Taiwan's Cloud Gate Dance Theatre will return to Malaysia in March 2019 with its latest award-winning dance production "Formosa" at Istana Budaya, a world-class performance center nicknamed the Palace of Culture in Kuala Lumpur. This will be Cloud Gate's first performance in Malaysia in six years.
At a press conference held in Kuala Lumpur on Dec. 18, ROC Representative to Malaysia Anne Hung (洪慧珠) noted that dance is one of the most powerful conduits for cultural exchanges, as it surmounts language barriers and crosses borders.
As the troupe's performances represent some of the best Taiwanese talents from a wide variety of fields, Cloud Gate will serve as a stellar gateway for Malaysian audiences to learn more about Taiwan, she added.
"Formosa" tells the long history of Taiwan proper through a beautiful combination of visual design, literature, imagery, music, and physical movement. The award-winning dance presents both "violence" and "hope" to address the passage of time while allowing for enough ambiguity so viewers can arrive at their own conclusions.
As the last production from Cloud Gate patriarch Lin Hwai-min before his imminent retirement at the end of this year, "Formosa" can be seen as a poetic love letter from Lin to the history and beauty of Taiwan. It was named one of the top 10 best dance shows of 2018 by The Guardian.
Inspired by the writings of poet Yang Mu (楊牧) and narrated by writer Chiang Hsun (蔣勳), "Formosa" is accompanied by music from indigenous Beinan singer Sangpuy (桑布伊), costume design by London-based Taiwanese fashion designer Apu Jan (詹朴), and interactive media by visual communications designer Chou Tung-yen (周東彥).
The Dec. 18 press conference was attended by Datuk Mohamed Juhari Shaarani, director of Istana Budaya, Chua Tia Guan (蔡兆源), director of INXO Arts and Culture Foundation, and Peggy Chou (周蓓姬), head of the Ministry of Culture's office in Kuala Lumpur.
Lauding the upcoming March 16-17 performance by Cloud Gate, which will be the troupe's third performance at Istana Budaya, the dignitaries affirmed the deepening cultural collaboration between Taiwan and Malaysia under the New Southbound Policy.
Ticket Purchase:
https://airasiaredtix.com/formosa
Booking Hotline:
+6012-779 8009
+6016-673 5938
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Performed By:
Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan
Co-produced By:
- National Performing Arts Center - National Theater & Concert Hall (Taiwan)
- National Performing Arts Center - National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying) (Taiwan)
- Sadler’s Wells, London (UK)
- Théâtre de la Ville, Paris (France)
- Carolina Performing Arts, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (USA)
- Movimentos Festwochen der Autostadt in Wolfsburg (Germany)