The Cloud Gate Dance Theatre (雲門舞集) yesterday announced that it has been given a US$5 million donation by a US foundation to help the dance troupe finish building its new headquarters and studio in New Taipei City (新北市).
The gift from the Chicago-based Alphawood Foundation Chicago is the largest single donation in the company’s history.
In a statement released by the company, Cloud Gate Dance founder and artistic director Lin Hwai-min (林懷民) said: “We are deeply grateful for all support from Taiwan and international society. Cloud Gate shall continue presenting the best performances and cultural services as a token of our gratitude.”
Cloud Gate’s rehearsal studio and warehouse complex in Bali Township (八里) in then-Taipei County was destroyed by a pre-dawn fire on Feb. 11, 2008. The following year, the company signed a contract with New Taipei City Government to build a new complex in Tamsui District (淡水), which it is to operate for 40 years.
The complex — which includes a performing arts center, a 400-seat theater, an outdoor stage area with seating for 2,000 and two large rehearsal studios — is scheduled to be inaugurated next year.
The Alphawood Foundation was established by Fred Eychaner, president and chief executive officer of Newsweb Corp in 1992 as the WPWR-TV Channel 50 Foundation.
The foundation has long supported non-profit organizations in Chicago and northwest Indiana in the fields of arts and arts education, domestic violence prevention, architecture and preservation and the rights of lesbian, gays, bisexuals and transgenders, as well as people living with HIV/AIDS.
In recent years the foundation has widened its outreach.
Eychaner has been a longtime supporter of Cloud Gate.
Alphawood has sponsored several of Cloud Gate visits to Chicago and co-produced Lin’s Wild Cursive (狂) in 2005, and is also sponsoring the troupe’s planned visit to Chicago in March to perform Songs of the Wanderers> (流浪者之歌) as part of a three-nation tour that will take Cloud Gate to London, five US cities and three Canadian ones.
Cloud Gate marked the 40th anniversary of its founding last year.
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
Scoot announced yesterday that starting in October, it would increase flights between Taipei and Japan’s Narita airport and Hokkaido, and between Singapore and Taipei. The low-cost airline, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, also said it would launch flights to Chiang Rai in Thailand, Okinawa and Tokyo’s Haneda airport between December and March next year. Flights between Singapore and Chiang Rai would begin on Jan. 1, with five flights per week operated by an Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, Scoot said. Flights between Singapore and Okinawa would begin on Dec. 15, with three flights per week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline said. Services between Singapore
ENDORSING TAIWAN: Honduran presidential candidate Nasry Afura said that Honduras was ‘100 times better off’ when it was allied with Taipei The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it would explore the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations with Honduras based on the principle of maintaining national interests and dignity. The ministry made the remarks in response to reporters’ questions regarding an article titled: “Will Taiwan Regain a Diplomatic Ally?” published in The Diplomat on Saturday. The article said Honduras’ presidential election in November could offer Taiwan the chance to regain an ally, as multiple candidates have promoted re-establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Honduras severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in March 2023 in favor of Beijing, but since switching its diplomatic recognition,
RSS