Taipei Dance Circle: Repertoire in Retrospect
1985 – 1992: Period Close to Home
The extremely active early years of the Taipei Dance Circle starting in 1985 until 1990 happened to see Taiwan’s economy taking off. The company’s first formal performance took place at the Crown Art Center. The group’s program, in fact, inaugurated this little theater venue in Taipei.
The pieces from the “Down the Country Road” series (1985) showing full nostalgia for the old hometown at that time tried “to capture the Chinese dance style and to let art grow roots.” Of Liou Shaw-lu’s works at this time, “The Stone-Carrying Old Man” (1985) and “Farewell, My Concubine” (1986) could be said to be pieces particularly indicating nostalgia for home and generally with stories to tell. “Theme and Variation” (1986), “Another Wave” and “Country Sound” (1988) were abstract works. In 1990, the Taipei Dance Circle presented for the last time “Hermits in the Bamboo Forest.” Liou Shaw-lu shortly left for the United States to pursue further dance education. The company disbanded temporarily.
Works from Period Close to Home
- No. 1 1985 “Down the Country Road”
- No. 2 1985 “The Old Man Carrying Stone”
- No. 3 1986 “Farewell, My Concubine”
- No. 4 1986 “Theme and Variation”
- No. 5 1987 “Encounter of Vision and Spirit”
- No. 6 1988 “Dancers in Life”
- No. 7 1988 “Country Sound”
- No. 8 1989 “Another Wave of Dance Creativity”
 |
|
|
1993 to Present: Modern Dance Series Using Baby Oil
“Dance Over the Universe” Became Touchstone of Quality
The Taipei Dance Circle staged a comeback in February 1993, presenting “Dance Over the Universe” at the National Theater’s Experimental Theater. Liou Shaw-lu’s “Breath (Chi), Body and Heart” concept emerged for the first time, calling attention and drawing positive feedback.
“Dance Over the Universe” consisted of three parts: “Floating in the Air,” “Going Up” and “Swimming on the Floor.” “Floating in the Air” and “Swimming on the Floor” gave the strongest impression. In “Floating in the Air,” an enormous piece of handpainted cloth covered three male dancers and three female dancers performed dance moves while being supported by the hidden male dancers with strong backs. The natural air movement created a special undulating effect on the fabric, helping bring about an interesting picture of female dancers seemingly floating in the air. Liou took the fabric prop into the realm of Zen and fantasy, developing a new form of artistic expression.
“Swimming on the Floor” required four female dancers to cover their entire bodies with baby oil to completely eliminate any possible friction when brought in contact with the floor. Exploiting the slippery nature of oil, bodies endlessly turned around, glided, rolled about and jumped to execute the choreography. Costumes, stage design, and even the accompanying music veered towards minimalism. The human body was reduced to something pure and flawless. And in going all the way to achieve this, it gave the impression of “going back to its very beginning and origin.” All the stage just became “space.” With the use of baby oil to remove all physical obstruction, the Taipei Dance Circle made it possible for spectators to experience a sense of beauty at its purest.
From “Olypmpics” to “Ode to a Paramecium”
Liou Shaw-lu’s first piece of choreography to make use of the baby oil all throughout was “Olympics.” This work had nine independent parts. Pushing, pulling, gliding, rolling and so forth were moves carried out throughout the choreography with dancers greased with baby oil and on an oil-slicked surface. The piece was to become the basis for the development of future choreographies. The Taipei Dance Circle took this production to Tokyo, New York, Berlin, Melbourne, and Prague, receiving critical acclaim each time.
After “Olympics” came “Dance Field” (1995), “Transplantation” (1995), and “Framework” (1996). In all these works, the baby oil found its place. After “Olympics” became a great success in Aachen, Germany, in February 1997, the Taipei Dance Circle decided to focus on the crucial use of the baby oil in the development of future dance pieces.
In September of 1997, Liou Shaw-lu created a second full-length dance, using the baby oil. The structure of “Oil Painting” was a lot bigger than “Olympics.” Works like “Ode to a Paramecium” and “Black Tide” followed. If “Olympics” could be described as a suite, “Oil Painting” could be said to be a sonata. With “Ode to a Paramecium,” the complete structure attained that of a symphony. At this point, the baby oil as source material with potential continued to undergo development.
