6-8 May 2005 (Fri-Sun) 8:15 pm
Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
$280,220,160,100

Bamboo, along with the pine and plum tree who stand proudly in snowy winter, is considered by Chinese as a symbol of elegance and integrity. The bamboo grove is also celebrated as a meeting space, where many legendary gatherings have taken place among renowned scholars, and where scholars have wine and compose poems. The bamboo grove also provides an ideal setting for fairytales and love stories. In Bamboo Dream, world-renowned choreographer Lin Hwai-min takes off from this beloved metaphor of Chinese culture to create a dance fantasy on a stage forested with bamboo trees.

Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan
"The Best of the Best" - The Sydney Morning Herald

According to legend, Cloud Gate is the name of the oldest known dance in China , a ritual dance of some 5,000 years ago. In 1973, choreographer Lin Hwai-min adopted this classical name for the first contemporary dance company in any Chinese speaking community: Cloud Gate Dance Theatre. Its rich repertoire has its roots in Asian myths, folklore and aesthetics but it brings to these age-old beliefs and stories a contemporary and universal perspective.

Cloud Gate has made dozens of overseas tours throughout Europe, Asia, Australia and America, including engagements at the Next Wave Festival at BAM, the Sydney 2000 Olympic Arts Festival, Biennale de la danse de Lyon, Adelaide Festival, Berlin Festival, the festival celebrating the 25th anniversary of Pina Bausch's Tanztheater Wuppertal, Sadler's Wells Theatre and Barbican Centre in London, Deutsche Oper Berlin and the Kennedy Center. Cloud Gate has been acclaimed as "Asia's leading contemporary dance theatre" (The Times) and "One of the finest dance companies in the world" (The Globe and Mail) . At home, Cloud Gate performs extensively throughout Taiwan .

www.cloudgate.org.tw

Cloud Gate in Hong Kong
1975 　 The Tale of the White Serpent, Han Shih, Blind, etc.
1986 & 93 　Legacy
1993 　Nine Songs
1995 　Songs of the Wanderers
1997 　The Dream of the Red Chamber
2000 　Burning the Juniper Branches
2002 　Moon Water
2002 　Cursive

Choreography: Lin Hwai-min
Music: Arvo Pärt & Hwang Sheng-kae
Set Design: Austin Wang
Lighting Design: Chang Tsan-tao
Costume Design: Chen Wan-li

Lin Hwai-min
Founder and Artistic Director of Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan, Lin Hwai-min is regarded as one of the most renowned choreographers in Asia, acclaimed by The New York Times as having "succeeded brilliantly in fusing dance techniques and theatrical concepts from the East and the West."

Lin was named one of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons in the World by Jaycees International in 1983, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Department of Culture of New York City in 1996 and the Ramon Magsaysay Award ("the Nobel Prize of Asia") in 1999. In addition, he was selected as the "Chorographer of the 20th Century" by Dance Europe magazine and was chosen as one of the "Personalities of the Year", along with Merce Cunningham, Jiří Kylián , Pina Bausch and William Forsythe, by Ballet International magazine in 2000.

Lin is also an acclaimed writer in Taiwan . Several of his works have been translated into English and published in the United States . He holds an MFA from the Writers Workshop at the University of Iowa . He made his debut as an opera director when Rashomon received its world premiere in 1996 to raving acclaims at the Graz Opera in Austria .

Programme lasts for about 1 hour 10 mins. without interval.

Exhibition
8-21/4 (Fri-Thu)
Foyer, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
Know more about the inside stories of Bamboo Dream

Video Screenings
10/4 (Sun) 7:30 pm Success Stories: Lin Hwai-min (Part 1) * + Songs of the Wanderers
20/4 (Wed) 7:30 pm Success Stories: Lin Hwai-min (Part 2) * + The Tale of the White Serpent + Cursive II
Lecture Theatre, Hong Kong Central Library
* in Cantonese/ Putonghua with Chinese subtitles, Courtesy of RTHK Television Division

Master Class
Instructor: Lee Ching-chun (Associate Artistic Director)
8/5 (Sun) 11 am-12:30 pm
GR3, 8/F, Backstage, Grand Theatre, HKCC
Fee: $80 (Half price for full-time students, senior citizens and CSSA recipients)
Quota:25
Participants are required to have at least 2 years' dance training (conducted in Putonghua)
Form

Lecture ( in Putonghua)
Speaker : Lin Hwai-min
8/5 (Sun) 3pm
Grand Theatre, HK Cultural Centre
(due to the overwhelming response, the talk will now take place in the Grand Theatre)
The master will share his creative process of Bamboo Dreams and other works with video excerpts of his past creations

Tickets available from 6 Mar at URBTIX outlets
Half price tickets available for senior citizens, people with disabilities, full-time students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients. (Limited tickets for students and CSSA recipients available on a first-come-first-served basis)
10% discount for Friends of LCSD performing venues
Group Booking Discount: 10% off for each purchase of 4-9 tickets; 15% off for 10-19 tickets; and 20% off for 20 or more tickets

Programme Enquiries: 2268 7323
Ticketing Enquiries & Reservation: 2734 9009
Credit Card Telephone Booking: 2111 5999
Internet booking: www.urbtix.hk
Box seats and lounge packages available for sale for the performances. Please call 2268 7222 for details

Audience of age 6 or above are welcome

Audience are strongly advised to arrive punctually. Latecomers will only be admitted at a suitable break in the programme but will not be seated.

The contents of this programme do not represent the views of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department
The presenter reserves the right to substitute artist and change the programme should unavoidable circumstances make it necessary

Presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department