Introducing... Cloud Gate Dance Theatre

Published on Thursday 24 April 2008 17:19

POISED like crouching tigers, there's more Bruce Lee in the dragon poses of the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan than ballet pumps and tutus.

It just one of the spectacular images that the company will reproduce in Moon River, at the Festival Theatre tonight and tomorrow.

Renowned for delivering spell-binding, spiritual performances, Cloud Gate perform Moon River to Bach's suites for solo cello. And as the music plays, mirrors appear on stage, reflecting the image of the moving dancers and the patterns of the white brush strokes of the set.

The story, created and choreo-graphed by the company in 1998, is based on a combination of Taoist philosophy, Tai Chi movement and Asian folklore.

Taking the two intertwining ideas of the Buddhist proverb, "Flowers in a mirror and moon on the water are both illusory", and the ideal state for Tai Chi practitioners, "Energy flows as water, while the spirit shines as the moon," the company has created an ethereal, floating meditation on the body.

While some of the ideas under-lying the story may introduce new concepts to conventional Western audiences, the mesmerising beauty of the group's performance is universal.

Described by critics across the globe as, "One of the finest dance companies in the world" and by another as "the best of the best", Cloud Gate bring with them a reputation for quality, strong imagery and experimentation.

Taking their name from China's oldest known ritual dance, the 5000-year-old Cloud Gate, the 24-strong team are expected to master much more than mere dance moves in order to achieve their desired effect.

Each performer practices a formidable range of disciplines, including Tai Chi, meditation, martial arts, Chinese opera movement, modern dance, ballet, and calligraphy on a regular basis. At home in Taiwan they take their commitment to sharing their art very seriously, performing not just for select festivals but to rural Taiwanese villagers, their free concerts regularly drawing crowds of up to 60,000 people.

Jane Chen, head of the Edinburgh Taipei Representative Office, based in Melville Street, is excited by the visit and says, "We are glad the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre is here in town. Cloud Gate is one of the most important dance companies in Taiwan.

"The founder, Lin Hwai-Min, is famous in blending the West and East into a third world of his own. Their performance presents a distinct and mature Taiwanese choreographic language. It will help to introduce Taiwanese culture to Edinburgh and certainly enhance cultural exchange between Scotland and Taiwan."

So proud of the company are the Taiwanese people that in 2003 the Government named August 21 – the 30th birthday of the group – as Cloud Gate Day. Even the street their offices reside on is now known as Cloud Gate Lane.

Founder and artistic director Lin Hwai-Min has been awarded a slew of accolades for his contribution to Asian culture. He has honorary doctorates from five different universities, received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Department of Culture of New York City and in 2000 was named Choreographer of the 20th Century by Dance Europe.

He also finds time to write – his novella Cicada is a best-seller in Taiwan. In keeping with the philosophy of his company he gave the money he got from receiving the Executive Yuan Culture Award, the highest honour of its kind in Taiwan, to a charity for young performers.

The greatest award of all, however, must surely be the sight of his work enthralling audiences around the world. If you've never been to see a dance piece before, make this your first.

&#149 Moon Water, Festival Theatre, Nicolson Street, tonight and tomorrow, 8pm, 10-20, 0131-529 6000