“Black Tide” Celebrated Taipei Dance Circle’s 15-year Milestone
“Black Tide” was the work created in celebration of the dance company’s 15th anniversary. The human body as a miniature world or universe served as point of departure in exploring the relationship of man and the ocean. The dance company made their debut at the National Theater. This served as a very big encouragement. The Taipei Dance Circle even commissioned young composer Lee Tzy-sheng to write the music for the 85-minute dance. Forum Music was invited to provide live music accompaniment to the dance performance. The completely new experiment showed the boldness and daring with which the Taipei Dance Circle ventured forth to greet the 21st century.
While continuing to develop further the body language associated with earlier baby oil dances, “Black Tide” emphasized digging deeper in search of something raw and pure. Liou himself showed his dancers the way to do it, summoning the concept of “chi (breath), body and heart” while imagining the feeling of the ocean tide lapping and splashing the body. Group improvisation and creation characterized largely by interactive activity, at the same time involving breathing and exercises for the muscle and the bone, opened the way for the exploration of the wonders of nature.
According to geographic explanation, the black tide, originally called “kuroshio,” is a strong current flowing northeastward in the Pacific Ocean, transporting warm tropical water to sustain the coral reef. This fastest of all currents gives birth to the “black tide cultural circle” covering China, Japan, Korea and the Philippines, among others. According to Liou, the choreography – a major work – was created to coincide with the Taipei Dance Circle’s 15th anniversary celebration. It consisted of five parts: “Spring,” “Summer,” “Autumn,” “Winter” and “Endless.” Captured was the unending rhythmically expanding and contracting black tide.
“Faults” Toured 9-21 Calamity Area
“Faults,” the work which emerged in the year 2000, saw the removal of the reliance on the baby oil to enhance the beauty of the dance. The direction taken was to draw from what was originally there, including the unstable pulse of life, enabling Liou to turn to and draw from life’s raw energy.
There were three parts in this dance. “Relations” highlighted the complicated nature of interpersonal relationships as well as the law and order coming out of such complications. Polish composer Henryk Gorecki’s “Symphony No. 3” was the music selected for this dance to achieve a kind of dragsaw effect between flesh and spirit.
The second part “Buried in Dust” was a virtual walk through purgatorial or even hellish experience with a solo serving as foil to a dance duet, demonstrating a semblance of a dragsaw effect. Responding to Michael Nyman’s “MGV” with repetitive sound and the powerful rhythm of the fast music, dancers relentlessly shook their bodies, gnashed their teeth and cried out like animals.
In the third part, “Faults,” after a brief calming down, the dancers appeared like cells breaking up and then forming new ones, engaging in a process of regrouping and then tearing apart. Estonian composer Avro Part’s music was used.
The creation of “Faults” coincided with the happening of the highly destructive and tragic earthquake of September 21, 1999, in Taiwan. The natural calamity hit a region very hard. People, including the dancers, were badly shaken by the traumatic experience. Many who saw the dance were of the opinion that it would have a healing effect on the surviving victims of the disastrous earthquake. The Taipei Dance Circle eventually had the occasion to bring “Faults” to the worst-hit region of Taiwan.
“Flow” Highlighted the Taoist Zen View of the Human Body
Liou Shaw-lu created “Flow” for the Taipei Dance Circle in 2002. He tried to apply a Taoist Zen interpretation of the workings of the human body to the dance. This time, the choreography was divided into five parts, namely “Earth,” “Water,” “Wind,” “Space” and “Fire.” Liou deemed it best to bring back his modern dance revolving around the use of baby oil to express the awakening of the human body. And so dancers with bodies slicked with baby oil returned to the slippery floor to execute choreographed moves. Forms flowed and their nature kept evolving to slowly reflect through dance the boundary of law. The dance “Flow” traced how the body went through self-awakening
This was Liou Shaw-lu’s first collaboration with composer Lee Tai-hsiang. Lee’s “Andante No. 3,” “Flow,” “Tranquility in the Bosom of May” and excerpt from “World At Large” were tapped for the dance. The entire performance had subtle religious undertone.
