DanceArt Theatre, Hong Kong City Hall Tomorrow-Sat, 8pm; Sept 16, 3pm
The title of this dance theatre piece refers to a scientific theory that a small happening, such as the flap of a butterfly's wings in South America, may lead to an event far greater, such as a tornado in North America. Local independent dance outfit DanceArt applies this thinking on the essence of chaos to human behaviour: Can a seemingly innocuous word or casual look cause anger over time?
Choreographed by Andy Wong Ting-lam, the group's associate artistic director, the contemporary dance performance comprises a series of vignettes that explore how everyday events and objects can evolve into something extraordinary.
'A word of trifling importance, an act that can stir up trouble, a look that conveys contempt ... each serves as a stimulus that can trigger a chain reaction of feelings that leads to an emotional storm,' says Francis Leung Ka-kuen, also an associate artistic director with DanceArt and a performer in the show.
'When you're in this violent gale, what would you do and what can you do?'
He cites street protests as an example in which a small confrontation between a policeman and a group of demonstrators can escalate into something devastating. 'The performance doesn't tell any story but is more a chain of short tales, each connected to the one preceding.'
