling repertoire company, we engage a wide audience with our dynamic dance language, both regionally and internationally.

We believe in the empowering nature of dance, which connects people with their imagination and one another. This philosophy extends to our audience, talented dancers and participants in our educational and social initiatives.

Founded in 1971, Introdans has used dance to foster inclusion and interaction, reflecting our belief in valuing individuality. Our goal is to further integrate innovative and inclusive dance works into our programming.

Through educational outreach, we share our dance power annually with thousands of students, local residents and individuals facing challenges, including those with disabilities. At Introdans, we are committed to the idea that everyone can dance.

www.introdans.nl

Ong Yong Lock

Born in Malaysia, Ong Yong Lock is now a choreographer, a performer and an educator. Ong joined the Hong Kong Dance Company and the City Contemporary Dance Company in 1989 and 1993 respectively. He also is a founder member of South “ASLI” Dance Workshop (SADW) and served as the Artistic Director between 1997 and 2001. In 2002, Ong founded the Unlock Dancing Plaza with Elsie Chau. He had been Artistic Director for nearly two decades since its establishment in 2002, dedicated to promoting and popularising modern dance. In 2022, he became Creative Director (Public Engagement), focusing on outreach and community projects. He was named “ Best Artist (Dance)” at the Hong Kong Arts Development Awards in 2014.

Unlock Dancing Plaza

Unlock Dancing Plaza is one of Hong Kong’s most forward-thinking and adventurous contemporary dance company. Determined to extend possibilities in dance, Unlock aspire to develop a diverse performing arts ecology. Emancipating from an institutionalised dance aesthetic, we propose to redefine dance as natural form of self-expression, honouring individuality and breaking from the production-focussed par for the course. In recent years, Unlock has launched “Unlock Body Lab”—a series of dance and performance research initiating a “dance-to-be” residency project, showcase platform, cultural exchange with overseas artists, and #danceless public participation.

Lau Tin Ming

Lau Tin Ming is the Senior Project Manager of the Jockey Club Dance Well Project. A graduate of the University of Hong Kong majoring in Art History and Comparative Literature, he has more than a decade of experience in planning and implementing arts education programmes. He is a certified yoga instructor with over ten years of yoga education experience. Through yoga, he takes students on an exploration of the relationship between body, breath and mind. He also works with university and community partners to bring mindfulness practices into diverse communities.

Jockey Club Dance Well Project

Jockey Club Dance Well Project is a creative movement programme designed to include those with Parkinson’s disease and people of different ages and abilities through regular dance classes and activities in artistic spaces. It was awarded the Outstanding Dance Education or Community Dance in 24th Hong Kong Dance Awards in 2023.

Initiated by the School of Dance at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, we believe dance can make meaningful contributions to society, life and the human condition. This three-year project is funded by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and is modelled after the Dance Well initiative introduced by the Municipality of Bassano del Grappa, Italy and the Centro per la Scena Contemporanea in 2013. The practice has since been extended to other Italian cities and adopted by Tokyo, Kyoto and Kanazawa cities in Japan. We introduce this approach to Hong Kong and invite local dance artists for collaborations to bring an inclusive dance experience to the Hong Kong public.

The World Health Organisation Report in 2019 included the Dance Well approach to promote psycho-physical well-being, complemented with conventional rehabilitation to creatively address the symptom-specific concerns of people with Parkinson’s disease.

• Simultaneous interpretation is available in English, Cantonese and Putonghua.
• Holders of the HKPAX Full Pass, Day Pass and Student Pass can access all sessions of Conversations. Spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Online pre-registration is required.