DRAGON ドラゴン
Good Company Arts present a new dance-theatre film featuring artists from Japan, Australia and Aotearoa to celebrate the Year of the Dragon, 2024. Te Tumu Toi New Zealand Arts Foundation Laureate Daniel Belton, leads a stellar creative team.
Electronic-jazz pioneer Mark de Clive-Lowe’s new music is interwoven with taonga pūoro from Mahina-Ina Kingi-Kaui and Alistair Fraser. Dynamic beats and melodic phrasings inspire powerful screen performances from IDIOT SAVANT Theater Company (Tōkyō), with Airu Matsuda and Samara Reweti (Aotearoa). The virtuosic dance-theatre presence of Nao Akao, Chikako Arai and Yasuhiro Kondo, channels energies of the dragon. Acclaimed wordsmith, Katherine Lyall-Watson (Belloo Creative, Australia) adds a poetic script, igniting sonic and visual spaces in this bespoke work.
In Eastern mythology the magical dragon represents courage, wisdom and power. Sometimes known as a shape-shifter, the dragon is a playful, powerful totem. Dragons are symbols of celestial mobility with sweeping abilities - breathing clouds, moving seasons and controlling waters. Asian traditions venerate a set of elements called the "five great". These are air, water, earth, fire and void. Within this there is a timeless philosophy used to describe the vital relationship and interdependence between all living things.
The appearance of the celestial dragon invokes an ancient connection to the multiverse. Dragon is a tohu signalling higher dimensions. Our game-like cinema opens alternative pathways, expanding geometries of the cube and hexagon, morphing spatial portals through the fusion of dance, music and digital arts.
Good Company Arts
World Premiere Lunar New Year Festival (Pōneke, Wellington); Official Selection National Library of New Zealand - Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa; Lunar New Year Projection Installation Te Whare Taonga o Waikato - Waikato Museum; Official Selection Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Arts Festival (AKLFEST 2024); AV Liveset performances with Mark de Clive-Lowe, Mahina-Ina Kingi-Kaui and Daniel Belton for Japan Festival Wellington 2024 (Michael Fowler Centre mainstage), and Baroom Club Tōkyō, Japan 2024. In association with Christchurch City Council (SPARKS 2025) Ōtautahi AV Liveset performance with Mahina-Ina Kingi-Kaui and Daniel Belton supported digitally by Mark de Clive-Lowe. Official Selection Sound Kitchen World Stage Design, Sharjah, UAE 2025* Official Selection Scenofest Programme World Stage Design, Sharjah, UAE 2025*
Official Selections: Lumière de Paris* Kyoto Cinematica Film Festival* Rome Music Video Awards* Roma Short Film Festival* Tempo Dance Festival NZ (Te Ao Matihiko) 2024* All Asian Independent Film Festival* International Stockholm Film Festival* Tagus Art Association Film Festival Lisbon* LA Film & Documentary Awards* Golden Swan Zurich Film Festival* New York Film & Cinematography Awards* Silver Screen Film Festival Prague* City of Arts Film Festival Madrid* Tokyo International Short Film Festival* Los Angeles Short Film Awards* Suresnes CinéVille Festival Paris* Los Angeles Movie & Music Video Awards* International Stockholm Film Festival* Kalakari Film Festival India* NEONPanda Singapore Nominee* F A R O Concurso de Cinema Mediterrâneo e Mundial Nominee* Semi-Finalist ICEBERG Film Awards Oslo* Semi-Finalist Rio de Janiero World Film Festival* Semi-Finalist FILMHAUS Berlin* Semi-Finalist Tōkyō Shorts Festival* Semi-Finalist Rome International Short Festival* Semi-Finalist Dubai Independent Film Festival* Semi-Finalist SENSEI FilmFest Tokyo* Finalist Clown International Film Festival Paris* Finalist Humro Cinema Film Festival Pokhra Nepal* Finalist ROLLOUT Dance Film Festival Macao* Honorable Mention Rome Music Video Awards* Honorable Mention Indo Dubai International Film Festival* Winner Best Experimental Film Colossus Festival Paris* Winner Best Experimental Venice Fullshot Film Festival* Winner Best Experimental Film Indianapolis Independent Film Festival* Winner Best Experimental Film Istanbul Movie Awards* Winner Best Experimental Film VENICE UNDER THE STARS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL* Winner Best Performing Arts FILMZEN International Film Competition Chicago* Winner Best Experimental Film Indian Independent Film Festival* Winner Best Dance Film Swedish International Film Festival* Winner Best Experimental Film & Best Director Experimental Film Hidden Universes: IFF Melbourne* Winner Best Dance Short Film Hong Kong Indie Film Festival* Award Winner Best Dance Film Kyoto Independent Film Festival Japan* Winner Best Dance Video Dialog Film Festival Köln*
DRAGON ドラゴン (Lunar New Year Edition 2024 AAF Promo)
DRAGON ドラゴン (Lunar New Year Edition 2024 Lunar Promo)
Director’s notes
"For the DRAGON film Chika Arai's dance is the ecstatic ‘dance like nobody's watching’ release. The geometry of the hexagon in filmic spatial play, references origami - within the concertina of the fold exists potential for the surprise of new dimensions - expanding spatial perception as discovery. The game board matrix of this work, with it's building block elemental design pieces and honeycomb cell layouts, offers multi-level interaction for the participants (the performers presence and the music drive the narrative of DRAGON). The arrival of the dragon signals colour codes. Geometric designs companion the codes as each of the screen performers represent an element.
