Taiwan’s Cloud Gate Dance Theatre will bring their tour of Europe to a close in Spain with their dance piece “13 Tongues (十三聲).” From Nov. 23 to Dec. 21, the dance troupe will perform successively at the Mercat de les Flors in Barcelona, Teatros del Canal in Madrid, and Auditorio de Tenerife in the Canary Islands.
Choreographed by the Cloud Gate’s Artistic Director Cheng Tsung-lung (鄭宗龍), “13 Tongues” is inspired by one legendary street artist and storyteller during the 1960s in Taipei's oldest district, Bangka, uncovering Taiwan’s cultural memories that have gradually faded over time. It was performed in Europe and the U.S. in 2020 and 2022 respectively, receiving positive acclaim from both critics and viewers.
Established over three decades ago, Mercat de les Flors is an important performing arts center in Spain. In 2021, the theater partnered with Taiwan’s National Theater and Concert Hall (國家兩廳院) to run a residency and exchange program, focused on the collaboration between dance talents from the two countries.
Meanwhile, Teatros del Canal was inaugurated in Madrid in 2009 and emerged as one of the most iconic venues in the world for performing arts. In 2017, Cloud Gate was invited by the theater to perform “Rice (稻禾)”.
The Cultural Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Spain said that by presenting outstanding Taiwanese dance troupes to the European audience, they aim to showcase Taiwan’s vibrant contemporary performing arts scene. They will continue to build long-term partnerships with local professional institutions in order to send more prominent Taiwanese art groups to perform in Spain, the Cultural Division added.
Cloud Gate’s performance schedule in Spain:
Nov. 23 to 26, 20:30 | Mercat de les Flors, Barcelona
Ticket information: https://mercatflors.cat/en/espectacle/13-tongues/
Dec. 6 to 7, 20:30 | Teatros del Canal, Madrid
Ticket information: https://www.teatroscanal.com/espectaculo/13tonguestaiwantc2324/
Dec. 20 to 21, 19:30 | Auditorio de Tenerife, Canary Islands
Ticket information: https://auditoriodetenerife.com/es/13-tongues