李同學的「潮爆」預演結束，手上MJ受好奇的粉絲包圍。他卻認為皮影偶在面容和動作特色上仍未夠像真，準備再參考MJ影畫改良。並留給我們一句提醒：「科技是令皮影製作簡易了，但練習方面，卻是不能省的。」

A Leap from the Traditional to the Contemporary with a Moonwalk step in the Shadow - a conversation between the shadow show master Wong Fai, contemporary artist Dr. Leung and BU Visual Arts student Lee Yuk Shan

Repoarter: Fiona Lam

Translation: Jeannie Wu

As audiences cheered at the CULTaMAP exhibition show when Billie Jean plays along, showcasing 'behind' the screen was MJ's groundbreaking moves--- but I found the moves a bit odd... At the very moment when everyone was just about to see Moonwalk, there was a big hand appeared as the dark shadow over the screen, grasped MJ to the backstage all of a sudden like a hen picking its chick baby. The Shadow Show Master ('Si Fu') directed his two disciples straightly in the rehearsal, 'Here and there are just not right!... no, not like this!' And so, the moves and the steps in the dance has to be re-choreographed and rearranged, it is not to my surprise that some audiences whispered that they feel sorry for the 'MJ' of which being 'trained' in a harsh way.

Transcendence of the Art of Shadow Show: when The Master meets Dr. Leung

The transcendence of the skills of making the intangible heritage calls Shadow Show (Pi Yin Chi) to the younger generation in Hong Kong made possible by the Associate Professor Dr. Leung Mei Ping from the Visual Arts Department of the Baptist University of Hong Kong--- not only the traditional shadow show stepping into 2010 being presented in front of a big mass in Hong Kong, the ever-amazing Moonwalk once again being staged with the reinterpretation made by the shadow show character, of which the legendary MJ 'came alive' in front of the audiences. With the dancing steps yet to be polished, the pop icon and the signature moves brought the traditional Chinese Shadow Show into the contemporary art scene. Such a rare opportunity was being initiated by Dr. Leung as she started her annual course on Chinese traditional handcrafts and art, and so her students are able to meet and learn from handcrafts masters like blacksmith and paperwork experts. Unlike those courses provided by the local communal organizations that teach handcrafts as such, Leung's goal is more than to transcend the skills from the old masters to the young, students are required to actually 'reactivate' the traditional artistic elements into their making of contemporary art pieces after absorbing the skills and gaining the experiences.

The disciple talks about Wong Fai 'Si Fu' and creativity

The Visual Arts student Lee Yuk Shan from the Baptist University said that he is glad to meet the wholehearted and gentle teacher in Dr. Leung's class, although his learning started traditionally like an 'extra' following Master Wong, he treasures the all refreshing chance to get in touch with non-Western art (of which the 'furthest' Chinese art he learnt about is the traditional scroll painting). Having heard that, Master Wong looked shy and humbly said that he is still 'living' and staying in the 50s and 60s, 'The bold and creative reinterpretation of the MJ Shadow Show that Ar Shan (student Lee) suggested really surprised me at the time when I was planning for the performance, may be it's what people calls the generational gap... the older generation are still quite reserved and traditional.' Ar Shan immediately clarified that is not the case, ''Si Fu' is a bright and open-minded person who is willing to try and listen to me, there is no 'gap' between us as we talk a lot.'

Creativity comes all the way when the Master explores with his disciple. There was once when Lee tried to use projector for the show to ease the operation technically, and now Master Wong is experimenting with him by adjusting the lighting; another time Lee used Adobe Illustrator on computer to sketch the characters for the show in order to save the Master's time and effort assembling the original characters that made with cow skins over and over again--- what's more, they invented the most innovated string doll for the time being that only needs one person to control its performance (traditionally it needs two people to control together). 

It is exactly because of the mechanic moves of Moonwalk created by MJ that made it accessible to be incorporated into the traditional Shadow Show, as the latter adopts segmenting techniques to make the characters 'act'. To reveal the best of the Rock & Roll beats and sensitivity through Shadow Show, it is essential (and challenging as well) for Master Wong to find ways showing the gist of the traditional art on the screen with the 2D MJ. Such a crossover once encountered a 'problem' as 'MJ's legs' were tangled with that of another character, to solve such problem Wong said it normally takes couple of days applying traditional methods, but Leung suggested to use the hair-dryer at home to give it a try and it worked just in 15 minutes.

