THERE is a quality to great art that makes it instantly recognisable. Whether painting, music or, in this case, dance.
So it was with Moon Water, the performance by the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan. For 70 minutes, the audience was treated t
o some of the most sublime movement witnessed at that venue.
The title is a metaphor for two things: a Buddhist proverb, "Flowers in a mirror and moon on the water are both illusory"; and an ideal state to which Tai Chi practitioners aspire, "Energy flows as water, while the spirit shines as the moon." From this philosophical springboard, choreographer Lin Hwai-min created a study or meditation on opposites experienced over time.
The adjustment required while watching dance which owed more to Tai Chi than traditional ballet was minimal and the experience was entirely refreshing. More disconcerting might have been the marriage of these steps with several pieces from JS Bach's solo cello suites – an odd mix, perhaps, but a successful one.
Elegance and simplicity were the watchwords: The floor, illustrated with huge white painted arcs; costume, plain white and flesh coloured ; and the lighting, white spotlights or floods, illuminating only as much as necessary, all supported the performance.
It would be hard to imagine a more complete or better presentation, and yet by the end of the show it felt like a company only just hitting its stride.
The full article contains 244 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