Our film is celebrating the ‘Year of the Dragon’. We are teasing the folding and unfolding of space, and the re-registration of environment. It is the human questing supported by the energies of the dragon which is the ‘passing of the baton’ of responsibility - from the celestial wisdom of the dragon to the human to say ‘you are worthy’. Are we worthy? Can we do this? This is the challenge - are we ready for greater responsibility? The hexagon is the sacred geometric baton which references Metatron's Cube in our play from pixel spaces and the binary of ones and zero's. This extends out through the power of gesture, movement, music - to the abandon capable of dance. There is this sense of the dragon investing in the human with optimism. The message embedded within the DRAGON film offers a kind of geometry of trust, a spatial language crystalline in climax moments, even prismatic with spectral hues occurring where film frames intersect. For our opening scene, Lyall-Watson's script affirms ‘Net of hope holding safe’.
DRAGON resonates with the poetics of human movement through spectacular dance-gesture performances, immersive 3D motion graphics scenography and a magnificent music score. Dance-theatre, sound and optics intertwine to re-sculpt the digital stage through a series of 5 scenes. The hexagon frame which contains our story, is a galactic ship, pulsing temporally, gliding and refracting light as multi-prism portals tracking the key elements: AIR (Silver-White performed by Chikako Arai), WATER (Blue-Green performed by Nao Akao), EARTH (Green-Grey performed by Yasuhiro Kondo), FIRE (Red-Orange performed by Airu Matsuda), and VOID (Violet performed by Samara Reweti). This project creates a syncopated dialogue which levers on the pattern of the hexagon - 6 sided scales and stepped cubes manifest scenographies which respond to, and provoke the presence of the screen performer.
A line that works diagonally in space creates the illusion of 3 dimensions because it suggests depth. We are used to the idea that low on the picture plane is near, and high is far - a Western thought paradigm. The design in DRAGON references orthogonal perspective. Axonometry is a type of orthogonal projection, yet having all the lines of an object at the same length, they are not drawn as shortening into the distance, which renders an unnatural compression. Architects use this descriptive drawing methodology to generate planar images of 3 dimensional objects and structures. Jac Grenfell’s exquisite motion graphics authored from hand animated ink on glass, suggest hills or valleys with ridges and mountain peaks that roll out as rhythmic vistas for the performers to roam. He describes the film opening sequence as: “The ratio of the theatre space, pushed to the edge of the frame, opens up an alternative esoteric world”.
The celestial dragon is celebrated as a totemic being within our electronic game-like film journey, where time can rewind, cut, warp and weft. The digital amalgam of light and sound that we know and love to be cinema, hosts this party to honour the divine dragon.
Donnine and I would like to thank the brilliant artists from three nations contributing their work to this 4D cinema vision” Daniel Belton (February 10, 2024)
“DRAGON pays homage to the significance of the dragon held in the Asian culture. Dragons represent power, strength and good fortune and this work is a powerful fusion of dance, music, and storytelling to create an immersive experience for audiences.
Drawing inspiration from the 2024 Asian Zodiac symbol, the Wood Dragon, DRAGON also embraces the ecological and cultural significance of dragons in Japanese and Māori culture. For Māori, the “Tarakona”, akin to the Japanese "Doragon," serves as a guardian representing the life force of a place. As kaitiaki earth guardians, they transmit messages of hope, urging us to be in tune with nature, acknowledging earth and emphasising humanity's custodial role.
Exploring the intersection of ancient myths and modern narratives DRAGON celebrates the unique bridge that links Aotearoa New Zealand to Asia. The fusion of dance, music and theatre with cinematic artistry highlights the power of the arts to transcend boundaries, raise awareness of global ecological issues and bring cultures together in this wonderful film” Lunar New Year Festival Aotearoa
Dragon Project Journal Posts:
https://www.goodcompanyarts.com/journal/good-company-arts-baroom-club-tokyo
https://www.goodcompanyarts.com/journal/good-company-arts-dragon-tiger-japan-festival-2024
https://www.goodcompanyarts.com/journal/good-company-arts-dragon-film-poems
https://www.goodcompanyarts.com/journal/good-company-arts-dragon-film-update
Dragon : A Cinematic Journey through the diverse Geometries gyrating around the elements dictating existence (Swedish International Film Festival Review - May 9th 2025)
“Daniel Belton’s Dragon, in collaboration with Good Company Arts, is a mesmerizing exploration of movement, sound, and space, built upon an intricate dialogue between the elements, geometry, and human potential. The film, which celebrates the ‘Year of the Dragon,’ is both a visual and conceptual masterpiece, blending stunning choreography with immersive motion graphics and a profound musical score. In this intricate work, the five elements—Air, Water, Earth, Fire, and Void—are embodied through masterful dance performances that not only speak to the physicality of these elements but also to the metaphysical questions of self-worth and cosmic responsibility.
