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Building dreams in a bamboo grove
Taiwan's best known choreographer brings out a new work for the new millennium
By Chang Ju-ping
STAFF REPORTER
Friday, Apr 06, 2001, Page 8
Taiwan's leading choreographer Lin Hwai-min (林懷民) is launching Bamboo Dream (竹夢), his first new work for the new millennium. It will premier in Taipei on April 21.
It's a lyrical, poetic piece with dancers flitting through eight scenes representing the seasons and the elements: spring wind, summer clamor, winding path, autumn spirits, clearing after rain, midnight and winter snow. There is no story line, Lin says, and, humorously adds, "but I created a beautiful dance."
The clean lines of this abstract dance compares well to Lin's wildly popular 1998 Moon Water. The choreography for 2001 is no less beautiful, and the mood, from the first scene in a misty bamboo grove to the finale on a snow scape, is all very idyllic.
The 75-minute performance takes place on a stage decorated with nothing more than a simple bamboo grove. Dancers, 21 of them in total, will be dressed in loose white gowns with long sleeves to give a dream feel of being fairies shuttling back and forth among the bamboo.
Occasionally, dancers appear in costumes of red and black, the contrast with the understated background making a vivid visual impression.
Bamboo Dream, which in Mandarin is a homophone for "building dreams," is full of musicality. A woman in white plays a vertical Chinese flute on stage. This is accompanied by Eastern European music by Aruo Part. The whole package - the visual and auditory effects - creates an atmosphere of tranquility interspersed with physical movement.
To create its bamboo grove on stage, the dance company has planted bamboo, which will be three months old when seen in the theater. Several of the leading dancers in the company like Li Ching-chun (李靜君), Hsu Fang0yi (許芳宜), Wu Yi-fang (吳義芳), and Chou Chang-ling (周章伶) will have spectacular performance displaying a high level of technical skill.
Performance notes
What Bamboo Dream
Who Cloud Gate Dance Theater (雲門舞集)
When & Where April 21, 22, 24-28, National Theater, Taipei (台北國家戲劇院); May 3 & 4, Taichung City Cultural Center, Chungshan Hall (台中中山堂); May 24 & 25, Kaohsiung City Cultural Center, Chih-der Hall, Kaohsiung (高雄文化中心至德堂).
Ticket 4/21-22, 4/28: NT$600-1800; 4/24-25. 4/27: NT$800-NT$1500, 4/26: NT$500-NT$1500, 5/3-5/4, 5/24-25: NT$300-1500
To order online: http://ticket.acer121.com; by phone: 02-2784-1111, 04-2255-1975, 07-238-3998.
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