Cursive : A Trilogy

My tai chi buddy, Margo bought us tickets to go to this performance at Sadlers Wells up in Angel. It was the final night performance and it was deserving of the rapturous clapping and equally thunderous foot stamping from an appreciative crowd. It was 90 mins with no interval, and audience hushed with full attention on the strong silent moves, reminiscent of tai chi qung and dance fused into one. All you hear is the chi breathing of every dancer with the occasional nature sounds. Lighting was effective to show off toned muscles. I think overall it was pretty good and I enjoyed it immensely, with a fresh determination to master my tai chi moves ...

Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan
Wild Cursive
UK PREMIERE
The Final Chapter of Cursive: A Trilogy
@ Sadlers Wells, London

Friday 22 June 2007
Performance 7.30pm
Tickets: £35 (4th row)



“Lin Hwai-min has succeeded brilliantly in fusing dance techniques and theatrical concepts from the East and the West.” New York Times

Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan present the UK premiere of Wild Cursive at Sadler's Wells for four performances only from Tuesday 19 – Friday 22 June 2007. Wild Cursive is the third and final part of the acclaimed Cursive: A Trilogy, and the result of the company’s long exploration into the ancient practice of movement and spirituality.

Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan is renowned for its spellbinding and spiritual performances. According to legend, Cloud Gate is the name of the oldest known ritual dance in China, created over 5,000 years ago. In 1973, Choreographer and Founder Lin Hwai-min adopted this classical name to found Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan, who are the first contemporary dance company from any Chinese speaking community. The 24-strong group’s rich repertoire has its roots in Asian myths and folklore but they perform with a contemporary perspective, touring international festivals across the Globe.

Under the direction of Lin Hwai-min, the company has focused upon traditional Chinese body disciplines. Throughout Cursive: A Trilogy, the company has drawn on the essence and aesthetics of the ancient art of Chinese calligraphy, with the dancers embodying the flow of energy embedded in the strokes of the brush and the shades of the ink. As the concluding piece, Wild Cursive explores the idea of spontaneity and ‘wild calligraphy’. Using paper as the only set, the stage is covered in streams of white rice paper that cascade to the floor, before black ink seeps hypnotically from above. Exquisite lighting designed by Chang Tsan-Tao illuminates the transparency of the rice paper and enhances the strength of the flowing black images. Manipulating and dancing between the layers of paper that grow ever darker, the Cloud Gate company display their trademark strength, fluidity, control and mesmerising movement.

Lin Hwai-min has developed a dance style for the company that integrates meditation, Tai Chi Tao Yin (an ancient form of Chi Kung), martial arts and Chinese opera movement with modern dance and ballet. His choreography was last seen at Sadler's Wells within parts of Sylvie Guillem and Akram Khan's sublime collaboration Sacred Monsters which premiered at the theatre in 2006 and returned earlier this year.
(press release)

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(from the Sadler's Wells website)
Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan is renowned for its spellbinding, spiritual performances, creating works of breathtaking organic beauty.

Choreographer Lin Hwai-min - who created part of Sylvie Guillem and Akram Khan's sublime piece Sacred Monsters at Sadler's Wells last season - has integrated meditation, tai-chi, martial arts and Chinese opera movement with modern dance and ballet, developing a truly unique dance style.

For the acclaimed Cursive: A Trilogy, Lin Hwai-min draws on the essence and aesthetics of the ancient art of Chinese calligraphy, as the dancers embody the flow of energy embedded in the strokes of the brush and the shades of the ink.

"A control and articulation that verges on the superhuman" CHICAGO SUNDAY TIMES

Wild Cursive is the final part in this trilogy and explores the idea of spontaneity. Vast scrolls of paper are unfurled on the stage and streams of ink are poured over them, creating a spectacular 'installation in progress'. The seeping ink forms abstract patterns as the dancers display their trademark strength, fluidity, control and mesmerising movement.



This clip is from the Sadlers Wells website > archived show.