Yunmen’s Chishang performance of ‘RICE’ establishes many firsts

In the afternoons of the 2nd and 3rd of November, Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan (雲門舞集) performed ‘RICE(稻禾)’ in a paddy field adjacent to Tiantang Road in Chishang, Taitung. The performance created several firsts for the dance troupe; it was the first time Lin Hwai-min’s (林懷民) new performance ‘RICE’ had been seen by an outside audience; and the first time Cloud Gate had performed in a paddy field. In order to ensure the performance went smoothly, not only did the township authorities implement traffic control measures in Tiantang Road for the first time ever, it was also the first time the road had staged a paid performance.

On top of all this, it was also the first time the township office had taken the unprecedented move of requesting farmers not to cut rice during a performance. The host for this performance, Bowie Tsang, said that in Chishang, she had witnessed four seasons in one day. In the three days of rehearsals, the performers had suffered sunburn and blisters on the feet due to the scorching heat; however, on the first day of the performance it suddenly poured from the heavens, completely altering the mood. Dancers suddenly began pouring great amounts of energy into the movements, watched by a delighted raincoat-clad audience, in what must be one of the most rare spectacles ever.

On the last day it rained incessantly, and it began to appear as though it would not be possible for the troupe to perform ‘RICE’. However, around half an hour before the start of the scheduled performance, the rain miraculously stopped, and the distant mountains shrouded in mist gave way to the sun, as it emerged from behind the clouds. This not only allowed Cloud Gate to successfully perform ‘RICE’ as planned, but a specially selected section from the dance piece ‘MOON WATER (水月)’ as well as the famous ‘CROSSING THE OCEAN(渡海)’ were performed in front of a vast golden expanse of paddy fields.

For this piece, some dancers striped to the waist, while others adorned traditional indigo, as they enacted the story of Taiwan’s ancestors struggling to cross the turbulent ocean and crashing waves. The distant mountains were witness to this magnificent performance, as was an audience of two thousand, which gave a rapturous applause as the curtain fell.

Yunmen’s Chishang performance of ‘RICE’ establishes many firsts
URL:https://www.peopo.org/news/222623

(以下是中文對照)

雲門池上演出稻禾，創多項記錄

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11月2、3日下午，雲門舞集在台東池上天堂路稻田中演出「稻禾意象/雲門選粹」，這次演出創下了許多記錄，第一是林懷民最新舞作稻禾第一次和世人見面、也是雲門首次在稻田中的公開展演。為了演出順利，天堂之路更是第一次封路交管，這次也是天堂之路第一次的收費演出，鄉公所更破天荒第一次要求農民演出期間不要割稻。主持人曾寶儀說，池上果真是一日四季，3天來雲門舞歷經了彩排時的大太陽，舞者被曬傷、腳底起了水泡，第一天演出卻大雨滂沱而更改舞碼，出現了舞者在雨中賣力演出，觀眾穿著雨衣觀賞的難得畫面。最後一天雨仍一直下個不停，原本以為稻禾還是無法順利的在池上和大家見面，但是演出前半小時，雨奇蹟似的停了，遠山出現了漂亮的雲嵐，隨後還透出了陽光，讓雲門舞集不但順利完成在稻田裡演出新作《稻禾》的計畫，演出節目中的「水月」選粹以及雲門招牌舞碼的「渡海」就在萬頃金黃稻浪中，赤膊著上身及身著藍衫的渡海先民就在波濤洶湧的奔騰白浪中奮力掙扎，在遠山雲嵐見證下和二千觀眾的感動掌聲中落幕。