The weight of words
The Weight of a Word is a immersive contemporary dance performance created in collaboration with Bad Bias for the ESEA Exhibition at Horse hospitial.
Inspired by the short film A Word (2020), directed by Call It COVID, the work examines the rise of anti-Asian racism during the COVID-19 pandemic and its lasting emotional and social impact. Through the use of rope as a symbol of restriction, fragmented movement shaped by spoken words, and the recurring image of face masks, the performance explores how language, fear, and prejudice can confine, silence, and dehumanize the body.
As the performance unfolds, it shifts from experiences of oppression and isolation toward resilience and renewal. The gradual release of physical restraint creates a space for reflection, healing, and hope, inviting audiences to consider the enduring weight of words and the transformative power of empathy.
Podcast avaliblie on spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7fuQzlE7HCJZ93rDvqrr0l?si=e4417253863a4da4
Credit
- Choreographer: Ming Chin HSIEH
- Production: ESEA arts project Bad Bias
- Producer: Jihun Park and Haerin Kim
- Photography: Ty Burrows
- Videography: Michael Mui