- Chinese Name: 雲門舞集
- Year of Establishment: 1973
- Founder and Choreographer: Lin Hwai-min
- Behind the Name: As the first contemporary dance company in Chinese-speaking community, "Cloud Gate” was named after the oldest known dance performed in China during the era of the Yellow Emperor.
Lead by founder and choreographer Lin Wai-min, Cloud Gate Dance Theatre has transformed ancient aesthetics into a thrilling modern celebration of motion.
Cloud Gate has been called "Asia's leading contemporary dance theatre” by The Times of London. One of its productions, "Moon Water,” was selected by the New York Times as the best dance of 2003.
Founder Lin, together with the late choreographer and former Cloud Gate dancer Lo Man-fei, established "Cloud Gate 2” in 1999. This troupe tours local communities, helps develop young dancers and showcases original works by innovative young talents.
In 1998, Cloud Gate opened a dance studio in Taipei, becoming the first dance company to promote rhythm in daily life in the country.
In recognition of Cloud Gate's contribution to the cultural community, the Taipei City government named Lane 231 of Fuhsing North Road, home to the dance company's office, as "Cloud Gate Lane” in 2003.
Select Programs
- "The White Serpent Tale” (1975) - This production was adapted from a Chinese legend about the love story of a man and a white snake.
- "Nine Songs” (1993) - This production is a full-length dance which reinterprets the cycle of ancient ritualistic songs as modern theater.
- "Songs of the Wanderers” (1994) - This production, narrating a man's quest for enlightenment during the time of Buddha, was adapted from the novel "Siddhartha” by German-Swiss poet Hermann Hesse.
- "Moon Water” (1998) - This production, which utilizes water on stage at the end of the show, was inspired by a Buddhist proverb, "Flowers in a mirror and moon on the water are both illusions.”
- "Water Stains on the Wall” (2010) - This production was inspired by founder Lin Hwai-min's great love of Chinese landscape paintings and the Tamsui River, which Lin can see from his home in the Bali District of New Taipei City.