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Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan, led by internationally acclaimed choreographer Lin Hwai-min, will next month (April) stage excerpts from its masterpieces over the last three decades plus a new production, "White", at the Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre.
Lin's first signature work "The Tale of the White Serpent" and excerpts from "Nine Songs"; "The Dream of the Red Chamber"; "Moon Water" and "Legacy" will be at 8.15pm on Wednesday and Thursday, April 25 and 26.
On April 28 and 29 (Saturday and Sunday) at 8.15pm, Cloud Gate will perform "White", an abstract dance of pure aesthetics exploring the variations of the colour. Simple set installation and dancers in minimalist shades of white journey feature throughout this poetic trilogy: the first chapter whispers fog into the dreamscape; second chapter continues the transcendence with light shedding into darkness and ends with a metallic revelation of boundlessness.
In 1973, Lin borrowed the name of the oldest-known dance in China and founded the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan. It was the first contemporary dance company in any Chinese-speaking community. Its rich repertoire has its roots in Asian myths, folklore and aesthetics but it brings a contemporary and universal perspective to these age-old beliefs and stories.
Cloud Gate has undertaken many tours throughout Europe, Asia, Australia and America, including engagements at Brooklyn Academy of Music's Next Wave Festival, the Sydney 2000 Olympic Arts Festival, Biennale de la danse de Lyon, Adelaide Festival, Berlin Festival, the festival celebrating the 25th anniversary of Pina Bausch's Tanztheater Wuppertal, Sadler's Wells Theatre and Barbican Centre in London, Deutsche Oper Berlin and Kennedy Center. Cloud Gate has been acclaimed as "Asia's leading contemporary dance theatre" (The Times) and "One of the finest dance companies in the world" (The Globe and Mail).
Hailed by The New York Times as having "succeeded brilliantly in fusing dance techniques and theatrical concepts from the East and West", Lin Hwai-min is regarded as one of the most renowned choreographers in Asia. Awarded Honorary Doctorates from Hong Kong Baptist University, and National Taiwan University, National Chiao Tung University and National Chung Cheng University in Taiwan, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Department of Culture of New York City in 1996, the Ramon Magsaysay Award ("the Nobel Prize of Asia") in 1999 and the John D. Rockefeller 3rd Award in 2006. In addition, he was selected as the "Choreographer of the 20th Century" by Dance Europe and was chosen as one of the "Personalities of the Year", along with Merce Cunningham, Jiri Kylian, Pina Bausch and William Forsythe, by Ballet International in 2000, and celebrated by the Time magazine as one of the "Asia's Heroes" in 2005.
Presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), tickets priced at $380, $300, $200 and $120 are available at URBTIX outlets. Half-price tickets are available for senior citizens, people with disabilities, full-time students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients (limited tickets for students and CSSA recipients on a first-come, first-served basis). A 10% discount applies to Friends of LCSD performing venues. There will be a maximum of 20% off for group booking. Please refer to the programme leaflets for details.
Enquiries about the programme and the associated events - master class and meet-the-artist session, call 2268 7323 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/cp. Ticketing enquiries and reservations can be made on 2734 9009 and credit card telephone bookings on 2111 5999. Tickets can also be booked online at www.urbtix.hk.
Ends/Thursday, March 1, 2007
Issued at HKT 10:00
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