Sounding Light

Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan

2024/25 Tanz HELLER Sommer Kulturpass Große Stücke

At home in Taiwan, artistic director and choreographer CHENG Tsung-lung, along with the dancers, step out of the door of their own theatre and find themselves in the middle of nature. Their home base, Cloud Gate Theater, is hidden in the middle of a subtropical thicket on a hill on the outskirts of the megacity of Taipei, with a spectacular view over the Tamsui River.

This proximity and connection inspired CHENG and the world-famous Taiwanese dance company Cloud Gate to create the production “Sounding Light” in 2020. The sounds of the forest, the wind in the trees, the insects and birds, the sunlight refracted between the leaves – all of this is gradually recreated on stage in an impressive choreography. The 12 dancers provide most of the soundtrack as a natural element of their performance. While their movements imitate nature, birds or insects, their bodies become instruments: In collaboration with composers LIM Giong and CHANG Shiuan, they use voice and breath, finger snapping and hand clapping. In this way, the dancers acoustically and visually create the impression of a breeze or of falling rain and flowing water and dedicate themselves to the animals of the forest. In their concise, technically sophisticated and aesthetically impressive style, Cloud Gate creates a dance symbol for the connection with nature.

Duration: ca. 1 h 5 min
Without the use of language

Following the performance on Fri 30 August, there will be a reception in the Dalcroze Hall with opening remarks from:

  • Carena Schlewitt, Director HELLERAU
  • Prof. Dr Jhy-Wey SHIEH, Representative of Taiwan, Taipei Representation in the Federal Republic of Germany
  • Annekatrin Klepsch, Councillor for Culture, Science and Tourism of the State Capital Dresden
  • Jan Pratzka, Councillor for Economic Affairs, Digital Affairs, Human Resources and Security of the City of Dresden
  • Ursula Staudinger, Rector of Dresden University of Technology

Cloud Gate was founded by internationally renowned choreographer LIN Hwai-min in Taipei (Taiwan) in 1973 and was the first contemporary dance ensemble in the greater Chinese-speaking community. Artistic Director CHENG Tsung-lung has led the company since 2020. According to many critics, Cloud Gate continues to be one of the best dance companies in the world. It is particularly known for its technically perfect combination of Western dance techniques with Asian movement traditions from Qi Gong, meditation, and internal Martial arts.

cloudgate.org

Concept & Choreography: CHENG Tsung-lung
Music: LIM Giong
Sound and Voice: CHANG Shiuan
Light Design: Lulu W.L. LEE
Costume Design: CHEN Shao-yen
Music Director of Cloud Gate: LIANG Chun-mei
Co-production: National Performing Arts Center – National Theater & Concert Hall, National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying), National Taichung Theater

Premiere: 1. October 2020, National Theater, Taipei Taiwan

Dancers:
CHAN Pui pui, CHEN Lien-wei,
CHEN, Tsung-chiao, CHOU Chen-yeh,
FAN Chia-hsuan ,HUANG Lu-kai,
HUANG Mei-ya, HUANG Yen-cheng,
LEE Tzu-chun, SHAO Hsing-wen,
YEH Po-sheng, YEN Hsueh-hsin

Supported by: Ministry of Culture, R.O.C. (Taiwan), Taipei Representation in the Federal Republic of Germany