During the five years of her dance odyssey, Lin has also kept up with her painting - hosting two other exhibitions. She has also ventured into writing, publishing Life as Tap Dancing (
"Throughout these years, I seem to have digressed from my original tracks. But I feel like I have in fact just stepped onto the right path of my life. There is no question of success. It is only about sweating, about craving, only about walking freely in the wilderness of the graceful sun and cool breeze," Lee wrote in her first book.
For Lee, her self-realization for art and her journey toward gaining female autonomy is just like her attraction to Flamenco dance, "especially women's role in the dance".
"Women in Flamenco are very strong and very tough. On the one hand they are sweet and feminine, but on the other hand their characters are full of energy," she says.
"In many Flamenco repertoires, women are expressing their struggle with their lives and environment. ... To me, this shows that women can be very powerful and fierce, but they can also be flirtatious and attractive when they want to."
For Lin Keng, too, the dance's condensed emotions also hold unique appeal to him. "The man can use his feet, taping like an instrument, to express his feelings and personalities. You don't have to do high kicks, or dancing acrobatics to show your masculinity. In Flamenco, men are extremely masculine. Simply by standing still, you can look very strong," he says.
Out on the floor
"One, two, one two three ... everybody watch me and teacher Lin!"
It's another dance class on a cruel summer afternoon. With her tiny voice, the slim Lee instructs 30 students at a local cafe. As she speaks, she raises her arms and flounces her skirt, sending it reeling and curling in hypnotic waves. Lin holds her, his arm enveloping her tiny waist as they whirl about, eyes locked on each other.
The students follow the steps, until they break down one by one, confused by the increasing intensity. Finally, everyone just watches the couple.
"They look very graceful! Oh, I cannot dance like that!" says one student. "Just watching them I can feel the Flamenco passion!" says another.
Many of them want to learn this dance because they have seen Lee's shows and read her books. The dance class attracts predominantly women and mostly elementary teachers.
Later this summer, Fuego Fantastico is opening another Flamenco class at Keng-hsin cultural center, sowing more seeds of old Spanish fervency into the fertile Taiwanese mind.
As late beginners of the art, Lee and Lin may not be Taiwan's best Flamenco dancers, but they are definitely among the most enthusiastic. "The mid-life crisis is two sided," Lee says. "It either makes people more conservative, more likely to shrink back, or it makes people more crazy about something."
"But for me, middle age is the best age because your body still works well, and you are economically more secure than younger days. So you should be more crazy."
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