[中][ENG] 那對早起的野馬與伯樂—訪問麥卓鴻與喬楊 Two Early-birds – Mustang and Horse Whisperer: An Interview with Kelvin
喬楊頒獎予麥卓鴻。Qiao Yang presents the Outstanding Performance by a Male Dancer award to Kelvin Mak. 攝 Photo: Mark Lam
別人的一句「香港舞者的身體一定比不上中國舞者」，麥卓鴻因而激起更大決心要鍛鍊好身體及技巧，以行動來證明香港也有出色的舞者。而他在「香港舞蹈年獎2017」的頒獎禮上獲頒「最佳男舞蹈員演出」也正好肯定了年僅二十三歲的他一直以來的努力成就。當晚更由他稱為「契母」，亦曾兩度獲「香港舞蹈年獎」的喬楊親自將獎座頒發。對一直受她照顧及提攜的他而言，著實有重大的意義。是次訪問正是與這對契母子的對談，談及他們的舞蹈上的默契，生活上的點滴，更重要是提及對舞蹈的熱情及執著。
“Hong Kong dancers’ bodies can’t compare to dancers from China”. The remark sparked Kelvin Mak’s determination to sharpen his body skills to prove that there were exceptional dancers in Hong Kong. Receiving the Outstanding Performance by a Male Dancer at the 19th Hong Kong Dance Awards was a fitting result for the 23-year-old’s endeavors. At the ceremony, he was presented the award by two-time Hong Kong Dance Award recipient, Qiao Yang, whom Mak calls ‘godmother’ for her care and guidance. In an interview with them, the two talk about their chemistry while dancing together, their lives, and most importantly, their passion and perseverance in dancing.
"舞者唯一擁有的就是身體。
A dancer’s only asset is his or her own body. "
麥卓鴻於城市當代舞蹈團《回初》中的演出，編舞：阮日廣 Kelvin Mak in Mother I am Sorry, CCDC, Choreography: Nguyen Ngoc Anh.攝 Photo: 黃狄文 Dominic Wong
野馬與伯樂 Mustang and Horse Whisperer
提及他倆的關係，便應由彼此如何欣賞對方開始說起。約三年前，喬楊認識當時剛加入城市當代舞蹈團（下稱舞團）的麥卓鴻。喬因為自己身材較高大，自認是個在做舞蹈動作時比較大膽的女舞者，所以很多時她需要如麥這個身材健碩的男舞者作為雙人舞的對手。她形容麥的個頭大，骨架厚， 跳舞時使人很放心將身體交付過去。例如有一次她原本需要飛跳到麥身上之後翻身，但在跳向麥身上時不慎差點撞向地面。那時麥反過來利用自己身體支撐着，並先讓自己着地，再使喬在上，令喬不致倒地受傷。喬說她跳舞四十年了，少見這樣可靠的舞伴，可以令自己安心去嘗試更多不同的動作，以使三年來從麥加入至離團，當中所有的雙人舞，甚至是群舞中的拍檔，也一定是他們一起跳，一來是大家同是個頭大的人，也因為她很放心與這些很有默契的男子去跳舞，故才有互稱契母契子的事。
Qiao Yang and Kelvin Mak’s relationship began with mutual admiration for each other. Around three years ago, Qiao met Mak when he joined CCDC. Because of her height, her dancing is considered bold. Therefore, in duets, she needs a strong male dancer like Mak as a partner. She describes Mak as a hefty guy with big bones, very reassuring in a partner. Once, when she was about to be caught by Mak after a leap, and flip her body, the leap failed and she nearly crashed hard onto the ground. Mak used his own body to support her so that he landed before her. Qiao landed on Mak’s body without getting hurt. Qiao has been dancing for 40 years and has rarely met a partner as reliable as Mak. This gave her confidence to try more new movements. During Mak’s three-year stay with the company, they were always paired together. They were even partners in group dances. The mutual understanding between these two formidable dancers was the reason Qiao felt secure dancing with Mak. It also resulted in a bond that made them like godmother and godson.
