OLIVIA ENG
Photo: Ivana María Rosas
Photo: Ezra Myles Bristow
Hong Kong Island & Kowloon // California, USA
“Absolutely let your scars define you...Let them represent the Strength, Courage, And, Resilience of your
Soul that you've developed through your struggles."
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Photo: Ricardo David Acosta Duarte
"Courageous Heart"
Music: "Tell Him" Instrumental ft. Elaine Lil'Bit Shepherd (Vago Remake)
"Connecting to the parts of myself I used to reject, is a powerful part of my healing journey where I get to transform my story, and change the ending."
Music: "Moon" by Midsummer
Photo: Heather Himes
“As my eyes fluttered awake to the beeping sounds of the machines next to my hospital bed, my gaze was drawn to my belly which had swelled up so much I looked pregnant. I tried wiggling my toes, but I immediately noticed my right leg felt numb, I knew it was there because I could see it, but I couldn’t feel it. I thought, it’s probably because I’m just still sedated, it’ll wear off and I’ll get up and walk in a couple hours, I’ll be fine. That night, it felt the same. Then the next night. Then the next. I would of never fathomed that it would take me almost a whole year to fully put weight and walk on my own again.”
Olivia Eng S.C.A.R.S. Story (Apple Valley, California, United States // Hong Kong
"Clutching, clawing, grabbing to hold fast to the pieces of your
Soul,
As it oozes and seeps through the cracks and stitches that once bound these jagged edges tight,
Like lava flaming with desire of an incandescent story waiting to be told, to unfold,
But never to be sold
To someone craving the facade
For impossible is:
Warmth Without the fire
Sun without the rain
Brilliance without the darkness
Joy without the pain." (2018)
Olivia Eng S.C.A.R.S. Story (Hong Kong Island & Kowloon // California, USA)
I cannot set myself ablaze and turn to ashes to keep you warm
But I can pass you the flame from my candle
So that we both can traverse the storm
Hold my tongue, make myself small for your comfort, I will not, But exchange in a mirror reflection of respect I am willing,
Even if it’s not an agreement that is sought
I refuse to bleed my heart over ignorant acts deigned to silence, oppress, and trample my existence, But never more elated am I to share our soul struggles,
And uplift you on the path of persistence.
Invoke a fear in me deeper than the darkest night,
I guarantee you will not succeed
No one is above the calamities of this earthly realm, spite and evil must never take the lead
You don’t need permission to heal
You already possess the wisdom to your evolution
Trust, I am on my journey too,
Every day a step closer towards our Human revolution (2020)
Olivia Eng is passionate about dancing, music, poetry, photography, creating art, holistic practices, herbal medicine, agroecology, traveling, and connecting with community. She graduated from the University of California, Irvine, studying Afro-Modern dance with Donald McKayle; focusing on Dance and Sociology. She has collaborated, performed, and studied with artists throughout the U.S., Singapore, Mexico, Cuba, and New Zealand, Africa and Europe. She is currently based in the San Francisco Bay area as a multi-disciplinary artist, performer, teacher, and choreographer.
During a hiatus after a series of surgeries for a congenital spine defect, she was inspired to begin developing the S.C.A.R.S. (Strength, Courage, and Resilience of the Soul) Project, with a mission to foster healing, connection, and community through dance, story-telling, poetry, music, art, cross-cultural exchange, holistic practices, and herbalism.
Her goal is to continue building the multiple facets of this platform, which includes developing healing workshops and programs for underserved communities. Olivia is also continually creating a S.C.A.R.S. dance and multimedia film series to honor and celebrate the S.C.A.R.S. stories of global community and artists to uplift and inspire others along their journey.
It is creative platform inspired by the Buddhist wisdom of “turning poison into medicine”; as well as Kintsugi, a Japanese artistic practice in which a broken object is mended with golden lacquer, instead of being thrown away….symbolizing the value and beauty of it’s history.
She is deeply grateful to be dancing again and performing with The Kendra Kimbrough Dance Ensemble and See Through Soul.
~FIREBELLY~
Spoken word, choreography, and performance by:
Olivia Eng
Audio track complied and edited by:
Olivia Eng
Music:
"Journey" by Black Motion
Videography by:
Angelina Labate
