"The Island of Man" Southeast Asian Premiere: Wang Yugang Showcases Taiwan's Dance Power

Central News Agency

(Central News Agency reporter Huang Tzu-chiang, Kuala Lumpur, 1st) Taiwanese choreographer Wang Yugang's "Relationship Trilogy" Part 2, "The Island of Man," premiered tonight in Kuala Lumpur, Southeast Asia. He and Indonesian dancers explored possibilities of "balance" through bodily language, attempting to find it amidst differing islands, tradition and modernity, and between bodies, showcasing Taiwan's dance creative energy.

This also marks the fourth time the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia and the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC) have jointly presented high-quality Taiwanese performances in Malaysia, following "Lu-na," "Magic Peking Opera," and "Thank You Princess."

During tonight's premiere, Wang Yugang performed a solo dance wearing a traditional Indonesian court mask. The mask had only tiny slits, almost completely obstructing his vision, making it even difficult to breathe. He closed his eyes, allowing his body to enter another kind of exploration of the unknown. The black plastic sheeting on stage carried multiple meanings, interacting with air and lighting design to transform into sea, rock, island, and mountain.

Wen Yuzhen, Head of the Cultural Division at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia, stated that this Southeast Asian premiere demonstrates Taiwan's attitude towards transnational co-production. Taiwanese contemporary choreographer Wang Yugang also looks forward to sharing his choreographic capabilities. This work, "The Island of Man," will also enter the Indonesian market for the first time, hoping to showcase Taiwan's creativity and cultural influence.

Wang Yugang was previously a dancer with Cloud Gate 2 and was praised by a Japanese dance magazine as "a choreographer absolutely worth anticipating." He was nominated for the Sadler's Wells International Dance Award for "The Island of Man" for the second time and reached the finals, sparking heated discussion in the international dance world.

From dancer to choreographer, Wang Yugang's desire for creation intensified after becoming a full-time dancer. After leaving the dance company in 2015, he dedicated himself to his own creations, rethinking the relationship between body and dance, and co-founded "Micro Light Creation" with Li Yin-ying in 2019.

In 2020, Wang Yugang created "Relationship Trilogy" Part 1, "Na Pie." In this work, two dancers moved by exchanging their centers of gravity, stepping on easily torn rice paper. Their mutual pulling perfectly interpreted the subtle relationships between people.

In 2019, he embarked on a journey from fishermen's legends, seeking self, and reunited with former Cloud Gate 2 dancer Danang Pamungkas during his travels in Indonesia. In 2022, Wang Yugang invited him to jointly perform "Go to Your Island," a stage work that later developed into the current "Relationship Trilogy" Part 2, "The Island of Man."

"The Island of Man" is making its Southeast Asian premiere this year after touring Taiwan (National Theater and Concert Hall), The Place Contemporary Dance Centre in London, UK, and Weiwuying National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts. In addition to performing in Kuala Lumpur from May 1 to 3, it will also tour Indonesia.