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Charmaine Yu

In a world obsessed with aesthetic perfection, Harmonia asks a radical question: what happens to our understanding of beauty when we trade judgment for curiosity?
Uniting a cast of performers including dancers with congenital limb differences, dwarfism and wheelchair needs, the experimental dance project by Unusual Symptoms – a company-in-residence at Germany’s Theatre Bremen – exhibits the vocabulary of unconventional movement.
The project premiered in Germany in 2022 and won best work at the 2023 Rudolf Laban Award in Hungary. Now, it will make its Asian debut in Hong Kong on March 21 and 22.
It joins 10 other programmes in the 2026 edition of No Limits, a festival co-presented by the Hong Kong Arts Festival and the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust that pushes the boundaries of inclusive performances.
“We wanted to really dive into the physicality of the body itself – the different types of bodies and the qualities they [embody],” says Alexandra Morales, a production manager of Harmonia and the artistic co-director of Unusual Symptoms.

In Harmonia, the ensemble oscillates between moments of slow, quiet stretches of movement and uncontained bursts of power. Wheelchairs transcend their role as mere pieces of equipment to become extensions of the dancers’ bodies, unlocking a range of movement that traditional dance cannot replicate.
“At Bremen, we were very focused on accessibility and creating spaces for people with disabilities,” Morales says.
That is how Paulina Porwollik, a dancer and model with a congenital limb difference in her left arm, got involved with Harmonia. Selected through an open casting call that sought performers with “unconventional bodies”, she was drawn to the project for its physical challenges.
It was not just about dancing, Porwollik says, but more about raw physical expression.
During rehearsals, Porwollik and the production’s choreographer, Adrienn Hod, explored the natural mechanics of the human body in everyday life, using long periods of improvisation to “pull even more artistry” out of each performer.

Hod is an internationally acclaimed Hungarian choreographer who specialises in contemporary dance and experimental movement.
“I, as a choreographer, have never worked with such an inclusive group,” she says, admitting that she was initially intimidated by the project.
She overcame her anxiety by ensuring that respect and constant communication were central to the project, she says.
“When I go to the studio, I’m really listening to everything that is happening and let it inspire me. I was inspired by how [the performers] arrived at the studio, how they warmed up, how they started to tune in and get closer to each other physically.
“It was a process day to day, and we had to slowly trust each other … I learned that I can ask them questions which may be considered taboo.”

Respecting the dancers’ individual artistry and body type by allowing them to improvise in the rehearsal stages was central to Hod’s method, especially since the performance involves nudity.
A safe working environment was integral to Harmonia, Morales says. The sessions were an open space for raw authenticity, where performers, choreographers and directors alike could share their fears and ask awkward questions.
“We [would] do a check-in on Mondays to see what mental and physical space everyone is in. Then on Fridays, we would [reflect] on the past week and plan what we would want to achieve the week after and how we could prepare,” Morales says.
Harmonia’s Asia premiere is both exciting and nerve-racking for the troupe. They never quite know what to expect from an audience, as reactions can differ greatly between cities – and even more so between continents.
“There’s sometimes laughter; sometimes I see people tearing up,” Porwollik says. “Then, there are audiences who are completely silent, maybe because this piece is unlike anything they’ve seen before. But I think this is a production where everyone can find themselves in it somehow.”
The cultural context and the prejudices of different societies affect the way Harmonia is received in different places, Morales adds. With upcoming performances at Freespace in Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District, the troupe hope to prompt Hongkongers to re-examine their preconceived notions of the human form.

Partnering with the Arts with the Disabled Association Hong Kong, No Limits has reaffirmed its dedication to barrier-free theatre. This year’s accessibility features include Hong Kong Sign Language interpretation, audio booklets and relaxed performances designed for diverse sensory needs. The festival accommodates wheelchairs at certain venues as well as guide dogs.
Harmonia never turns stale despite having been performed since 2022. Over the project’s four-year lifespan, its performers have had to learn new parts or tweak their movements based on dancers who have stepped out or stepped back into the project.
“There are loads of dance productions where you know the material and you just do your job,” Porwollik says. “But with Harmonia, I feel like I’m constantly [on] my tiptoes. That is something that I find super special about this production – it’s never boring.”
Harmonia, The Box, Freespace, West Kowloon Cultural District, March 21, 8pm; March 22, 3pm. General tickets HK$198. For more information, visit the official No Limits event page.


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Harmonia, performed by the inclusive dance theatre group Unusual Symptoms, stars performers with congenital limb differences, dwarfism and wheelchair needs – and challenges audience biases about the human body. Photo: Unusual Symptoms

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The cast selection process for Harmonia was done through an open casting call for performers with “unconventional bodies”. Photo: Unusual Symptoms

Hungarian choreographer Adrienn Hod specialises in contemporary dance and experimental movement. Photo: Unusual Symptoms, Theatre Bremen

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Unusual Symptoms’ experimental dance project Harmonia challenges audience biases about the human body


Unusual Symptoms’ experimental dance project Harmonia challenges audience biases about the human body.


Inclusive dance team that unites unconventional performers coming to Hong Kong

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Unusual Symptoms’ experimental dance project Harmonia challenges audience biases about the human body

Unusual Symptoms’ experimental dance project Harmonia challenges audience biases about the human body