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BAM and Asia Society present the New York premiere of Moon Water performed by the world renowned Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan
Taoist philosophy and Tai Chi movement blend in this critically acclaimed dance work
BAM 2003 Next Wave Festival is sponsored by Altria Group, Inc.
BAM and Asia Society present
Moon Water
Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan
Choreography by Lin Hwai-min
Lighting design by Chang Tsan-tao
Set design by Austin Wang
Costume design by Lin Jing-ru
Music by J.S. Bach
BAM Howard Gilman Opera House
Nov 18, 20–22 at 7:30pm
Tickets: $20, 35, 50
An Evening with Lin Hwai-min (co-presented with Asia Society)
Nov 19 at 6:30pm
Asia Society (725 Park Avenue)
Tickets: $10 ($7 for Friends of BAM, Asia Society members, seniors, and students)
BAMdialogue with Lin Hwai-min
Nov 20 at 6pm
BAM Rose Cinemas
Tickets $8 ($4 for Friends of BAM)
Brooklyn, October 9, 2003—The internationally acclaimed Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan returns to BAM for the third time, performing Moon Water—a poetic marriage of Taoist philosophy and Tai Chi movement inspired by the Buddhist proverb “flowers in a mirror and moon on the water are both illusive.” The Daily Telegraph (U.K.) described Moon Water as,
“…a dream of a show, one of the most ravishing things I’ve seen in a theater.”
A study in real vs. unreal and yin and yang, the dance juxtaposes the ancient martial arts’ spiral-like movements with J.S. Bach’s Six Suites for Solo Cello. It begins on a simple black and white set, revealing a lone man contemplating a simple sketch of water droplets on the stage’s black floor. As mirrors descend and then disappear around him, a shimmering lunarscape reflects the man’s image, as well as the moving figures of the dancers who join him onstage. Water suddenly floods the stage, transforming it into a vast liquid mirror. Surrounded on all sides by their repeating images, the dancers are soon drenched, their billowing costumes gradually adhering to their whirling bodies. China Times (Taipei) praised, “As movements evolve slowly and organically, dancers’ bodies blossom like spring flowers…Drawn into the cycle of their breathing, audiences are spellbound for 70 minutes.”
Four performances of Moon Water will take place in the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House (30 Lafayette Avenue) November 18, 20–22 at 7:30pm. Tickets priced at $20, 35, 50 may be purchased by calling BAM ticket services, or by visiting www.bam.org.
About the artists
Lin Hwai-min, founder and artistic director of Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan, studied Chinese opera movement in his native Taiwan, modern dance in New York, and classical court dance in Japan and Korea. In 1973, Lin founded the first contemporary dance company in any Chinese-speaking community, naming it after the oldest known dance in China—Cloud Gate, created some 5,000 years ago. Acclaimed by Berliner Morgenpost as “the most important choreographer in Asia,” Lin blends theater elements with Western dance techniques in his choreography, creating an arresting style that has elicited widespread praise. Lin also is a best-selling novelist in his native country and has directed opera productions internationally. Cloud Gate Dance Theatre’s rich repertoire, rooted in Asian myths, folklore, and aesthetics, is renowned for its contemporary and universal perspective on age-old beliefs and stories. Training for the company’s dancers includes Tai Chi, meditation, martial arts, Chinese opera movement, modern dance, and ballet. The company made its BAM debut in 1995 and most recently performed as part of the 2000 Next Wave Festival, with the highly acclaimed Songs of the Wanderers. Dance Europe raved, “Lin’s choreography presents a distinct and mature Chinese choreographic language. The importance of this evolution in Asian dance is no less profound than the impact of Forsythe’s Ballett Frankfurt on European classical ballet.”
BAMdialogue with Lin Hwai-min
BAM and Asia Society co-present a BAMdialogue with Lin Hwai-min, moderated by choreographer Meredith Monk, on Thursday, November 20 at 6pm in the BAM Rose Cinemas (30 Lafayette Avenue). For tickets, priced at $8 ($4 for Friends of BAM and free for students with valid I.D., subject to availability), call BAM Ticket Services or visit www.bam.org.
