Fairy tales tell us that dreams will come true if you are hard working and determined. But is reality this rosy? Local dance group Unlock Dancing Plaza will explore the themes of dreams, fate and personal struggle in their modern dance performance The Philosopher's Stone. The performance is the final part of the company's 10 Nights trilogy, which began with Rehearsal Notes and followed with 10 Nights' Wanderings. The Philosopher's Stone is inspired by Paulo Coelho's novel El Alquimista (The Alchemist), which highlights the importance of listening to our hearts. The story, renowned for its inspirational wisdom, is about a shepherd boy who travels from his home in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of treasure. During his journey, he meets a gypsy woman, a man calling himself the King and an alchemist. All these new acquaintances point him in the direction of his treasure. But audiences expecting the narrative of El Alquimista will be surprised. 'The show is 'inspired by' but not 'based on' the book,' said Ong Yong Lock, the Malaysia-born dancer turned choreographer. 'The mood of the show is surrealistic. It's about the journey of life searching for one's dreams and whether we recognise omens and how we react to them. It's also about fate. Are our personal destinies pre-determined or can we choose our own paths in life?' Ong's own life is intertwined with the themes of the show. After injuring his leg, Ong's doctor recommended that he stop dancing. 'It was a difficult decision to make because I have been a dancer for 17 years. I didn't know whether I should give up my dream or not.' After a considerable struggle, he decided to shift from dancing to choreography. ' I decided I somehow had to convert the frustration into positive energy,' Ong said. Set against the backdrop of a heartless city, all dancers in this performance are characterised by metaphorical 'incomplete bodies'. They search for their missing pieces in this 90-minute dance journey. The performance features a multi-cultural cast including Kaiji Moriyama from Japan, Steve Goh from Malaysia and Susan Yeung from Singapore, as well as seven local dancers. With the guidance of dramatist Chan Chu-Hei, actor Guthrie Yip will link several dance segments with short narrations. Sometimes he will point the dancers in the right direction, but other times he will simply confuse the dancers. This is intended to pose questions for the audience to ponder: Is there a definite direction in life? What makes a right or a wrong direction? The Philosopher's Stone will be staged from 3 to 5 December at 8pm at the Studio Theatre of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Tickets priced $150 and $100 for adults, with half-price concessions for students, are available from Urbtix on 2734 9009.