This interdisciplinary performance project is a collaboration between composer/saxophonist Francis Wong and dancer/choreographer Lenora Lee. This project was originally to be performed in historic public spaces in Chinatown - St. Mary’s Square and the Ping Yuen Housing Projects. St. Mary’s Square is the location of several iconic structures, namely, a statue of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, first provisional president of the Republic of China, a plaque honoring Chinese Americans who gave their lives in World War I and World War II; and more recently, a memorial to the Comfort Women in World War II. The Ping Yuen Housing Projects were the first high-rise public housing projects built in the US and were meant to house Chinese American veterans of World War II.

Unfortunately due to the pandemic we would not be able to organize live in person performances in these spaces. As an alternative, we filmed the music ensemble performing the score for the work at SOMArts Cultural Center and Lenora Lee Dance company members in St. Mary’s Square and in front of the Ping Yuen Projects. We took these elements and then made the short film series you see here. We structured the series into six chapters covering these six stories:

• Chapter I: Joseph Pierce, a Chinese American veteran of the American Civil War
• Chapter II: For the 140,000 Chinese from China who served as a laborers on the Western Front of World War I.
• Chapter III: For the Chinese and Chinese Americans who served in the China Burma India Theater of World II.
• Chapter IV: Salute to the Fallen for the Chinese Americans honored in the abovementioned plaque in St. Mary’s Square
• Chapter V: Dreamwaters/Peace for the Comfort Women
• Chapter VI: El Pueblo Unido, celebrating the contributions of BIPOC communities to peace and social justice

Primary funding for this project came from:
   

Chapter I: Joseph Pierce, a Chinese American veteran of the American Civil War

Chapter II: For the 140,000 Chinese from China who served as a laborers on the Western Front of World War I.

Chapter III: For the Chinese and Chinese Americans who served in the China Burma India Theater of World II.

Chapter IV: Salute to the Fallen for the Chinese Americans honored in the abovementioned plaque in St. Mary’s Square

Chapter V: Dreamwaters/Peace for the Comfort Women

Chapter VI: El Pueblo Unido, celebrating the contributions of BIPOC communities to peace and social justice

View the Full Playlist:
https://vimeo.com/showcase/9572587