喬楊於城市當代舞蹈團《雙城記—香港．上海．張愛玲》中的演出，編舞：黎海寧。
Qiao Yang in Tales of Two Cities, CCDC, Choreography: Helen Lai. 攝Photo: 陳德昌Ringo Chan
至於麥談到喬時，他形容喬一直很提攜自己，是一個很出色的舞者。即便年到五十，但很懂得保養身體，而令其舞蹈不輸及其他舞人。而最重要的是，因為自己從進團到離團時，也是整個舞團中年紀最小，多少對其他舞者多一份尊敬，也受到其他同事特別關顧。然而即使喬是舞團內年齡最大的一位，她從來不擺甚麼大姐的架子，也沒有長輩那種必須要後輩敬重的姿態，而是無分年齡與自己切磋、交流，當然也教曉了自己很多的事。因為有喬楊，才令麥他自己能夠在三年內有很多進步，捱過很多不同階段的苦痛—包括舞蹈上、生活上，甚至心靈上的，也得到喬的照顧、包容及體諒。在此，喬補充說，也許麥還年輕，在練習及表演有時會有一份傻勁去橫衝直撞像一匹野馬，有着很好的身段及技巧，但有時會過份用力，而需要拉他一把，讓他知道如何在舞蹈的日子中走下去。
Mak considers Qiao his guide and an outstanding dancer. Even in her fifties, she knows how to maintain her body, which enables her to dance as strongly as younger dancers. More importantly, because he was the youngest member of CCDC throughout his three-year stay, he’d always been respectful of other dancers, and his colleagues took extra care of him. Qiao was the oldest member of the Company, yet she never acted like a ‘big sister’ to others. She never demanded respect from the young ones. Regardless of his age or experience, Qiao interacted and shared with Mak, teaching him many things. Because of Qiao, Mak made significant improvement over the three years. In getting through different difficulties, in dancing, in living, even in spirituality, he had Qiao’s care, patience, and understanding. Qiao added that, maybe because Mak was young, he could be reckless in rehearsals and performances. She described him being like a mustang, Mak had a good body and skills, but sometimes he tried too hard. He needed a hand, so he would know how to continue his dance career.
《孤寂》 Soledad; 編舞 Choregrapher: 黎海寧 Helen Lai; 舞者 Dancers: (前 Front) 喬楊 Qiao Yang, (後 Back) 麥卓鴻 Kelvin Mak; 相片由城市當代舞蹈團提供 Photo provided by City Contemporary Dance Company
好勝的契母子 Ambitious Godmother and Godson
喬楊以野馬來形容麥卓鴻，就如不少出色舞者均有的好勝心理，所指的不一定是要與人競爭或鬥生鬥死的狀況，而是對自身有很高的要求，也對美有着狂烈的執着。當然，這對母子也如是。喬楊自問是個直腸直肚的人，卻沒有太多要與人爭位爭勝的心態，但她對於舞蹈還是有很大的堅持，然而她形容主要跳現代舞的自己不同於跳傳統芭蕾或中國舞的人，對於動作有着無比的執念，要不斷去練功夫到極限，甚至有時會弄傷自己。她說舞者最需要做的是保護自己的身體，懂得養身養生才能一直跳下去， 是熱愛舞蹈的堅持。長長的舞蹈生涯中，她只有三次較嚴重的受傷，但最多也只是休息一天便好了。她認為這是她太愛跳舞而不捨得受傷，意志令她的身體受得住一些小創，讓她可以繼續在舞台上跳舞。
‘Mustang’, the simile Qiao used to describe Mak, could describe a similar mindset of many exceptional dancers, referring not to a competitive attitude, but to the high demands they place on themselves, and to their passionate aesthetics. For sure, this godmother and godson were no exception. Qiao believes she is a very direct person. She doesn’t intend to compete, but still has a strong point of view on dancing. Her focus is on modern dance, and this made her different from practitioners of ballet or Chinese dance. She put great importance on technical and artistic excellence and worked till she reached her own limits. Sometimes, she was so intense that she would hurt herself. She knew that as a dancer, the most important thing she should work on was to protect her body, to take care of her own body and health. It was also a way to persevere in dance. She has had only three serious injuries in her long dance life. Yet, she recovered from all three after a day of rest. She loves dancing too much that she dares not to get hurt. With her strong will, her body could endure minor injuries so that she could continue dancing on stage.
麥卓鴻則認為自己的好勝就是如上述一句被人看輕香港舞者的身體而起，自始他在學校多練習基本功，又在放學後去其他地方上課，以致當時自己在學校被當成是壞孩子，原因是他不太想花時間在創作或其他功課上，而專心地鍛鍊身體，令他與其他同學少了交流，也沒多聽老師的說話。然而這些練習，加上他那天生強健的骨架遺傳，及小時跟隨父親學習武術，令他的舞蹈身體有着比一般人更堅實的基礎。進舞團之後，他仍會努力地練習，以喬楊這位年齡最大卻又很勤力的舞者作榜樣。
Mak thought that his ambition had its origins in the remark quoted at the beginning of this article, a put-down of Hong Kong dancers’ bodies. Because of it, he worked very hard on basic principles. He went to other classes after school and he did not spend much time on composition or other homework. He was considered a bad student in school. His focus on training his body also limited the time he had to mingle with fellow students or listen to his teachers. However, those practices, together with the strong body he was born with, and his martial art training with his father at an early age, gave his dancing body a stronger foundation than other dancers. He continued his hard work after entering CCDC and made Qiao, the oldest and most hardworking dancer, his role model.
