By: The Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan.
Performed at: The Grand Canal Theatre / Dublin.

The Grand Canal Theatre Dublin opened its doors in March 2010. At a twenty-minute stroll from O’Connell Street, it is the newest and biggest addition to Dublin’s vibrant cultural life. With a 2000 seating capacity, within a year after its inauguration, it represents Dublin’s primary venue for theatrical productions. Therefore, the decision by Dublin Dance Festival to host the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan at the Grand Canal Theatre was extremely significant. In this wonderful setting, I was enticed by Songs of the wanderers (1994), which was presented by “Asia’s leading contemporary dance companies” (The Irish Times) and hailed as the centrepiece performance of DDF 2011.

The dance company is considered as one of the most influential across Asia. It was founded in 1973 by choreographer Lin Hwai-min and consists of around twenty professional dancers. In 1998 Cloud Gate (I) opened its Dance School in Taiwan for students between the ages of 4-84. Cloud Gate II was to foster the talents of younger choreographers (1999). The company has toured extensively throughout Asia, Australia, North and South America as well as Europe with Ireland being its March destination this year. Indeed, the grandeur of the Grand Canal theatre venue proved an apt setting for the Cloud Gate dancers whose cross training ranges from meditation, Tai Chi, martial arts, ballet to modern dance and calligraphy.

The treasury of the works by Lin Hwai-min generally points to a fusion of varied influences, such as Asian mythology and folklore with a modern twist. Lin is known for his modest stage set up, which often consists only of one medium, such as floating water drizzling down the ceilings in Moonwater (1998) or a stage showered with pink flowers in Whisper of flowers (1998). The modesty and simplicity of the stage often sets the mood for intensely spiritual and magical performances.

The choice of medium in Songs of the wanderers is equally significant in that it helps to create a mystical, hypnotizing atmosphere. The piece begins in dim light, a constant stream of golden rice grains drizzling onto the head of a statuesque monk, standing in meditation, his hands in the Namaste prayer. The golden grains gradually stream across the entire stage, forming golden dunes, hills and rivers, building an ever-changing golden landscape which complements the serene procession of dancers.

The chosen medium paints a solemn picture, and the warm yellows and orange hues of the rice provide a wholesome and spiritual visual experience. Personally, I dive into the constant stream of grains, lingering in meditative contemplation as the dance unfolds on stage. Inspired by Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha to embark a spiritual journey, and informed by Lin Hwai-min’s personal pilgrimage to Bodhgaya, where Buddha attained his enlightenment,

Songs of the Wanderers was conceived in 1994. Around 3,500 kg of golden rice grains serve as the set for this 90-minute production. Throughout the entire piece, the monk stands motionless, rice grain trickling down his body. Maybe it is this simple gesture of meditation in combination with the flow of the medium that touches the heart of so many. In any case, the simplicity of the gesture (amongst other things) moved many to tears at the end of the show.

The piece is performed to the soulful Georgian folk songs sung by the Rustavi Choir. A wholesome Georgian male voice accompanies the entry of about two-dozen dancers propped up on long wooden sticks that slowly, meditatively wander onto the stage and into the centre. The dancers, or pilgrims in my mind, then fill up the entire downstage stretch (the Holy River), and as the music stops – suddenly, all of them freeze.

On the onset of a different tune, the six men scatter rice fall to their stomachs onto the grains, and perform synchronized Yogic stretches. The female dancers, by contrast, gather on one patch of golden rice at the back, moving in sync. When this particular piece of music finishes abruptly, wild spastic hand gestures ensue from the female assembly. The group is then joined by a female solo dancer.

As the group of dancers leave the stage, the female solo dancer engages in mad convulsions. She is then joined by a man who rakes in rice in front of him. In my interpretation, Lin Hwai-min uses the convulsions of the dancing body to symbolize the hardships of pilgrimage, but also to indicate purification. Moreover, intense back bending sequences are used time and again in his Songs of the wanderers seemingly to point to cleansing, and the joy of life. In addition the impulsive jumps of the dancers, diving in and out of the sand, as well as whipping (with green leaved branches) are a recurrent gesture. The wooden sticks accompany the entire piece, and delicate bells attached to their tips create a meditative ringing. The rake man is also a consistent image, as he wanders across the stage, inspiring meditative devotion. He concludes the section in a meditative fashion, raking in the rice in circles, putting a structure to the vast unruly landscape of grains that has by then formed on stage.

My whole mind, body and soul were immersed into this celebration of the dancing body, and the entire production is simply outstanding. However, one of the most striking scenes was a sudden big bang at the back caused by a big patch of rice (and a male dancer) falling down from the ceiling. The dancer (I am still wondering if the fall hurt) subsequently engaged in a very heartwarming solo. Mad convulsions informed his path, as he hurled the rice from the hill on which he landed. The stage lighting focused exclusively on the male soloist, and the mustard yellow of the rice corns contrasted his white face paint. Meanwhile, the monk at the front was emerged in darkness.

Suddenly – the monk is lit up again. Aside from the beautifully light lifting sequences that followed, the section that perhaps enthralled me most was the Rite of Fire. As the title suggests, it consists of balancing bowls of fire and spinning – it invites feelings of warmth and spirituality.

Finally, the piece ended in an equally impressive finale, with rice grains streaming down ceiling like curtains, and joyful, boisterous dancing with rice thrown in the air mingling with the sound of the rice. The Dublin audience thanked the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre with a long standing ovation. I could not stop cheering the dance company for the unique pleasure they afforded the audience. As we finally settled and the clapping subsided, the conclusion of the piece revisited the image of the rake man. For what seems an (enjoyable) eternity, he is sweeping the rice into a circulars pattern, silently, meditatively, with great care. Is this the finale or is it the beginning?

My verdict of the piece is an entirely positive one. Elaborating on some of the well-constructed details will hopefully give the ingenious nature of the piece some justice in writing. Songs of the wanderers is immensely inspiring, and carries the audience away to a dream world of spiritual and magical practises and creatures. Another message inherent in the piece is that continuous travel keeps the mind fresh and alive. For “there is no happiness in him who does not travel (…). The feet of the wanderer are like the flower, his soul is growing and reaping the fruit; and all his sins are destroyed by his fatigues in wandering. Therefore, wander!” (Aitareya Brahmana) Therefore wandering equals wondering and this beautiful work of art reminded me of this fact. It was complete and utter bliss!

I would invite everyone to check out Lin Hwai-min’s work in greater depth. Many of the most significant works of the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre have been turned into DVDs in Europe and are therefore easily accessible. It will allow you to savour the magical and spiritual quality of the Company’s work. Better even, it will carry you away from the everyday pressures of the modern world. While nothing compares to the live experience and all of you should seize the opportunity to see the company live, the DVDs will in the meantime provide entertainment at its best, with dance technique at its most refined.

Dublin Dance Festival information on the pieace

Cloud Gate home page

The 2011 Dublin Dance Festival ran until the 28th of May. If you did not get to go, do check out their website.

Read Jasbelly’s introductory window onto the Dublin Dance Festival

Messages From The Big Rock Candy Mountain would like to thank the 2011 Dublin Dance Festival and Stephanie of Kate Bowe PR for everything