Through the unique medium of body, the lens is focused at the individuals, who are hustling in the diverse metropolis – Shanghai, and tries to explore the relationship between these individuals and the space. Living in such a city, everyone is subject to tangible or intangible constraints. In this work, the real society is scaled down to a miniature. The model and device constructed on the stage represent and symbolize the relationship between the individual and the society as well as between the body and the space. The work intends to discovery the alien aesthetics hidden in the human body, the tenacious vitality of the human beings in a limited space, and the inner momentum generated through resistance against the space.
Whiptakes its inspiration from a folk dance of the Bai called The Whip Dance. It is the most popular one of Bais seventy four folk dance genres. The Whip Dance is saturated with Bais history and customs. It represents their humor, primitive simplicity, elegance and energy. This is Jilans first international collaboration, working with the talented London based Hong Kong composer Joanne Clara and Marie Cantenys, a famous cloth designer from France. The lighting design is by Fabiana Piccioli who is based in Rome and has long cooperation with Akram Khan. Farooq Chaudhry, the co-founder of Akram Khan Dance Company, is the producer of Whip.