It is said in the Great Preface of “The Book of Songs,” an anthology of Chinese poems dating from the 10th to the 7th century BC:<\/p>\n
“The emotions are stirred and take form in words.
\nIf words are not enough, we speak in sighs.
\nIf sighs are not enough, we sing them.
\nIf singing is not enough, then unconsciously
\nour hands dance them and our feet tap them.”<\/p>\n
Dance is a powerful expression.
\nIt speaks to earth and heaven.
\nIt speaks of our joy, our fear and our wishes.
\nDance speaks of the intangible, yet reveals the state of mind of a person and the temperaments and characters of a people.<\/p>\n
Like many cultures in the world, the indigenous people in Taiwan dance in circle.
\nTheir ancestors believed that evils would be kept out of the circle.
\nWith hands linked, they share the warmth of each other and move in communal pulses.
\nDance brings people together.<\/p>\n
And dance happens at the vanishing point.
\nMovements disappear as they occur.
\nDance exists only in that fleeting instant.
\nIt is precious. It is a metaphor of life itself.<\/p>\n
In this digital age, images of movements take millions of forms.
\nThey are fascinating.
\nBut, they can never replace dance because images do not breathe.
\nDance is a celebration of life.<\/p>\n
Come, turn off your television, switch off your computer, and come to dance.
\nExpress yourself through that divine and dignified instrument, which is our body.
\nCome to dance and join people in the waves of pulses.
\nSeize that precious and fleeting moment.
\nCome to celebrate life with dance.<\/p>\n
Lin Hwai-Min<\/strong>, founder and artistic director\u00a0 Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan<\/p>\n
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