The five natural elements of earth, water, wind, space and fire came to be suggested in different ways by the dancers. Each performer’s body, flesh and bone structure were first transformed into weighed-down “Earth.” Sweating, a process like continuing blood circulation, called to mind “Water.” A solo dancer listened to the sounds inside him, reflecting on something there and something not there in “Space.” Frenzied dancing ritual had temperature rising and passion building in “Fire.”
With props and sets removed, the dance reverted to a show of simple and pure body forms moving to the rhythmic beat. Lee Tai-hsiang’s music and Liou Shaw-lu’s choreography connected to appear as one.
Ecological Concern Surfaced in “Body Water 70%”
“Body Water 70%” could be described as dance about ecology. The dance about Mother Earth played out distress and joy. Water, long recognized as the source of life and symbol of the spiritual, constitutes 70% of the human body as well as the earth. Thus, it forms an essential and deep part of the ecology of nature. Using a combination of “breath, body and heart,” this dance probed the mystery and wonder of man and the earth. Joy and pain in life as suggested in the choreography culminated in a peaceful denouement.
“Body Water 70%” became an experiment in “body and sound” of the Taipei Dance Circle. This meant that dancers did not just cover their bodies with baby oil and get down to the oil-slicked floor to do choreographed moves but also emit human sounds to serve as music accompaniment during a performance. If the human body was 70% water, said Liou Shaw-lu, the shiny oil-covered floor seemed to be a watery realm. The chasing, the hiding, the struggling, the playing, and caressing gave rise to competitively dazzling outcome. At other times, strange-looking images emerged. This choreography did not follow a narrative. There was no intermission. The entire program had no musical accompaniment. Lighting, stage and costume design were the only inputs at this new development stage of the so-called “baby oil modern dance.” They contributed to the new visual experience for the audience.
“Body Water 70%” had seven parts. “Rising Tide” and “Playful Web” caught nature springing to life. “Spiritual Configuration” and “Call of the Swamp” focused on the development of life. “Thunderstorm” sought to interpret the message of sin cleansing. “Reincarnation/Scream” saw discipline as important in the return to original goodness. Finally eternal calm returned with the “Nautilus of Peace.” Images like swimming fish, ocean waves, living marine life, thunderstorm, and sudden downpour, all associated with the water world, were created as dancers performed, accompanied by sounds of their own creation, to spring a feast for the eyes and the ears on the audience.
“Pilgrims’ Dream” Set Out With Hope
Four years after his choreography of his baby oil modern dance, Liou Shaw-lu created “Pilgrim’s Dream” in 2008. The dancers experienced their bodies subjected to restraint and then release. Dancers sought to try something different and deeper to express profound spiritual craving than just by pushing, pulling, rolling, sliding and stumbling on a floor made slippery and fragrant by baby oil. With reverence, the pilgrims searched for and reflected on the meaning of life and this was after being exhausted by exposure to ostentatious prosperity. A difficult loneliness fell on them. But after dealing with all kinds of obstacles, they ended up with open hearts and minds.
“Pilgrims’ Dream” had five parts: “Dark Night,” “Light in the Dark,” “Morning Ritual,” “Rainy Season in the Desert,” “Getting Lost” and “Holy One’s Kiss.” The dance experience set out from zero then to point, line, face and body. Performers were like seeds sprouting and growing to be healthy and strong. Then came conflict and contradiction and finally support.
Through it all, the Taipei Dance Circle aspired to let everyone see hope in life through “Pilgrims’ Dream.” Liou Shaw-lu reminded the public that artists were like pilgrims and dancers went through emotional highs and lows. Their experiences were similar to the rising and ebbing ocean waves. Doing the best possible in life was bound to lead to hope regardless of how rugged the road taken was. This was the message.