The all new and refreshing preview of the MJ Shadow Show 'wao-ed' everyone and 'MJ' was surrounded by fans instantly after the show. However Lee said he has to improve the image of the character to make it looks real and authentic like MJ coming ‘alive’, adding that although technology allows us to make the Shadow Show relatively easy, he still thinks practices of the skills and techniques are vital for the performance.

*** To enjoy the IMPRESSIVE CROSSOVER of the Chinese traditional Shadow Show (皮影戲) featuring MJ performed by the Shadow Show master Wong Fai and his disciple Lee Yuk Shan, please come to the 2/F of the Cyberport Arcade on the February 13-16 & 20-21 for the 2pm and 4pm show (3pm and 5pm workshop followed), it is one of the Chinese New Year activities entitled ‘Double Happiness & Best Wishes’. For enquiries, please visit: http://arcade.cyberport.hk/

又是“Billie Jean”響起，來CULTaMAP藝術展的群眾一陣歡呼，只見Michael Jackson出場甩動雙肩，一如既往地順著節拍扭擺，但今天的動作卻有點怪。當他正準備使出絕技Moonwalk，螢幕倏地出現一隻大手的黑影，一把抓住MJ，老鷹抓小雞般把他抓回了後台。不但如此，舞動MJ的兩位小徒弟還當眾被師傅指指點點，訓了一頓：「這裡和那裡…… 這樣動不對！」舞步唯有重新演練，難怪聽到身邊有觀眾朋友說：「這個MJ好可憐喔。」

教授請來師傅授藝

舞步雖未成功，卻已是帶領皮影戲由傳統跨進當代的一大步。這次MJ重踏台板的機緣，是浸大視覺藝術學院助理教授梁美萍所引線玉成。學院每年均開辦傳統手工藝課程供同學選修，過去曾請來白鐵匠、紙紥作師傅授藝。香港坊間確有少量傳統技藝教學班，但身為視覺藝術學院的教授，梁強調自己的任務非只替師傅找徒弟去傳承，而是要求學生吸收技藝和經驗後，能繼而把傳統技藝活化成與當代藝術接合。

大學徒弟仔：「沒代溝！」

浸大視覺藝術系李鈺山同學就是這樣在大學課堂上與黃暉師傅相遇。他坦言學院平時教學以西方美術為主，雕刻也是西式的，不是學雕中式門牌、石獅子，最傳統的不過是國畫。又大讚黃暉師傅教學用心，師傅表演時李同學跟去「執頭執尾」，數月間仿似師徒制的傳授方式，令李同學學了不少。表演時生龍活虎的黃暉師傅此刻卻有點靦腆，謙稱自己思想「仍停留在五、六十年代」：「今次阿山提出以皮影演繹MJ，這大膽創新是我們本身構思節目時萬萬想不出的，可能是代溝問題吧……上一代人生活接觸的都較傳統。」「徒弟仔」李同學在旁聞言，立時糾正：「師傅既開明，又勇於嘗試，很能接納我們這輩的想法。我們一有新想法也會同師傅傾傾。總之，沒代溝！」

創新的基礎是…

李同學舉例說，有次問及可否直接以投影機把背景映到螢幕上，讓幕後少掛些背景，師傅指出可能有燈光問題，現仍在試驗中；又嘗試先用電腦AI(Adobe Illustrator)起草戲偶，改到滿意，才印出來給師傅組裝，省卻把整個戲偶反覆拆改的傳統工序。更發明了單人操縱的皮影偶(傳統皮影多須兩人合作控制一皮影偶)，是目前最創新的。

MJ Moonwalk本身十分機械性，其實和皮影中把動作分割的技巧不謀而合，至於把Rock & Roll轉化為皮影著重的扭曲與關節位、速度與感應，則仍須師傅再三改良，可見創新亦須先掌握傳統的來龍去脈。梁美萍教授也分享說，在一次當代戲劇與皮影的crossover中，奧運跑手皮影偶的硬膠製雙腿交絆住了，師傅本打算用傳統方法，把硬膠紮幾天，梁卻想到用家中風筒吹15分鐘加熱，硬膠果然外彎，不交絆了。連師傅也不禁讚道：「都得喎。」換言之，解決問題即創新。

*** 要觀賞師徒兩人正式的「潮爆」MJ皮影戲表演 ，可於2月13-16日及20-21日2–2:45pm及 4–4:45pm親臨數碼港商場二樓全天候廣場的「囍願．新年」活動。查詢：www.arcade.cyberport.hk