麥卓鴻（上）於《拼途》演出。Kelvin Mak (up) performing in Travelogue. 攝Photo: 張志偉 Cheung Chi-wai
很多成功的舞者，大多都是最早回到練習室的人。這對契母子也有一個有趣習慣—因為喬與麥同樣是乘地鐵途經調景嶺站回舞團，以致每朝喬也約麥在站內等候，並一定是一起比上班提早半小時回到舞團，一起乘車、熱身、準備工作。喬認為舞者唯一擁有的就是身體，所以除了訓練技巧外，生活作息的節奏也必須好好管理。早起及在工作前做好準備，是對舞蹈的一種專業態度，而她希望把這些的訊息傳給年輕的契兒子，即便有點帶強迫的意圖也好，也要硬約他一齊最早回去，理好自己的生活節奏，才能做好舞者的本份。
Most successful dancers are the earliest to arrive at the studio. The godmother and the godson had an interesting routine. Because both took the MTR to CCDC via Tiu Keng Leng Station, the two met at the station every day and went back to CCDC together – half an hour earlier than the official starting hour. They took the ride together, warmed-up, and prepared for work. To Qiao, a dancer’s only asset is his or her own body. Therefore, apart from skills training, it is also important to manage one’s lifestyle. Getting up early and preparing before work is the professional approach to dancing. Qiao wanted to pass that message to her godson, and she delivered it by forcing Mak to go to work early together with her every morning. It is fundamental for a dancer to manage lifestyle well.
最美好的時光 Golden Times
對於在舞團內最年輕舞者，舞團內的競爭會否令麥有很大壓力？麥說舞團因為人多，自然存在不同的想法，磨擦或爭執也少不免。儘管如此， 比較以前讀書或現在作為自由身舞者的生活，舞團的三年時光是他感到最溫暖的日子。當中除了喬楊的提攜及其他前輩的關心和包容，加上舞團很照顧舞者的生活，令他無後顧之憂地跳舞。相反，未進舞團時的日子，或初入舞團的幾個月，確實過得很苦。例如他獨來獨往埋頭練功的風格令他與同學和老師關係不太友好，甚至小小年紀的他考入舞團亦遭其他人誹議，認為他是靠和喬楊相熟才得以提拔……種種他人不友善的目光一直令他感到壓力。以前在學校時遇上壓力只有他孤身面對，可幸是進了舞團後，有喬楊的鼓勵，也有如黃振邦這些前輩的支持，令他不再一個人默默的撐下去。喬楊在旁聽着，便說麥是憑著自己的努力及天份，在加入舞團的首次演出《逆． 轉》表現出自己的專業，之後才慢慢讓其他人信服他的成就，當然舞蹈年獎的提名及今次得獎，也是一個肯定。
As the youngest member of CCDC, would competition from other dancers place great pressure on Mak? To Mak, a large group of people naturally means a variety of points of view; clashes and conflict are inevitable. Yet, compared to his school years or his life now as a freelance dancer, the three years he spent at CCDC were the warmest he’d had. Qiao and other senior dancers were caring and tolerant and CCDC took care of the dancers’ lives. He could dance without worries. The time before he entered CCDC and the first few months there were hard. For example, he used to practice in solitude, and this made him seem not-so-friendly with teachers and fellow dancers. Some even thought Mak was made a member at such a young age because he befriended Qiao. Unfriendly attitudes were distressing to him. Yet, in his school years, he faced everything by himself. After entering CCDC, encouragement from Qiao and support from senior dancers such as Wong Chun Pong helped him on his way. Hearing this, Qiao commented that Mak’s efforts and talent were what led to his success. He displayed professionalism in It’s My Turn, his first work with CCDC. This persuaded people to acknowledge his achievement. The Hong Kong Dance Awards nominations and award were also an endorsement of his work.
"意志令她的身體受得住一些小創，讓她可以繼續在舞台上跳舞。 With her strong will, her body could endure minor injuries so that she could continue dancing on stage."
