Meet the Makers: Alysa Leung

“A city, a body, and a house” , 2023

In this Meet the Makers Conversation, Alysa Leung will discuss the essence of research in her artistic practice across various roles and cultural contexts. Since her graduation from MA Contemporary Theatre, Dance, and Dramaturgy at UU in 2022, she has been working as an independent artist, dramaturg, and producer in theatre, contemporary dance, street dance, experimental film, and circus practice. Like many young makers, she faced the challenge of translating academic knowledge into practice, not to mention bridging the fundamental cultural difference between Asian and European art scenes. Alysa will share her experience navigating the post-graduation landscape, and how she developed her thesis research into choreographic and video works.

As an emerging artist on the move, Alysa makes use of creative methods such as embodied research, historical research, fieldwork, and process-oriented dramaturgy, to build her multi-faceted practice from community arts projects to experimental performance series. In conversation with Dr Evelyn Wan (UU), her creative partner and dramaturg, they will discuss how ‘research’, concept-driven approaches, and creative methods inform making, and how practice facilitates knowledge production and dissemination.

Alysa Leung is an artist, dramaturg, and researcher based in Hong Kong. She works between Asia and Europe. She graduated from M.A. in Contemporary Theatre, Dance, and Dramaturgy at Utrecht University (2021-2022) with a full Holland Scholarship. She is devoted to researching site, body, and self-identity through intercultural artistic research, experimental performance, and community arts. Her research interest covers cities to oceanic cultures. Alysa’s work has been presented across various cities, such as Seoul, Hong Kong, Taipei, Itoshima, Vienna, Kortrijk, Ticino, and Surabaya. 

Latest works: “Technique of Exile” (Artist), “Body as Archive” (Dramaturg), “Beyond the Shore: The Future of Memories” (Artist),“Ivy Says:” (Curator, Director), commissioned by Hong Kong Arts Centre (Community Arts), Tai Kwun Circus Play 2024 “Juggle Twister” (Director), “RICORDA DOVE IL CUORE È” , commissioned by Ticino in Danza Festival, Switzerland, 2024 (Artist). In 2024, she was awarded the Emerging Artist Grant as resident artist of the “Young Arts Tech Talents Residency Scheme” from Hong Kong Arts Development Council. She is currently a resident artist at the Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre. alysaleungprojects.com

Dr. Evelyn Wan is an artist-scholar and dramaturg. She is Assistant Professor in Media, Arts, and Society at the Department of Media and Culture Studies at Utrecht University, where she coordinates the MA Arts and Society programme and works on interdisciplinary curriculum innovation in Humane AI. An award-winning scholar in media and performance studies, her work facilitates inter- and trans-disciplinary dialogues across theory and practice, grounded in feminist and decolonial scholarship. evelynwan.com

If Time’s Limited is a multidisciplinary artistic research and performance collective based in Hong Kong. The collective is co–founded by artist Alysa Leung, scholar Evelyn Wan, and filmmaker Anson Sham. We focus on post-dramatic performance and its dramaturgy, from experimental works to community-based projects. https://www.iftimeslimited.com/

There will be drinks in the foyer following this event. If you wish to attend this event please RSVP via this form.

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Meet the Makers is a series by The Creative Humanities Academy, a platform that fosters collaboration and knowledge exchange between cultural and creative professionals and academic researchers and students. Here you will find the full Meet the Makers programme and archive.