A bit of mystery, unforgettable dance sequences, and cutting-edge technology. That’s the promise that Spanish choreographer Blanca Li promises in her new show LE BAL de PARIS de Blanca Li, an award-winning immersive live show in virtual reality.

Presented by Singapore Street Festival, LE BAL de PARIS de Blanca Li arrives in Singapore fresh from an acclaimed run in Taipei, following a world tour that has taken it from Paris to Geneva, Venice to Belgrade. Having won “Best VR Experience” at the 78th Venice International Film Festival, the show is a rather unique presentation, comprising thirty five minutes in virtual reality, where the public is led to participate and dance during the experience, interacting with real dancers, before transitioning from the virtual to the real world across three grand ball scenes.

The creator of this unusual show, the 60-year old Blanca Li isn’t just dabbling in it for fun, and knows what she’s doing. A force to be reckoned with in Spain’s arts scene, Blanca counts among her many talents choreography, film directing, dancing and acting, where she has headed projects ranging from opera to museum installations, incorporating a range of expressions from flamenco to classical ballet and urban dance. Blanca has choreographed for the biggest names in the world, ranging from filmmakers Pedro Almodóvar, to Michel Gondry, to musicians Daft Punk, Paul McCartney, Beyoncé, Blur and Coldplay, and fashion houses such as Gaultier, CHANEL and Stella McCartney.

LE BAL de PARIS de Blanca Li marks yet another mark on her already bedazzled resume, and where most artists might view technology with suspicion, Blanca has fully embraced it in all its possibilities. “When I discovered VR for the first time, I immediately got excited about the possibilities of this new technology we could use for live performances,” says Blanca. “Unfortunately, that was also around the time COVID-19 hit, and we were very limited in what we could explore, and couldn’t test out all our ideas. Thankfully, we were finally able to put things all together, and it made its official premiere in Paris in December 2021, and we’ve really enjoyed two very successful years of it on tour since then.”

“Since then, technology has also been growing steadily, where the limitations are decreasing, and it can now fully serve the concept I had in my head, and I think more people have become receptive to the idea of technology in the arts,” she adds. “We’re always trying to push technology to its limits and looking for ways to make these ideas come true, to adapt them to reality within confines of technology and the possibilities they offer. There really is no fear that technology will replace art, and it simply becomes a new tool to help tell stories, just like a painter finding new paints – it’s just another option in the act of experimenting with creation.”

While Blanca may be very receptive to such innovations, we asked about how audiences have reacted to this wondrous new art form thus far, and Blanca responds positively. “We were initially worried members of the public would be hesitant to participate, but we were pleasantly surprised to see everyone very willing to let themselves go and just dance with joy,” says Blanca. “I do think part of it comes from how while wearing the equipment, you don’t see anyone else around you, where everyone is represented as an avatar, and you have a bit of anonymity, like a masquerade, where you feel like you can totally be yourself and enjoy that freedom to participate in the group.”

“It can be hard to sell the show at first to the public, some of whom have never even put on a VR headset in their life, and I would definitely recommend people to come in with an open mind and not to compare it with other shows, because it really is the first of its kind, so you can fully enjoy the experience,” she adds. “And so far, what we’ve seen is that after experiencing it once, many people end up gifting a ticket to their friends and family, because they want them to experience what they did, and try something completely new. It just takes someone to want to bring us in to start the ball rolling, and for word of mouth to help spread it.”

Blanca has big plans for the show, and wants to tour it to other parts of Asia following Singapore, including cities in China, South Korea and Japan, before hitting North America. “I think as an artist, once you have a strong idea, you need to make it happen, and pushing it as far as you can to realise what you can or cannot do,” says Blanca. “I get so excited about the young artists in Spain who are able to mix traditional Spanish dance, like flamenco, with a new perspective, such as other art forms and contemporary dance. And for me, this show is really my way of spreading joy to others through participation, like a party, as we follow these characters through the ballroom dances.”

“It’s just really exciting to still get to do something like this, and if anything, coming out of the pandemic, it made a lot of people realise how important artists were in their lives, not just as pure entertainment, but as creators and visionaries,” she concludes. “For us, we are here to reinvent the world with our dreams, and use our art to make poetry, bring joy to others, and make their dreams come through, in our little act of escapism from the stress of the world, and just feel free to enjoy themselves, even just for a moment.”

LE BAL de PARIS de Blanca Li plays from 2nd to 17th March 2024 at Infinite Studios. Tickets available here