麥卓鴻（右上）與喬楊（前）於城市當代舞蹈團《逆‧轉》 <潛台詞> （林波編舞）中演出。
Kelvin Mak (top right) and Qiao Yang (front) in It’s My Turn - The Voice Inside; Choreography: Lam Po. 攝 Photo: 張志偉Cheung Chi-wai
麥卓鴻與喬楊 Kelvin Mak and Qiao Yang 圖片由麥卓鴻提供 Photo provided by Kelvin Mak
除了來至舞蹈圈的壓力，還有來至家庭的壓力。麥的家人最初極力反對他跳舞，而想他當 警察，令他感到很沮喪。母親不支持，甚至偷偷剪掉他的舞衣，讓他既不能把外面承受的壓力與家人分享，更要受到家人的質疑。在多面受壓的時候，幸好有喬楊如母親一樣的支持，才能令麥有信心跳下去。喬楊說她曾打電話給麥母，請她來看看麥的舞作便會明白他正在努力甚麼。最初麥母也不肯來，直到麥第三個參與舞作《生日快樂》才肯來看兒子的舞，並覺得兒子在舞台很帥，繼而慢慢接受他是舞者。喬說麥在舞蹈年獎得獎當日，她正坐在麥母旁邊，看到麥獲獎時麥母感動流淚，這對麥來說比獲獎有更大意義。
Apart from those in the dance circle, Mak's family also put pressure on him. In the beginning, Mak’s family strongly opposed his dancing ambition and wanted him to become a policeman. It was distressing for him. His mother was so unsupportive that she even cut-up his costumes behind his back. His family’s lack of support only added to the pressure he felt from those outside. Luckily, Qiao’s motherly support gave Mak the confidence to continue dancing. Qiao recalled phoning Mak’s mother to invite her to attend her son’s performance and witness his hard work. Mak’s mother rejected the invitation until his third performance, Happy Birthday?. His mother discovered her son’s charisma on stage and began to accept that her son was a dancer. The night Mak received the Hong Kong Dance Award, Qiao sat next to Mak’s mother. She could see tears of joy streaming down her cheeks. Compared to winning the award, his mother’s joy was more important to Mak.
喬楊與麥卓鴻，三年以來合作無間。如同喬說他是至今與自己最投緣的男舞者，而與他一起早起回團，一起熱身，一起跳舞的日子，便是她舞蹈生涯裡最美好的時光。麥也說他很享受這三年的光景，尤記得在跳《思纏想後》時，他因為家事及舞蹈的壓力，而在排練場突然伏在喬楊身上嚎哭，他說這麼多年也沒有這樣放鬆的哭起來，只有在舞團和在喬楊面前，他才像個孩子一樣，在溫暖的地方放下心。
Qiao and Mak worked together seamlessly for three years. As Qiao describes it, Mak had been the one male dancer that was a kindred spirit with her. Getting ready early to dance with him had been the best time of her dancing life. It was also a very enjoyable experience for him. The most remarkable moment was when he was rehearsing for Second Thought, he was stressed out by family issues and dancing. During rehearsal, he suddenly leaned on Qiao and wailed. He said, for many years he had not been able to let go and cry. Only when he was in CCDC and in front of Qiao could he feel at ease like a child in a warm place.
麥卓鴻與喬楊 Kelvin Mak & Qiao Yang; 攝Photo: 陳德昌Ringo Chan
"野馬保留了衝勁，卻多了一份穩定跑出他的優美舞步。
The Mustang acquired a sense of stability while retaining his passion. With both qualities, he took off, with elegant steps of his own."
然而，三年後麥還是選擇離團。喬楊說每天經過調景嶺站，一個人進來走去還是覺得很孤單，然而她知道讓他離開去見識世界，對他來說是好事。麥提及起初打算離識時不知如何向曹誠淵交代，豈料曹得悉麥離團的意向後，反倒說看到麥堅定的眼神便知道留不住他、也不想留住他。麥說他那刻便明白曹不是只為舞團利益的人，而是真正關心麥的個人發展，亦很感激曹的諒解。現在的麥離開了大家庭，一切也要自己安排時間，東奔西走，但還是不忘舞團的支持，也因為舞團，他才得到這個獎項，更因為契母在他的舞蹈生命中出現，他才更有勇氣去面對之後的壓力。
After spending three years with CCDC, Mak decided to leave. Qiao said she still feels lonely when she passes Tiu King Ling Station alone. Yet she knew that Mak was leaving to discover the world and she knew it was good for him. Mak also thanked Willy Tsao. He was nervous about telling Tsao that he was leaving. But when he did, Tsao said he could see Mak’s determination in his eyes and he knew he could not make him stay; he did not want to either. In that moment, he understood that Tsao was not somebody who only considered the benefits for CCDC. He cared about Mak’s personal development. Today, after leaving the Company, Mak needs to arrange his own schedule and hustle for his own career. He will never forget CCDC’s support. He won the award because of CCDC. It was also the Company where he met his dance godmother, who gave him the courage to face the pressures to come later in life.
這個契母就像這匹野馬的伯樂，栽培過後讓他自己跑起來。野馬保留了衝勁，卻多了一份穩定跑出他的優美舞步。
To the Mustang, godmother was his Horse Whisperer. After fine-tuning, the Mustang acquired a sense of stability while retaining his passion. With both qualities, he took off, with elegant steps of his own.
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肥力 Felix Chan
藝評人，劇場人，插畫人。
is an independent curator in performing arts, an art critic, and illustrator.
個人網站 Website：www.felixism.com
