Serge Laurent is Van Cleef & Arpels’ director of dance and he is excited about showcasing choreographic art in a diversity of spaces. “Dance is an art of movement, but it is also an art of space. The choreographers produce works for the theatrical stage as we will see in this programme, but also for other categories of spaces that inspire them,” he says.

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“Contemporary dance has a very strong relationship with the visual arts, and museums and galleries are places that choreographers regularly frequent.”

The highlights of the eclectic programme include artist Gisele Vienne who will present Crowd at Freespace at the West Kowloon Cultural District. The performance explores themes of desire and the balance of power, while questioning the singularity of an individual.

Across the harbour at Sheung Wan Civic Centre, Ola Maciejewska draws inspiration from Loie Fuller’s 1892 work Serpentine Dance to present Bombyx Mori. The title refers to the silkworm, which is completely dependent on humans for its survival.

At PMQ, Save the Last Dance for Me is choreographed by Alessandro Sciarroni, exploring Italian folk dance. Called polka chinata, it is a traditional courtship dance that Sciarroni is determined to rescue from extinction.

Les Traceurs takes dance beyond the confines of the stage to the outdoor area next to Freespace in the West Kowloon Cultural District. Rachid Ouramdane brings aerial artists and adventurous athletes together to create on-site pieces suspended in the sky that will be exciting for audiences to watch.

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Meanwhile, in 2022, choreographer Christian Rizzo began a dialogue with eight local dancers in Hong Kong and continued the conversation in a three-week residency at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. The result of this collaboration will be presented on May 18 in the same venue.

Van Cleef & Arpels’ admiration of dance dates back to the founders of the jewellery house, who were ballet lovers and attended performances at Opera Garnier, which may have inspired some glittering pieces.

In 1941, Van Cleef & Arpels released its first Dancer clips, which capture the liveliness and elegance of ballerinas using pearls or engraved gemstones. Therefore this association with dance only makes it natural for the high jewellery house to bring these performances to Hong Kong in Le French May.

“Two of the core ambitions of the initiative are to enrich the multiple ways of experiencing dance, and to engage the broadest possible audience; changing perceptions about the accessibility of the medium as we grow, and bringing the joy of dance and movement to local communities,” says Nicolas Luchsinger, president of Van Cleef & Arpels.

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“I am excited for Hongkongers that such leading exponents of contemporary dance from across the world are coming to Hong Kong, and will be performing in such exciting venues around the city.”