Cloud Gate Dance Theatre debuts 'Sounding Light' in Germany

Taipei, Sept. 1 (CNA) Taiwan's Cloud Gate Dance Theatre held the overseas premiere of the nature-inspired 2020 work "Sounding Light" during a tour in Germany, which concluded in Dresden Saturday evening, local time.

"Sounding Light," one of four works by Cloud Gate Artistic Director Cheng Tsung-lung (鄭宗龍) the dance troupe plans to present to overseas audiences this year, was staged at the Hellerau-European Centre for the Arts in Dresden.

The acclaimed dance troupe first performed "Sounding Light" at the Festival Kunstfest Weimar on Aug. 24. In Weimar, Cheng told CNA that the 2020 work was inspired by the harmony and power of nature he felt during a hiking trip in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

That experience also reminded him of time spent with his father hiking and fishing as a young boy.

"We walked on trails built by early inhabitants and could always feel the sunlight flooding through dense foliage along the way," Cheng recalled of a hiking trip he took with his father as a child.

In addition to the light design used to simulate the changing natural light across a day on the stage, Cheng highlighted the two musicians he worked with to create the environmental sound and vocals performed by dancers.

For the sound, Cheng worked with his longtime collaborator Lim Giong (林強), whom he said is the idol of his generation, to create all-encompassing music that creates a relaxing environment for dancers.

Composer Chang Shiuan (張玹) was brought in to work and explore with dancers how to use their vocals to mimic sounds in nature, like rain and creatures in the wild, Cheng said.

The choreographer said Chang used the dancer's bodies and vocals to build changing scenery on the stage.

The two-city tour in Germany marked Cloud Gate's first performance in Weimar in 21 years, and Rolf Hemke, artistic director of the festival in the German city, said he plans to invite the dance troupe to perform at the annual event in the future.

To fans in Taiwan, Cheng said Cloud Gate expects to bring "Sounding Light" back home "very soon."

On Sunday, the dance troupe told CNA that the 2020 work has been selected for its spring presentation in Taiwan in 2025.