The latest presentation of the City Contemporary Dance Company gives three of its young dancers a chance to reflect on transitions from childhood and what it means to love. The show is called C’est la vie, C’est l’amour, but it is unlikely to take us on any nostalgic cruises down memory lane.

Falling in and out of love is a common pastime among young girls. Noel Pong, both a member of CCDC and the founder of Zero Zero Ensemble, tells of her experiences in a new choreography she calls He Loves and She Loves. Pong says her first priority used to be a relationship. Though that may have now changed and she realizes things often go sour between couples, she still believes love is a wonderful experience. “The Chinese name of the piece is actually Best Actor and Actress,” she explains. “I think in every relationship, everyone is trying to give their best performance.” Which is why she devised the piece with her favourite musicals of the ’30s in mind – particularly the black and white tap dancing films of Fred Astaire. Nevertheless, the dance is built around a Cuban jazz version of Mozart’s Kubanischer Marsch along with compositions by Argentine tango master Piazzolla. “It is difficult to choreograph tango music, but I hope to create a cinematic feeling in my work,” says the young dancer.

While girls are more romantic, perhaps boys would rather stay home with their electronics. Dominic Wong remembers how he angered his mother by turning his back on her and staring at the television for more than 10 minutes – while holding a spoon of rice in his mouth. Which might explain why he is putting his fondest TV memories on stage. Inspired by E.Y.T., meaning ‘Enjoy Yourself Tonight’, a long-time variety show in Hong Kong, his work is a montage of Canto-pop songs from the likes of Danny Chan and hits of TV drama. Audiences will see classic characters from old kung-fu series or soap operas on stage in what Wong says will be an “old fashioned” piece. “It will be dramatic,” says the former actor and presenter of ATV back in 1990-’92, “in a Broadway style.”

Dramatic is not a word to describe the childhood of Yang Yuntao, a member of the Bai minority group in Yunnan. “My childhood was rather simple and pure. Nothing really happened back then,” he says. When he looks at the countless choices children have nowadays, he is flabbergasted. “They are very busy looking, learning and playing, but there is no time to think,” he says. And so his piece Shall We Dance? is inspired by his feelings on living in a big city. Hong Kong is a place of parties, from those in the grandest of ballrooms to others in the hippest of night clubs, and Yang, winner of the 2003 Hong Kong Dance Award, explores relationships, loving and otherwise, that form in such gatherings.

C’est la vie, C’est l’amour will be performed on April 13 and 14 at Sheung Wan Civic Centre theatre. Shows start at 8pm. Tickets are $100 and $130 from URBTIX, 2734 9009.