On Aug. 15, 2003, the then-Taipei Cultural Affairs Bureau erected a red signpost at the entrance of Lane 231, Fuxing N Road, declaring the roadway “Cloud Gate Lane” in honor of Cloud Gate Dance Theatre (雲門舞集), which had its offices at No. 19 and was celebrating its 30th anniversary that year.
On Thursday morning, the Taipei Department of Cultural Affairs held a ceremony to mark the removal of that signpost and the end of an era.
The nation’s pre-eminent dance troupe is moving its headquarters from the nation’s capital to New Taipei City, where its new studio and performance facility — the Cloud Gate Theater — in Tamsui District (淡水) will officially open in April.
Photo: CNA
Staff from the Taipei office and the rehearsal facility in Bali District (八里), across the river from Tamsui, have been shifting their equipment to the theater complex and they officially move in tomorrow.
Taipei Department of Cultural Affairs Director Ni Chung-hwa (倪重華) presented Cloud Gate founder and artistic director Lin Hwai-min (林懷民) with the old street sign, now framed, and the two men unveiled a new historical marker at the entrance to Lane 130, Minsheng E Road — around the corner from the soon-to-be-vacated offices.
The new sign gives an explanation in Chinese and English about the lane and the importance of Cloud Gate to the cultural life of Taipei and the nation.
Photo: CNA
The company, which was established in 1973, moved into the Fuxing N Road offices in 1997.
Lin said the move to Tamsui means that after 42 years, the company will finally have its own home, and he thanked the Taipei Department of Cultural Affairs for its support and encouragement over the years.
“This is not the end of the beginning,” he said.
Ni announced that to mark the opening of the Cloud Gate Theater, an MRT train would be painted in the troupe’s honor as a “housewarming gift” and will run for four months on the Taipei MRT’s Xinyi line, starting in April.
Cloud Gate has announced that on show days, free shuttle buses will be provided between MRT Tamsui Station and the theater, but seats must be reserved in advance online.
It also announced that the name of the Cloud Gate Foundation has been changed to Cloud Gate Culture and Arts Foundation.
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