Modern Dance Series Using Baby Oil
- No. 1 1993 Dance Over the Universe
- No. 2 1994 Olympics
- No. 3 1995 Dance Field
- No. 4 1997 Oil Painting
- No. 5 1998 Ode to a Paramecium
- No. 6 1999 Black Tide
- No. 7 2000 Faults
- No. 8 2002 Flow
- No. 9 2004 Body Water 70%
- No. 10 2008 Pilgrims’ Dream
|
|
|
2001 to Present: Sight and Sound
From “Sight and Sound – Exercise One” to “Sight and Sound – Exercise Two”
Liou Shaw-lu made a name for himself in the field of dance by coming up with the unique modern dance using baby oil. Moving into the 21st century, he experimented with “Sight and Sound – Exercise One.” He tied metal or plastic tubes to his dancers to extend their perpendicular and curving body lines, enhancing visual feeling of linear movement. Liou urged his dancers to listen to their inner body rhythms and sounds as well as to use their voices to show their energy. Liou fell back on the concept of “breath, body and heart,” starting his “Sight and Sound” series.
“Sight and Sound – Exercise Two” followed. This work explored how the dancers could emit sounds while they were busy breathing and engaged in body moves. Such exercise induced raw energy to surface. In the beginning, the dancers felt the air inside their bodies moving, passing through their throats and naturally generating sounds. Sounds blended with the physical moves individually at first. Two and then three dancers banded together to sing and dance within an interactive group.
Using the eyes to see the melody and relying on the ears to hear the form of the sound became the concept behind the “Sight and Sound” dance series. “Sight and Sound – Exercise One” was a dance with emphasis on the extension of the body. “Sight and Sound – Exercise Two” was an experiment on sound and body coming together. The second exercise did away completely with music accompaniment, whether taped or live. Throughout the performance, the dancers produced sounds triggered naturally by body motions. These were quite different from the singing of vocalists.
The choreography was made up of four parts. The first part began with very slow, basically “tai chi” moves, ending with three-beat dance. Three singing dancers started out very slow, proceeding this way until midway in the second part. The rhythm then changed to fast vibration. The performance changed and developed with dancers crawling and half-squatting in the third part. Sounds coming from the dancers served as music accompaniment. The heavy fourth part was inspired by Tibetan Buddhism. It brought in the eight-tone singing of the Bunun aboriginal tribe. This portion concluded with rapid spinning. The dancers who as usual had to dress down to the minimum bared flesh rhythmically moving to highlight the characteristic style of the Taipei Dance Circle.
“Pingban or Moderato” Proved Far from Flat and Boring
“Pingban or Moderato” was a dance which incorporated “body sound.” Liou Shaw-lu was a son of a typical farming family in the Hakka countryside. He grew to have fond memories of a happy childhood. After leaving home, he became very familiar with the feelings of a wanderer. Of his decision to draw his choreographic theme from Hakka culture, Liou explained that the Hakka chant known as “pingban” could be described as the most free. He even had to do research on “shan ko tzu” or Hakka yodel song and the aboriginal way of singing without lyrics, constantly focusing on “turning the body into a musical instrument through movement” in his choreography.
The dance drew inspiration from the persevering spirit of the early Hakka settlers of the mountain areas. Props which were built to look like two stairs could be moved around to create different views, suggesting a highland landscape, a bridge, a mountain pass, or even a sacrificial altar. Dancers perched on different levels emitted different sounds. Poles were also used throughout to tell the story of the pioneering settlers of the remote highland. The sticks suggested shoulder poles or protective canes in the portion called “Life.” The breathing exercise and the building of a frame were incorporated into the “Bridging of the Divide.” Defense weapons and changing human sounds belonged to the part called “Chasing Evil.”
“Sight and Sound – Exercise Two” relied completely on the dancers’ voices for music accompaniment. But composer Lee Tzy-sheng composed the music for “Pingban or Moderato.” In addition, seven performers from the fields of music and theater formed a group and contributed their body voices to the dance presentation.
Consolidating Hakka Spirit in “Meandering Over the Mountain”
Liou Shaw-lu created “Meandering Over the Mountain” in 2005. He sought to bring together the spirit of the Hakka traditional culture and the language of modern dance. This meant adopting the song-and-dance style of choreography. A loose, unrestricted style largely dictated by improvisation resulted in the work with a descriptive title.
The piece showed the Hakka people’s contentment with their life. The dance had been created, using both folk and modern approaches. The music had suggestions of the “shan ko tzu” or Hakka yodel song. Even the influence of Hakka tea-picking drama was indicated. Hsu Chiu-yi, a well-known wardrobe designer, turned to the traditional Hakka outfit for ideas. “Meandering Over the Mountain” could be regarded as Liou Shaw-lu’s innovative dance expression of Hakka culture and art.
