Vibration in Stillness is a commissioned work for the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Drawing together diverse local talents, it fuses live percussion from two of Hong Kong's drumming masters with the martial arts-inspired dance of a remarkable, local choreographer. The aim is to create multimedia theatre that is universally appealing and understood. It is a truly collaborative work that focuses on no one contributor and is held together by a flowing conversation between Chinese and western drums, and radiating ripples of dance.

The plan, they explain, is to sweep through time and evolution, from the primitive sound of drums, to 'futuristic rock' and a finale that will see the audience joining in the percussion. Just beyond our triangle of artists linger yet more collaborators. A cast of notable dancers from modern dance and ballet backgrounds drape across a bench, while the dishy violinist Leung Kin-fung plucks on his electric violin.

In the centre of the room stands former principal percussionist of the Hong Kong Philharmonic, Lung Heung-wing, looking like a Chinese Quentin Tarantino with heavy rimmed specs. He stands beside an immense drum set-up and curious side-table of frying pans, African percussive instruments, metal maracas and Japanese bamboo massage sticks. He launches into an inspired routine of western drumming, djembe rhythms and eclectic sounds from the toys on his right.

Mui says that the twin set of Chinese and western drums will converse with one another, moving gradually from a spot behind the audience at the beginning of the show, to the stage and then to the upper tiers of the theatre. The concept is to draw the audience into the centre of the music. The show simultaneously moves through the five elements of earth, water, fire, wood and metal as the dancers flow onto the stage, interpreting the drum beats and accompanying score of Mui's pre-recorded sounds.

The performance begins with an overture, focuses on the elements, then a theme song involving violinist Leung and vocalist Katusha Tsui-Fraser. We watch how the dancers will figure in the proceedings as Chin steps up to his intimidating set-up of blood-red Chinese drums. The bubbly, ever-smiling Chin is the leading percussion master of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra and we are about to witness a breathtaking performance. As Chin's drumsticks fly, the dancers enter the square stage, dropping to the floor like contortionists, then rising like birds or martial artists, moving round the stage with a geometric, raw power. Although they are moving on a bare wooden box drawn on the floor, we are told of the futuristic, yin and yang stage they will occupy. This comes courtesy of set designers and visual effects artists Chan Ye-wing and Gabriel Fung.

The dance is mesmerising. Lam, another sharp Hong Kong talent who trained in New York with support of the Asian Cultural Council, beams as he discusses his involvement in this show. 'I've never worked so closely with musicians before,' says the young artist. 'When we first spoke to the percussionists, we were so curious. I just love percussion music, it makes me move. I can really feel the movement and the energy. When human beings hear the drum it's impossible not to dance. There's something universal about the drum.'

Lam says his choreography was inspired principally by the two percussionists and the laws of martial arts. 'I have watched a lot of tai chi lately to explore the energy. Martial arts come with a lot of power inside the body, and it is a dance that usually has percussive music for support.' The different elements are clear in his choreography, from bubble-like formations in the water piece, to the rage of fire. Fuelling these elemental stages are the pre-programmed compositions of Mui. The award-winning composer has a repertoire that spans western and Chinese forms, and here he has created a poetic, almost New Age score of backing tunes. The climax, he says, is the theme song.

Cue violinist Leung who steps forward to deliver the spine-tingling, haunting melody. 'We want to give percussion music a new look,' says Lam at the end of the surreal hour of mini-performances. 'It's hard to explain,' he continues. 'There will be organic forms ... we see the stage almost like a planet, a new horizon, a space we want to explore.'

Vibration in Stillness: Energy of Visual Percussion. Today and tomorrow, 8pm; Monday, 3pm. Studio Theatre, Cultural Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui. $140 Urbtix.

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