20th Anniversary of Dancer Lo Man-fei's Passing; Cheng Tsung-lung Recalls Mentor's Undying Spirit

Lo Man-fei studied modern dance with Professor Liu Feng-hsueh in her early years and joined the Neo-Classic Dance Company. After graduating from the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures at National Taiwan University, she went to the United States to study dance with famous dance companies such as Martha Graham. Upon returning to Taiwan, she joined the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre and taught at the Department of Dance, Taipei National University of the Arts. Later, she founded the Taipei Crossover Dance Company and served as artistic director of Cloud Gate 2. She dedicated her life to dance, constantly experimenting with groundbreaking dance languages, and, even more remarkably, selflessly nurturing junior talents. Her presence remains vivid 20 years after her passing.

Cheng Tsung-lung said in his speech that he could have been a 'slipper king' or an 'internet cafe owner,' but meeting Teacher Man-fei changed his life. "At 19, I helped my father deliver slippers during the day, studied at night, and sometimes moved things or danced on weekends. Once, backstage, I saw Teacher Lo Man-fei for the first time. She asked me why I didn't take the entrance exam for Taipei National University of the Arts. I said I was three points short in academics, and she told me to try the transfer exam next year."

Cheng Tsung-lung said his busy life made him forget about it, but he quickly registered after seeing the exam notification. "Teacher Man-fei saw me and said I had gained weight. I thought I probably wouldn't get in, but unexpectedly, I did." However, his university life was not smooth sailing. In his senior year, Cheng Tsung-lung was addicted to internet cafes and wanted to open one, deciding to drop out. "I took the withdrawal application to all my teachers for signatures, and Teacher Man-fei's approval was the hardest to get."

After dropping out, Cheng Tsung-lung joined the army. After his discharge, he suffered injuries, and his life stagnated again. "Teacher Man-fei reached out again. She asked me if I wanted to dance or choreograph for Cloud Gate 2?" Cheng Tsung-lung said Teacher Man-fei advised him to return to school to major in choreography, which led to his subsequent dance career. "Finally, in the hospital room, at the weakest moment of Teacher Man-fei's life, she still held my hand tightly and said she wanted to give me strength."

Cheng Tsung-lung said that after his teacher's passing, this love did not disappear. "I went to New York and met with Sister Man-fei at a cafe next to Lincoln Center. Sister gave me a sponsorship, saying it was a gift Teacher Man-fei had left for me. My heart was filled with gratitude." Cheng Tsung-lung said he is 50 years old now. "Cloud Gate 2 has undergone adjustments and suspensions, but Teacher Man-fei's spirit has never left. In every one of our programs, the spirit that Teacher Man-fei built is always there."

The "Manfei 20th Anniversary Commemoration - Manfei Party," organized by Lo Man-fei's family Lo Yi-fei and Lo Su-fei, and co-organized by Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, was held today at the Manfei Theatre at Taipei National University of the Arts. Through dance excerpts, video retrospectives, and sharing from different generations, everyone came together to see Lo Man-fei's creations and spirit. Today, former presidents of Taipei National University of the Arts, Chiu Kun-liang and Ju Tzong-ching, as well as figures from the dance world, attended to jointly commemorate her. (Editor: Chen Jen-hua) 1150412