One of the most remarkable aspects of Dragon is its impeccable portrayal of the five elements. Each element is represented through intricately choreographed performances bringing a tactile, almost spiritual essence to these primal forces. Chikako Arai’s portrayal of Air is an ethereal dance of flight and freedom, seemingly suspended in mid-air as her movements reflect the very lightness of being. Nao Akao, representing Water, flows effortlessly between gestures, evoking the fluidity and depth of water, while Yasuhiro Kondo’s Earth brings a grounded, earthy strength to his movements, rooted firmly in the earth. Airu Matsuda’s Fire is an explosion of energy, each motion crackling with intensity, while Samara Reweti’s Void, played in violet, embodies the unseen spaces that shape our existence—silent, yet profoundly present. These performances do not simply capture the essence of their elements; they embody them in ways that resonate deeply with the viewer, making the abstract concept of the elements tangible and human.
The choreography itself is extraordinary, blending technical precision with emotional depth. The dancers perform with a sense of effortless grace, yet the precision of each movement speaks to the depth of the film’s underlying themes. The complexity of the dance is woven seamlessly into the fabric of the film, highlighting the relationship between the human body and the celestial forces it represents. There is a certain fluidity in the way the performers interact with the space, the geometric patterns, and one another, as if each movement is part of an intricate puzzle. This synchronization between movement, design, and sound creates an immersive experience that elevates the film from mere performance to a profound commentary on human existence and the forces that shape our lives.
The film’s use of space is equally impressive, with the hexagon serving as both a visual motif and a conceptual anchor. The hexagon, a shape that suggests harmony and balance, appears throughout the film, its six sides framing not just the narrative but the essence of the elements themselves. This geometric framework is more than just a design choice; it is an active participant in the storytelling. The honeycomb-like patterns and stepped cubes are dynamic and multi-layered, responding to the performers and their movements, constantly shifting in response to the energies they embody. This design also serves to mirror the relationship between the cosmic and the human, the hexagon functioning as a sacred geometric baton that passes responsibility from the celestial dragon to humanity. This is a deeply spiritual and philosophical moment, as the dragon challenges the human performer to comprehend the meaning of existence.
A particularly striking feature of Dragon is the seamless integration of intricate symbols and the use of space. The film takes the potential for overwhelming complexity and renders it poetic. Belton’s design plays with light and shadow, presence and absence, in a way that breathes life into the geometric world they’ve created. The use of light and colour throughout the film is especially powerful, with spectral hues and the play of darkness and light adding layers of meaning to the visual experience. These moments, where frames intersect and refract light, create a sense of crystalline clarity, particularly in the film’s climax, where the elements come together in a powerful, almost prismatic burst of energy. The absence of colour at key moments intensifies the emotional impact, heightening the sense of loss, emptiness, or the unknown. It is a perfect visual metaphor for the film’s central theme of responsibility—stepping into the unknown, accepting what it means to carry the weight of the elements.
The background score, composed to accompany the nuanced movements of the dancers and the shifting digital spaces, serves as a dominant force throughout the film. The music is both celestial and grounded, its rhythms and textures amplifying the emotional depth of the choreography. It enhances the visceral experience, creating a heightened sense of urgency or serenity, depending on the demands of the scene. The score is never overwhelming but rather serves as a gentle guide, leading the viewer deeper into the world of Dragon.
Finally, the film’s motion graphics—particularly those crafted by Jac Grenfell—add a layer of visual complexity that elevates the film to an extraordinary level of artistic achievement. The hand-animated ink on glass creates landscapes that seem to undulate with the dancers, as if the very terrain they inhabit is alive, shifting, and responding to the performers’ presence. This integration of graphic design with dance gives Dragon a surreal, otherworldly feel, transforming the stage into a living, breathing entity. The landscapes, with their rolling hills and valleys, serve as more than just backdrops; they are active participants in the performers’ journey.
Dragon is a cinematic triumph that transcends the typical boundaries of performance art. It combines elements of dance, design, and music to create an immersive, transformative experience that speaks to the very core of human existence. Through its impeccable portrayal of the five elements, masterful choreography, and thoughtful use of space and symbolism, the film challenges us to reflect on our own potential, the cosmic forces that govern our lives, and our readiness to embrace the responsibility that comes with the passing of the dragon’s baton. It is a work of art that is both visually stunning and philosophically profound—an experience that stays with you long after the credits roll” https://www.thesiff.com/review-dragon/