Additionally, BAM and Asia Society present “A Tale of Four Rivers”, an Evening with Lin Hwai-min including a lecture and demonstration featuring Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan, on Wednesday, November 19 at 6:30pm at Asia Society, 725 Park Avenue. Lin Hwai-min will discuss his recent works and the four rivers that have influenced his creative journey. Tickets are $10 ($7 for Friends of BAM, Asia Society members, seniors, and students) and may be obtained by calling 212.517.ASIA.
About The Asia Society
The Asia Society is America's leading institution dedicated to fostering understanding of Asia and communications between Americans and the peoples of Asia and the Pacific through art exhibitions, performances, films, lectures, and publications. 725 Park Avenue, New York City. For general information, visit www.asiasociety.org.
About the Next Wave Festival
BAM’s Next Wave Festival, which celebrates its 21st season in 2003, has permanently changed the landscape of the performing arts through breakout performances, landmark productions, risky experiments, and once-in-a-lifetime moments. The Festival originated as a fall series entitled “The Next Wave/New Masters.” In November 1981, Philip Glass’ new opera, Satyagraha, was presented as one of four productions under the Next Wave moniker. A slightly more ambitious series followed in 1982, including a two-evening performance work—United States: Parts I–IV—by Laurie Anderson.
From the seeds of these two rich years grew an idea for something bolder and riskier. The Next Wave Festival, dedicated to exciting new works and cross-disciplinary collaborations by promising young artists, was launched in October 1983. Pieces that previously had been presented in downtown lofts and small “black box” theaters were staged in the exquisite 2,100-seat BAM Opera House (recently renamed the Howard Gilman Opera House), a renovated 1,000-seat playhouse (the Helen Carey Playhouse, now home to BAM Rose Cinemas), and a flexible 300-seat performance venue (the Lepercq Space). In 1987, BAM opened another mainstage, the 900-seat Majestic Theater—since renamed the Harvey Theater in honor of BAM impresario Harvey Lichtenstein (who stepped down in 1999 after a 32-year tenure as president and executive producer). Lichtenstein was succeeded by Karen Brooks Hopkins as president and Joseph V. Melillo as executive producer.
Credits
BAM 2003 Next Wave Festival is sponsored by Altria Group, Inc. Programming in the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House is supported and endowed by The Howard Gilman Foundation. Next Wave Dance support is provided by The Harkness Foundation for Dance.
Cloud Gate would like to acknowledge the support of Council for Cultural Affairs, Taiwan; Taishin International Bank; SinoPac Holdings; Taipei Cultural Center; and TECO in New York. Opening night reception support is provided by Taipei Cultural Center of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York; and Council for Cultural Affairs, Executive Yuan, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Major support for BAM and the Next Wave Festival is provided by New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, The New York City Council, Brooklyn Delegation of the New York City Council, Brooklyn Delegation of the U.S. House of Representatives, New York State Council on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, The Peter Jay Sharp Foundation, Richard B. Fisher & Jeanne Donovan Fisher, The Shubert Foundation, Inc., The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The Starr Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Citibank, Booth Ferris Foundation, JPMorgan Chase, Bloomberg, R/GA, and The Ford Foundation.
General information
BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, BAM Rose Cinemas, BAMcafé, and Shakespeare & Co. BAMshop are located in the main building at 30 Lafayette Avenue (Lafayette and Ashland) in the Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn. BAM Harvey Theater is located at 651 Fulton Street (between Ashland and Rockwell) in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. BAM Rose Cinemas is Brooklyn’s only movie house dedicated to first-run independent and foreign film and repertory programming. BAMcafé, now operated by Great Performances, also features an eclectic mix of spoken word and live music on Friday and Saturday nights. A package including dinner in BAMcafé and a movie ticket to BAM Rose Cinemas is available for only $31 (at the box office only). BAMcafé is open Thursday-Sunday from 5pm-closing, and two hours prior to weekend matinee performances. Additionally, BAMcafé is open Monday-Wednesday from 5pm-closing on all Howard Gilman Opera House and Harvey Theater performance nights. A full bar and a selection of hot appetizers also are available a la carte from 5:30-7:30pm in the Diker Gallery Cafe on Opera House performance nights only.
Subway: 2, 3, 4, 5, Q Local, and Q Express to Atlantic Avenue
W, M, N, R to Pacific Street; G to Fulton Street; C to Lafayette Avenue
Train: Long Island Railroad to Flatbush Avenue
Car: Commercial parking lots are located adjacent to BAM.
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