The result is a very centered, physical style unique to Cloud Gate.
``European modern dance and even US modern dance quite often is about gesture. It's gesture-driven, if you will, and the thing that I find interesting about his work is that it's driven from something in the core of the body,'' said Brown, associate dean of dance at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.
Brown attributed Lin's appeal to his liberal arts training method.
``He gives them things to read. They have improvisation sections. They talk about painting,'' he said. ``Whether or not he pays them richly ... the experience itself is completely compelling and completely demanding.''
Despite Cloud Gate's status as a world-class company, Lin said finding funding is still a struggle. While the Taiwanese government chips in, Cloud Gate still needs to tour heavily to galvanize interest among potential donors.
``It's always a battle from New Year's Day to New Year's Eve,'' he said.
``Doing a good job running these three organizations (two dance companies and a dance school) only leaves me with half a life,'' Lin joked.
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