Jugglers must be on their toes at all times to keep their balls, hoops or whatever they are juggling moving. Ballet dancers spend a lot of time on their toes. That would seem to be the most they have in common.
However, it turns out there is another common denominator: both art forms create patterns in the air.
Sean Gandini, cofounder of the 24-year-old circus troupe Gandini Juggling, teamed up with French-Spanish dancer/choreographer Ludovic Ondiviela of Britain’s Royal Ballet to explore the pure patterns and mathematics of their respective genres and find a meeting point.
The result was 4x4: Ephemeral Architects (4X4 瞬間建築), which premiered last year at the London International Mime Festival at the Royal Opera House to rave reviews.
The show, which features four jugglers and four dancers, including company cofounder Kati Yla-Hokkala, opens tonight at Taipei’s Zhongshan Hall as part of the Taipei Arts Festival. The show runs 60 minutes without intermission.
■ Tonight and tomorrow at 7:30pm, Sunday at 2:30pm at Taipei Zhongshan Hall (台北中山堂), 98 Yanping S Rd, Taipei City (台北市延平南路98號).
■ Admission is NT$500 to NT$1,800, available at NTCH box offices, online at www.artsticket.com.tw, convenience store ticketing kiosks or at the door.
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