The Taipei Dance Circle was founded in 1984 by Taiwan-born dancers Liou Shaw-Lu and Yang Wan-rung. The company's members consist of dance graduates from various universities as well as individuals with a passion and aptitude for dance.

Every year since its inception, the company has introduced new works, expanding in the process the horizon of modern dance in Taiwan. It, in fact, has progressed from showing traditional styles of Chinese dance to developing its own unique style of Oriental modern dance.

In the past 10 years, founder and choreographer Liou has brought the concept of "Ch'i, Body and Mind" into his choreography. "Ch'i" is the Chinese word for breath, life force or inner spirit. Such philosophy has given birth to "Dance Over the Universe," "Olympics," "Dance Field," "Variegate," "Framework," "Oil Painting," "Ode to a Paramecium," "Black Tide," "Faults," "Sight and Sound -- Exercise One," "Divine Comedy 2001," "Sight and Sound -- Exercise Two" and "Flow." These works have been performed at different cultural centers and schools throughout Taiwan.

The baby oil series as well as the "Sight and Sound" series combining movement and the human voice have been the result of a commitment to creative exploration and performance. The baby oil series, which has stirred interest in Taiwan and abroad, has been invited to festivals in Tokyo, New York, San Francisco, Aachen, Berlin, Melbourne, Prague, Guangzhou, Estonia, Singapore, South Korea, and France.

"Olympics" received "the prize for creativity in the performing arts" from the Ludwig Foundation in Germany in 1997. The baby oil dances opened the 1997 Green Hills Asia-Pacific International Dance Festival in Melbourne, closed the 10th Annual Prague International Dance Festival in 1998, got showcased at the 1999 Dionysia International Arts Festival in Estonia, and likewise made an impact at the 2000 International Arts Festival in Singapore. Meanwhile Liou became the National Culture and Art Award recipient for dance in 1998.

"Faults" and "Divine Comedy 2001" tested the partnership of dance and the human voice. Such experimental direction continued with the "Sight and Sound" series.

The company, constantly aiming at breakthroughs in the performing arts, has seen the need to not just focus on the creative process and performance but to also regularly conduct improvisational and experimental exchanges with international artists from countries like Estonia, South Korea, Israel and Poland.

The Taipei Dance Circle's baby oil dance drew praises and words of encouragement over the years. Below are some examples:

• "The Taipei Dance Circle's unparalleled creativity and new forms of expression are extremely moving." ---Michel Caserta, artistic director of the Biennal National de Danse du Val-de-Marne
• "The mysterious, repetitive, frictionless ambience is .....enthralling." ---Deborah Jowitt, Village Voice
• "(Taipei Dance Circle's) dancers....seem to be able to translate creative power and Taoist mentality into an artistic sense of group-feeling almost unknown in Europe." ---Grit Schorn, Aachener Nachrichten
• "The Taipei Dance Circle's baby oil dance is not only visual but also spiritual; or as suggested by Kant: sublime art -- something that agitates the soul." ---Dr. Chung Ming-der, Dialogue Magazine
• "Slick moves in this tide -- bathed in baby oil, the glistening dancers engaged the audience with a flow of shapes and images, which evoked ocean life and rhythm." ---Deng Fuquan, Singapore Straits Times