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| ABOUT TRaC |
MultiTRaC Fall 2003
BAM Stages Encounter between East and West! The U.S. is the center of the world to many, especially taking into account the thousands of egomaniacs that live in the vicinity of New York. And why shouldn't we be boastful?! We have opportunities beyond comprehension, freedom form persecution...yet, is there not something to learn from the eastern ways? Faith? Pride? Many of the traits Cloud Gate's Moon Water so beautifully depicts. Few companies have yet to risk being as unwary as Cloud Gate and have pulled it off so positively ravishing. This company emerged from Taiwan and has challenged its audience with every performance, and not a single dance company has yet to match its perseverance. Cloud Gate, Taiwan's first contemporary dance company is now celebrating its 30th anniversary and it does not seem to be getting redundant with age, but wiser and more inspirational. This company thrives on its eastern philosophy and dancers, who have been trained in varieties of martial arts, Tai' chi, and as well as ballet. The dancers display this training beautifully throughout their performance in 'Moon Water.' Before the red curtain parted, the audience was greeted with a reminder of common courtesy: to turn off all cell phones and beepers, and that was the last reference to our modern society for the rest of the show. As darkness descended on the theatre, the red curtain that once kept us so attentive, now diminished and a man was seen standing dead center form afar. As the stage lights began to brighten, a man becomes visible, standing amid lines encircling his body. Are these spirits that are haunting him from beyond the grave? Are these lines the wind, metaphorically speaking of God? Or are they simply white lines, cleverly painted onto the stage? His movements are fair, thoughtful and subtle and as they begin to grow on you Bach's Six Suites for Solo Cello chimes in just as skillfully as the soloist did. The two go perfectly hand in hand and you begin to contemplate on whether the dancer could have held his own without the music to complete his other half. There were numerous moments like these; moments of simplicity, wonder, and tranquility, but Cloud Gate was simply pacifying you, awaiting the instant an array of dancers, leaping to and fro, creating shapes in the air with grace and fluidity, will jump onto the stage. The company used these moments to their fullest potential; each transition was so eloquently done that you were at times unable to recall what it even was. As the man in the center humbly physically told you his tale, by translating his sadness through his solemn slow repetitious movements, to relaying his joy through his swift leaps. Other shirtless men along side women dressed in flesh colored garments, wearing the same oriental white silk pants, begin to appear on the stage, walking as if zombified to neutrality. With a cast of nearly twenty, Cloud Gate created such seducing snake-like shapes and poses that it would've been nearly impossible to keep your clarity, yet they diverted your attention every way possible. But what they needed above all else to succeed in creating these heavenly shapes, for the dancers seemed, at times, to be like gods floating above the stage, with their graceful extensions in their leaps, was one thing: strength. And they had a great abundance of it. When one watches a performance they should never question whether the dancer is stable or not; it should come naturally that they are. There were countless in attendance within the BAM theatre who, judging by their attentive looks, would unanimously agree that each dancer held their own. It was the constant training and practices of Tai' chi and martial arts like ba-gua that made such enticing shapes. As many in the audience became accustomed to the company's language, the snakelike waving of their arms, the bending of their legs, and the bowing of their heads, water began to seep through the back curtain. This occurred so subtly that gasps could be heard escaping many, for there were myriad's in attendance that were in utter awe once the water appeared. Yet even though a pool of water was under each dancer, the myriad of steps they performed were not heard; only the constant dives of a performer enjoying the refreshing water. As this continued the black back curtain began to rise, unveiling large mirrors back to back, giving the audience a new perspective on man enjoying nature's gifts, as the unusual man in center's face became delightful with each splash. And yet after each dancer had hastily enjoyed the water, each had departed knowing when it was time to leave, until it was just water once again. The Taoist and Buddhists have very different views on life from the self-indulgent west and this piece portrays them perfectly. One trait that was ever present throughout the entire piece was the relationship between man and God. Man worships God, and the dancers, as man, worshiped God and his gifts by rejoicing in the water and with one another, through crane-like gestures. Cloud Gate has mastered what it is to perform high energized, yet moving work. You may not se all of the social references; you may only see mind-boggling shapes and gravity defiant leaps, accompanied by dozens of relationships formed on the stage. But one thing is certain. Cloud Gate produces pieces that will entertain and inspire those who either masters or novices to the world of dance.
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