- Chinese Name:新古典舞團
- Year of Establishment: 1976
- Site:www.neo.org.tw
- Did You Know That ... ?
- A major portion of the dance troupe's repertoire is based on extensive research on old dance styles from imperial China and other ancient empires. The choreography is then melded with contemporary elements and transformed into a unique expression of the human body and culture.
Under the leadership of troupe founder Liu Feng-shueh (劉鳳學), the majority of Neo-Classic Dance Company's works focus on abstract ideas and explorations into the nature of dance, including "movement,” "timing,” and "dynamics.”
With its dancers coming from various backgrounds, the troupe's diverse style has produced sparks on the stage, as its members incorporate elements of psychology, visual arts, music, education, athletics, and linguistics into their performance expertise.
Over the last three decades, the group has performed their classical works at numerous venues in Taiwan, the United States, Austria, France, Germany,Singapore, and mainland China.
Founder and choreographer Liu, one of Taiwan's modern dance pioneers, conveys philosophical principles through basic patterns and movements, and has been commended by the New York Times as a distinguished dance scholar and educator.
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- "Ts'ao-Pi & Chen-Mi” (1996) —This work is based on historical events and traditions, originating from an 1,800 year-old tale of the Kingdom of Wei, one of the Three Kingdoms of ancient China. It utilizes as its central theme the downfall of man through conflict, jealousy, and destruction, centered around a melodramatic triangle of love, jealousy, and power among the emperor Ts'ao-pi, his brother, the scholar Ts'ao Zhi, and the beautiful maiden Chen-Mi. The plot revolves around the emperor and his brother's shared passion for Chen-Mi.
- "Nanguan Music and Dance” (1999) — This creation is based on Nanguan music, and its choreography is a mimicry of a traditional Chinese dance, attempting to give it a new interpretation. The dance style depicts the femininity of traditional Chinese women — their elegance, subtlety, and beauty.
- "Vast Desert, Solitary Smoke Rises Straight” (2000) — Inspired by a poem of Wang Wei (699-759 A.D.), this dance is a symphonic poem presenting a dialogue between modern and ancient, the East and West, art and technology.