Snowmelt

EVENT DESCRIPTION

ALAN (Artists who Love Animals and Nature) is excited to announce Snowmelt, the captivating fourth chapter in their celebrated “Happy Zoo” immersive exhibition series. Premiering as a highlight at the third WestK FunFest in Hong Kong, Snowmelt, co-presented by ALAN and WestK Performing Arts will unfold in two phases at The Box, Freespace, West Kowloon Cultural District (WestK): a digital art exhibition from 3–6 April 2026, followed by a brand-new immersive story theatre performance from 10–12 April 2026.

Led by Anita Lam, Campaign Director and Co-artistic Director, and Ivanhoe Lam, Co-Artistic Director, Show Director, and Co-Choreographer, Snowmelt is staged by ALAN – a Hong Kong-based non-profit organisation dedicated to championing animal welfare and environmental crisis through the dynamic fusion of art and innovative technology.

Digital Art Exhibition | 3 – 6 April 2026
During the Easter holidays, leading up to the premiere of Snowmelt, the performance space will transform into an experiential art journey. Freely accessible to the public, it invites visitors to step into a shared environment—one where art, movement, and presence become a way of reconnecting with the natural rhythms of humankind. The journey features expansive interactive installations, an innovative mixed‑reality performance extract, and a series of special workshops led by the Snowmelt performers, open to both beginners and professional dancers.
Rather than positioning nature and humanity as separate, the journey gently shifts perspective—inviting visitors to sit within nature and reflect on how deeply intertwined we are with it. By softening the boundaries between the animal world and ourselves, Snowmelt encourages empathy, awareness, and a sense of shared belonging, offering space to reflect on the universal questions we all face as part of an ever‑changing world.

Snowmelt – Immersive Story Theatre | 10 – 12 April 2026
In a boundary-breaking sensory journey that allows free movement throughout the performance space, Snowmelt transports audiences to a breathtaking snowy mountain range through the use of dynamic set elements, spoken voiceover, large-scale video projections, and worldclass movement artists. The show – blending contemporary dance disciplines and acrobatics with traditional local elements – features an international line up of performers including Hikaru Kawasaki (Japan), Janosch Horn (Germany), Yuval Finkelshtein (Israel/Spain), and members of the Kwoks Kung Fu & Dragon Lion Dance Team, featuring Thaimay (Goofy Yeung) (Hong Kong).
Snowmelt offers a tender yet layered portrait of life and resilience, using animal protagonists to explore how nature responds to a world in constant motion. The character‑driven narrative follows five animal families native to Snow Mountain—the snub‑nosed monkey, wolf, vulture, mountain goat, and snow leopard—each navigating a landscape shaped by shifting conditions and unforeseen forces. As the journey unfolds, these animals adapt in their own ways, responding to change through instinct, sensitivity, and movement within a fragile yet dynamic environment. Rather than focusing on conflict, Snowmelt invites quiet observation: how balance is found, how rhythms shift, and how life continues to evolve.
At its heart, Snowmelt is a reflection on adaptability and coexistence. Through the lens of the animal world, it offers a gentle mirror to our own experience of living within uncertainty—celebrating resilience not as something dramatic, but as something deeply natural and ongoing.

Narrated in English with Chinese surtitles
Approximately 1 hour with no intermission

April 10, 2026 (Fri) 8:30pm*
April 11, 2026 (Sat) 2:00pm / 5:00pm / 8:30pm*
April 12, 2026 (Sun) 2:00pm / 5:00pm / 8:30pm
*includes post-show artist talk

ABOUT THE ARTIST / ORGANISER

Anita Lam, Campaign Director and Co-artistic Director, said: “At its heart, Snowmelt is a story of hope and resilience, advocating for a way of survival built on interspecies cooperation and coexistence. Through this project, our team at ALAN aims to explore not only how animals survive in harsh and perilous environments, but also to inspire audiences to embrace their own 'superpowers' in the face of various life challenges.”

Ivanhoe Lam, Co-Artistic Director, Show Director and Co-Choreographer, said: “By bringing together artists from different disciplines, we aim to create a unique stage experience – transforming The Box at Freespace into an arctic mountain range. Through the activation of different set mechanisms and video-mapping that echoes the ever-changing natural environment, we invite the audience to wander through this icy wilderness, feeling the connection and warmth in our shared world."