The awesomely talented Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan takes its name from an ancient dance form, some 5,000 years old, derived from intensive mental, physical, and spiritual training. The company's founder, writer, and choreographer Lin Hwai-min, drew on the inspiration of Chinese calligraphy to create the Cursive Trilogy, of which this is the second installment. Consisting of 11 movements set to music by John Cage, the piece features the Cloud Gate dancers—clad in see-through flesh colored unitards and flowing white pants for women, and black pants for men—moving seamlessly in and out of the action, which is set against a background inspired by Sung Dynasty ceramics. While the dancers are incredible, the similarity of movement—with the exception of a riveting duet—does tend to grow rather repetitive. Likewise, while effective at times, Cage's music is literally painful in places, a penetrating sound that is like a persistent mosquito caught in a buzz saw. DVD extras include the documentary “Floating on the Ground,” an intimate and revealing portrait of the fascinating Lin Hwai-min, beautifully photographed against scenes of the Taiwanese countryside and street life, and featuring excerpts of his work. Definitely recommended for dance collections, this is a strong optional purchase for others. Aud: C, P. (J. Reed)
Cursive II
(2005) 147 min. DVD: $29.99. Opus Arte (dist. by Naxos of <st1_country-region w_st="on"><st1_place w_st="on">America</st1_place></st1_country-region>). Color cover. October 16, 2006
Cursive II
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