HK Ballet sets sights high in Art Basel debut

A new partnership is quietly redefining what it means to have a "local" presence on an international stage as the global art world descends on the city for Art Basel Hong Kong. Hong Kong Ballet is making its debut at the annual art fair as a cultural partner with a new programme, entitled State of Wonder, curated by artistic director Septime Webre. The performance will be a series of dance excerpts designed not for the traditional proscenium stage, but woven directly into the fabric of the fair’s environments. For Webre, this activation is far more than a performance interlude, it is a strategic move to cement Hong Kong’s position in the global cultural conversation while ensuring that art remains accessible to the people of the city. "Art Basel is a special moment for Hong Kong," he told RTHK. "It's a time when the entire international cultural world is looking at Hong Kong, here enjoying Hong Kong as a city, but also in dialogue about culture and art. "It's an important moment for Hong Kong to be part of that conversation." Webre said he hoped to use Art Basel as a platform to amplify local voices, with three Hong Kong-based choreographers featuring prominently in the programme. "It's important to have a seat at the table," he said, emphasising the necessity of local representation. "While these are Hong Kong-based emerging choreographers, there's an international nature to the work the Hong Kong Ballet does. "It positions Hong Kong as a city as part of the global discourse on art, on dance, on culture." The hope for Webre is that State of Wonder will dismantle the barrier that ballet is a high-cost affair by moving the art form out of the theatre and into the public flow of the Convention Centre. "I've encouraged the choreographers working on this Art Basel project to tell stories or to make work reflecting their own lives," he said. "This is intrinsically local and personal, but also general, because anyone's personal life is also in some way universal. "It's also important for us to make the work accessible to everyone, not just people who will pay the high price for a ticket." State of Wonder will take place on March 28 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Edited by Tony Sabine

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