In his dance theatre piece 13 Tongues, choreographer CHENG Tsung-lung draws on childhood memories of the bustling streets of Taipei’s oldest district. Even before his time, the colourful neighbourhood known as Bangka/Wanhua had been the stage for a legendary street performer and storyteller known as ‘13 Tongues’. It was said that ‘13 Tongues’ could conjure up all the characters of Bangka – whether high or low, sacred or profane, woman or man – in the most vivid, dramatic and evocative narratives.
Following four performances at the Dance House Helsinki, Cloud Gate will be performing 13 Tongues at the European Centre for the Arts HELLERAU, where the ‘Taiwan Moves’ series marks the beginning of a long-term relationship with Taiwan’s vibrant dance scene.
The production Sounding Light was most recently acclaimed at the Tanz im August festival in Berlin, where it was presented in collaboration with the Berliner Festspiele. It will subsequently be performed at the Fonderie Limone Moncalieri as part of the Torino Danza festival, where members of the Cloud Gate company are also leading a workshop. Sounding Light is an ode to nature and a re-learning of how to listen using our senses and our minds. Created during the pandemic, Tsung-lung Cheng’s choreography follows a day filled with sunlight, punctuated by clouds and shadows. Using their voices, their breath and their percussive bodies, the dancers create a natural soundtrack that, both acoustically and visually, evokes airy breezes, forest animals and flowing water.