“Of Man and Object” Packed Fantasy, Amazement, Tricky Change
Was the illusory and constantly changing creature on the stage a man or an object?
Liou Shaw-lu went experimental in his 2007 piece of choreography titled “Of Man and Object.” He depicted “man” through the nimble body and pulsating breath. His “object” stretched and contracted, using sponge cushion in a light and humorous manner. Fantasy, amazement and tricky change played out on the spectators, reinforcing Liou’s dance creativity. The dance company invited young contemporary Japanese composer Keiko Harada to write the music for the dance. Liou added a segment using only body sounds and moves to complete the choreography.
“Of Man and Object” had eight parts: “Prologue,” “Rebirth,” “Search,” “Valley,” “Disport,” “Wave,” “Agitation,” and “Finale.” The work played on the mind. Fantasy, exaggeration, humor, and tricky change were all thrown in. A man could become an object and an object could change into a man. The processes were handled by Liou with sensitivity to the times and the present-day world.
“Dancing to Mountain Songs” Toured Hakka Communities
Liou Shaw-lu observed that a dancer’s body and heart could come together only through breathing. Thus could the dancer show depth of body language. If the person could add the element of voice, then the exploration of the relation between body and sound could take place.
Hakka yodel songs were born while the Hakka people were hard at work, while going up a slope and carrying a load on a pole. Reliance on the lower part of the abdomen and on breathing while at work became obvious. But different physical exertions required breathing with difference. Walking long distance, for example, called for different breathing from that required while carrying a heavy load on the shoulder. The breathing affected the lower part of the abdomen. Awareness of the process gave birth to Liou’s dance development. Body sounds and moves ranging from light to heavy, depending on the strength of force, were tapped. Melodic rhythm just came naturally. In fact, this emerged the most colorful aspect of his choreography.
Liou Shaw-lu received the Hakka Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. Liou then brought the Taipei Dance Circle and “Dancing to Mountain Songs” to the Hakka communities in Taoyuan, Hsinchu and Miaoli Counties. The dancers had to dance and sing. Every move entailed breathing and release of body sounds. Demonstrating the principle combining “breath, body and heart” remained quite a challenge to the dancers.
25th Anniversary Offering “Silent Dance” Deals With Ecology
Without turning to verbal language, this dance tried to use the body to convey absence of vulgarity, emptiness, and clumsiness, but at the same time show dashing refinement, amorousness and vivacity, pointed out Liou Shaw-lu in describing “Silent Dance.”
“Silent Dance” is the new work created in 2009 for the Taipei Dance Circle. It focuses on dance and sound. The body moves carried out with modern music tend to give elegant and light impression. If “Pilgrims’ Dream” in 2008 represented Liou Shaw-lu’s reflection on ecological threat and his way of expressing his fear, agony and hope through dance, “Silent Dance” reinforces his great ecological dread articulated without words. Floods and mudslides brought by typhoon Morakot account for this grave concern. “Silent Dance” becomes very significant at this point.
“Silent Dance” is divided into nine segments: “Song of the Beginning,” “Of Ice and Snow,” “Going Through Death Valley,” “Glacier Breaks Up,” “Taking Up Matter With Authorities,” “Circling Direction,” “Delicate Resonance,” “Earth’s Renewal” and “Wordless Holy Message.” The Taipei Dance Circle seeks the collaboration of composers Lu Yen, Tseng Yuh-chung and Lee Tzy-sheng, with musicians using cello, piano and electronic music to accompany solo, duo, trio and quartet dances. The choreography is rich in imagery and deep in meaning.
Works in the “Sight and Sound” Series
-
No. 1 2001 “Sight and Sound – Exercise One”
- No. 2 2002 “Sight and Sound – Exercise Two”
- No. 3 2003 “Pingban or Moderato”
- No. 4 2006 “Meandering Over the Mountain”
- No. 5 2007 “Of Man and Object”
- No. 6 2007 “Dancing to Mountain Songs”
- No. 7 2009 “Silent Dance”
|
