Qian Qian Yan Yan Wan Wan Yu Ark Dance Theatre McAulay Studio, Arts Centre April 16 Dance is a language that transcends words - but it still helps to have some idea of what a choreographer is aiming for via explanatory notes in the programme. In the case of Ark Dance Theatre's offering, part of the All Independent Dance Series, anyone who did not happen to read Chinese characters missed the boat.
I would dearly love to let readers know what Qian Qian Yan Yan Wan Wan Yu was all about, but unfortunately the programme was only in Chinese. And sitting through the piece left me none the wiser. Attempts to elicit some explanation beforehand earned me a terse 'It's about dreams'.
Summoning my courage, I approached the chap again to inquire as to who was the choreographer. 'Eve,' was the reply.
I have found that after 12 years watching and reviewing some of the world's best (and worst) dance companies, it generally helps if you have some inkling of what a piece is about before it begins.
If a company cannot be bothered providing even a cursory English translation, then why bother offering reviewers' tickets to an English-language newspaper? I spotted two other Westerners in the audience, and my partner is Thai, so that was at least four very confused viewers.
That said, even a 10,000- word essay would not have saved what was a puerile, disjointed muddle that would have been more at home as a high-school drama production than as a supposedly serious dance work.