Philein

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About Us Philein/Zi Ru Tiger Productions was founded in 2007 and since that time has distinguished itself as an organization that focuses on multi-disciplinary work, collaborates across cultural boundaries, and actively addresses the question of cultural identity in today's hybridized society. Having received funding from the Zellerbach Family Foundation and William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, as well as corporate sponsorship in 2009, the company is poised for its third annual tour through China in late 2010. Process We follow a 3-point process in approaching each new creation: 1. Explore one theme: finding home in a world chaotically integrated thru economic and cultural globalization, especially as it impacts cultural identity between the West and Asia. 2. Collaborate in each creation with artists in at least two of Asia, North America and Europe. 3. Create new multi-media works by cross-disciplinary experimentation and expression. In each new community we enter, we invite artists and companies to join us. This process of collaboration as a whole creates a new and exciting medium for creating global work. Examples of our process in practice: "Center" - Music Created by Philein, Millenium Records and the Ting Brothers in LA Choreography was set on Praxis Project Dancers in LA Choreography further developed on dancers from Amaranth Arts Dance Co. in Virginia Final Piece performed in China by dancers from Beijing and Shanghai Case Study: "Child of No Nation" Video Written by Pat Burtis and Philein Wang in SF Recorded at Cybersound Studios in Boston Re-edited by Platinum Studios in Taiwan Photography from three continents by Keith Weng (Hong Kong and the US) Video Edited and rendered by Director Jorg Ihle in Beijing, China Past Artist Collaborations: This group of unique artists and companies in the fields of Film/Video, Music and Visual Arts have all worked with us in the past. Cybersound Music, an established production house featuring producer Perry Geyer, who has worked on award winning albums by artists such as Sarah MacLachlin and Mai Karaki German native Hollywood Director Jorg Ihle RAHJ, an urban rap artist in Brooklyn Painter, Areta Wang in Los Angeles. Read about the new works of art your donation and sponsorship will help bring to life. Philein Wang, Artistic Director/Founder At present, Philein divides her time between the San Francisco/Bay Area and Asia. She is a guest choreographer for Amaranth Dance Company. She has taught workshop intensives for: LDTX, Praxis Project, Laney College, Virginia Commonwealth University, and the Ren Liang School of Dance. Philein Wang is a Chinese-American dancer, musician, and poet whose exploration of her heritage and artistic identity has led her to create the perfect dance form for the Chinese body and identity: Tiger Hip Hop^TM. Using this highly stylized hybrid of Shaolin Style Tiger Claw, ballet, Tai Chi, yoga, modern dance, and hip hop, Philein strives to create a cross-cultural bridge to unite generations of immigrants through a hybridization of dance elements from Asia, Europe, Africa, and America. "When a young Chinese person is feeling confused as I was, and looking for answers to 'who am I,' maybe Tiger Hip-Hop^TM can provide a link. .... Maybe through this dance, that person would be able to find their identity, their culture and their strength. They would know where they belong." -- P.W. Philein Wang (her Chinese name, Zi-ru, meaning freely, smoothly and with facility) is the daughter of a mother from Hubei and a father from Taiwan. She was born in Michigan and raised in California. Philein studied at the prestigious Beijing Ballet Academy and privately with Zhong Ren Liang, who performed with Mikhail Baryshnikov. After college graduation Philein began studying martial arts under Beijing Wushu Team's five-time Champion Patti Hao Li. Philein received scholarships to the American Dance Festival and the Lewitzky Workshop. She worked with and was a soloist with several companies including: Janice Garrett, Ron Brown, Winifred R. Harris, Liss Fain Dance, and Taiwan's world-renowned Cloudgate Dance Theater. In 2005, Philein released her debut album, "Child of No Nation." Recorded in 6 cities, 2 continents and in 3 languages (English, Chinese and French), "Child of No Nation" was well received. Since 2005, she has taken her dance and music on live tours throughout the United States and abroad. Tiger Hip Hop/ Tiger Motion^TM. is a mesmerizing, hybridized movement that meshes seamlessly with Wang's music to create a performance-based immersion in her Chinese heritage. In the same way that African-American hip hop and Argentinian Capoeira are dance manifestations of fighting styles, Tiger Hip Hop TM is meant to create a motion-based history of the Chinese Martial Art movement. Writing of Chinese-American multi-disciplinary artist Philein Wang's splendidly received performances in Beijing, China, Time Out Beijing said "It's easy to hate someone with this staggering level of broad-based talent, but whatever you do, don't miss her show."