Two family-run dance troupes are taking to Taipei stages this weekend, the Pingtung County-based Tjimur Dance Theatre (蒂摩爾古薪舞集) and the four brothers who are the core of the Chang Dance Theater (長弓舞蹈劇場).
The Paiwan-centric Tjimur was founded by Ljuzem Madiljin, who serves as its artistic director, while her younger brother Baru Madiljin, who has a flair for fusing modern dance with traditional Paiwan and other Aboriginal steps, is the company’s choreographer, .
The company enjoyed a very good summer, with a trip to France in July for the Festival Off d’Avignon, where they performed Baru’s 2015’s As Four Step (似不舞[s]) to rave reviews.
Photo courtesy of Huang Zhao-lun
His latest work, Varhung — Heart to Heart (Varhung — 心事誰人知), opens at Taipei’s Shuiyuan (Wellspring) Theater tomorrow night for three shows before moving back home to Pingtung and three shows at the Pingtung County Art Center that begin on Nov. 17.
Varhung is the Paiwan word for “heart,” but the company said it goes beyond a simple word to express the inner emotional exchange of feelings.
Many people are unable to fully express their feelings unless they have had a bit too much to drink, Baru said.
Photo courtesy of Huang Zhao-lun
The heart, the mind and listening are all key to Varhung, he said, while “necessary” drunkenness is embodied by the performers swaying limbs and the idea of “drunken boxing” borrowed from traditional Chinese martial arts.
The four performers in the 60-minutes piece are troupe veterans Hsu Chu-yuan (許筑媛), Yang Ching-hao (楊淨皓), Ljaucu Dapurakac and Meng Tzu-en (蒙慈恩).
Four performers are also the key number for the Chang Dance Theater’s BON 4 BON.
Photo courtesy of Chen Wei-sheng
The four Chang brothers are famous in Taiwan dance circles; not only is it unusual for all the siblings in a family to follow the same vocation, they all won admission to the Taipei National University of the Arts (TNUA, 國立臺北藝術大學) in Guandu District (關渡).
The company, which has its studio in Taipei’s Shilin District (士林) was founded by eldest brother Chien-hao (張堅豪) two years after he graduated in 2011. Next in line and next to graduate, Chien-chih (張堅志) serves as the troupe’s artistic director. Chien-kuei (張堅貴) and Ho-chien (張鶴千) complete the line-up.
Ho-chien just graduated with his bachelor’s degree this year, and to mark having all four officially onboard, the company is celebrating with its new show at the Umay Theater in Huashan 1914 Creative Park.
However, in an unusual move for the troupe, the brothers asked Israeli choreographer to create a work for them and BON 4 BON is the result.
The 28-year-old Dadon has worked with the Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company as well as establishing his own troupe, SOL, and has built up a good track record of performances of his works on the European dance festival circuit.
Dadon decided on the name, with “Bon” not only being the French word for “good” but part of the name of the group whose music he chose for the piece, the Bon Iver Orchestra. The “4” of course refers to the brothers.
This story has been updated since it was first published to correct a misspelling of "Varhung."
Performance notes
WHAT: Vartung — Heart to Heart
WHEN:Tomorrow and Saturday at 7:30pm, Sunday at 2:30pm
WHERE: Taipei City Shuiyuan (Wellspring) Theater (台北市水源劇場), 92 Roosevelt Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市羅斯福路四段92號)
ADMISSION: NT$500 on Friday, NT$600 on Saturday and Sunday, and NT$2,500 sponsorship tickets for all three shows that come with a calendar and Tjimur bag; available at the NTCH and Eslite ticket booths, online at www.artsticket.com, at convenience store ticket kiosks and at the door.
ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCES: Nov. 17 and Nov. 18 at 7:30pm, Nov. 19 at 2:30pm, Pingtung County Art Center (屏東縣藝術館), 427, Heping Rd, Pingtung City (屏東市和平路427號); Tickets for Nov. 17 are NT$400, NT$500 for the 18th and 19th, plus NT$2,500 sponsorship tickets for all three shows, available online at www.artsticket.com, at convenience store ticket kiosks and at the door
WHAT: BON 4 BON
WHEN: Tomorrow and Saturday at 7:30pm, Sunday at 2:30pm
WHERE: Huashan 1914 Creative Park (華山1914文化創意產業園區), East Hall 3 (Umay Theater) (東3館 烏梅劇院), 1, Bade Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市八德路一段1號)
ADMISSION: NT$800; available at NTCH and Eslite ticket booths, online at www.artsticket.com.tw, at convenience store kiosks or at the door
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