Lin Hwai-min (林懷民) wants the Novel Hall Dance Series to be riding the crest of the wave of the contemporary dance world, not paddling behind it.
The noted choreographer and founder of the Cloud Gate Dance Company (雲門舞集) has served as artistic director of the Novel Hall series since its inception, and he has very clear ideas about who and what he wants.
"In the beginning Mr. Lin said that all culture had to be accumulated; that we had to invite the `who's who' of the dance world," said Elaine Huang (黃麗嶼), public relations manager of Novel Hall in a telephone interview earlier this week, speaking about Lin, who is presently in Europe.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF NOVEL HALL
"After five years Mr. Lin thought that we had invited all of the `who's who,' so starting last year he wanted to go in a new direction -- what is the newest, the latest. He wants Novel Dance to develop [in line] with what is going on inter-nationally," she said.
"The groups should have different styles, as long as the groups stand for some statement. Last year we had Cesc Gelabert from Spain, Inbal Pinto from Israel and Josef Nadj from France, all totally different styles," Huang said.
Something totally different is exactly what is in store for dance lovers this weekend as the Novel Hall Dance Series launches its seventh season with a company that is sure to divide Taipei audiences as much as it has its European ones.
French choreographer and dancer Jerome Bel has gained a solid reputation as an agent provocateur. He has left dance critics scratching their heads while reactions from the audience have frequently been more physical -- with people storming out of the theater or throwing their programs at the dancers.
"Mr. Lin saw Jerome Bel at a festival in France. He saw `Made in Thailand,' which is now titled Picher Klunchun and Myself. He thought it was really extra-ordinary how Jerome Bel expressed himself, so he wanted him [for the series]," Huang said.
The Compagnie Jerome Bel will be performing three of Bel's creations this weekend, starting with a 10-year old piece that is literally Bel's signature work, one without all the usual "necessities" such as costumes, lighting or sound.
"Jerome Bel is really a little bit different. The four dancers appear without clothes, walk to the back of the stage and take off all their social identity, their numbers -- bank accounts, IDs -- and start to play with their skin. They paint or write on their leg with lipstick -- brand names, logos and then put the price of their leg in euros," Huang said.
"It's very sarcastic about the middle class, about wearing clothes with logos, about resculpting your figure. It asks `What is identity in our society?'" she said. "The work premiered in 1995, but this is the first time it will be performed outside of Europe
"He [Bel] is really hot in Europe because he's different from other modern dance choreographers. His way of thinking is different -- he makes people think `why.' He wants to challenge the values of our society," she said.
"Mr. Lin wants audiences to think about what is relevant to our lives, to our social life," Huang said. "He said `This is the statement of Jerome Bel. The audiences here don't have to like it or accept it, but we need to know what is going on. We need to be informed. We need to know what this kind of artist does or thinks about.'"
Picher Klunchun and Myself, which will be performed tomorrow afternoon, is a collaboration between Bel and Thai classical dancer and choreographer Picher Klunchun. Created for the Bangkok Fringe Festival in 2004, it is an hour and 45 minute examination of two cultures through English dialogue and dance. Bel asks Picher Klunchun questions about life, death, work and dance and vice versa and then they work them out physically.
Tomorrow night the company will perform Nom Donne Par l'Auteur, an hour-long "ballet" for 10 objects (ranging from a French dictionary, flashlight and plastic ball to a vacuum cleaner and two people.)
The tickets for the two performances of Jerome Bel tonight and Sunday afternoon are sold out. That is not quite as amazing as it might sound. Even though Novel Hall seats just over 900 people, the company demanded that only 300 tickets be sold for those two performances so that the intimacy of the piece be preserved.
For the two shows tomorrow, Picher Klunchun and Myself at the matinee and Nom Donne Par l'Auteur in the evening, only 500 tickets could be sold and there are still seats available.
The second choreographer in this year's series is Hong Kong's Helen Lai (
Lai is not quite the unknown entity to Taipei dance fans as Bel is. She has choreographed for Cloud Gate several times, and Huang said Lin thinks The Comedy of K is one of her more extra-ordinary works.
The concept for the piece originated in 2003, when SARS struck Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Vietnam and Canada.
"Lai has something to say about the people who got infected, about their isolation. The motif of her work is about isolation," Huang said. "She also likes to use lots of literature in her work. The `K' stands for [Franz] Kafka."
In The Comedy of K Lai has conjured up a surrealistic world of dark comedy in which Kafka wakes up from his bed only to experience bizarre situations.
The third and final group in the series won't be in Taipei until November. Grupo Corpo, which is celebrating its 31st anniversary this year, is one of Brazil's best -- and best known -- dance troupes.
Grupo Corpo -- which means "body work" -- was founded by general director Paulo Pederneiras as a traditional Brazilian dance academy and something of a family affair. The academy operated out of his parents' home and its members included five brothers and sisters. When Rodrigo Pederneiras took over the position of company choreographer in 1981, he mixed the group's Afro-Brazilian influenced ballet with modern dance to create a new standard for contemporary dance in Brazil. The company has become famous for its high-energy pieces and unique language, including whiplash-inducing neck twists, frequent drops and hip-hop-like arm movements.
What pieces the company will be bringing with it and the dates of the performances were not available as of press time.
With a taste of France, a dish from Hong Kong and some spice from Brazil, it looks like Lin has put together a unique menu this year for dance aficionados, although the offerings may not please everyone's palate.
What: Compagnie Jerome Bel
Where: Novel Hall (新舞臺) at 3-1 Songshou Rd, Taipei (台北市松壽路3-1號)
When: Tonight and tomorrow night at 8pm, tomorrow and Sunday afternoon at 3pm
Tickets: NT$700 and NT$900, but the only seats remaining are for tomorrow's performances.
Tickets can be purchased at the box office or online at www.ticket .com.tw or www.artsticket.com.tw.
Tickets for The Comedy of K by Helen Lai on June 23 and 24th are priced at NT$500, NT$700, NT$900, NT$1,200 and NT$1,500.
Ticket prices for Grupo Corpo in November have not been announced.
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