Taiwan and Indonesia Co-create "Islands of Man": Cross-Cultural Reflection for Self-Discovery
Taiwanese choreographer Wang Yu-kuang and Indonesian dancer Danang collaborated on the dance piece "Islands of Man," which was performed in Jakarta, Indonesia. The work aims to deepen self-awareness through cross-cultural encounters, observing the unique characteristics and lacking qualities in each other's cultures to rediscover the form of one's own culture and inner truth.
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- 📰 Published: May 11, 2026 at 09:16
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Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Luo Weijia, Jakarta, 10th) Taiwanese choreographer Wang Yu-kuang and Indonesian dancer Danang collaborated on the dance piece "Islands of Man," which was performed in Jakarta, Indonesia, from the 9th to today. Wang Yu-kuang told the Central News Agency that this work aims to deepen self-awareness through cross-cultural collisions, observing the unique characteristics and lacking qualities in each other's cultures to help people rediscover the form of their own culture and inner truth.
This work originated from the Cloud Gate "Wanderer Project" in 2019, where Wang Yu-kuang first met Danang Pamungkas in Indonesia. Now, through the cooperation between the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia and the Komunitas Salihara Arts Center in Jakarta, Wang Yu-kuang's "Light Manufacture" company returned to Indonesia after touring Malaysia, presenting for the first time a work that has undergone seven years of refinement and development.
Wang Yu-kuang pointed out that the English name of the work, "Islands" with a plural 's', symbolizes the imagery of archipelagos. By observing different cultures externally, one can in turn understand Taiwan's existence in the world.
He said that Taiwan possesses the characteristics of "fluidity" and "intangibility," which are key to connecting cultures. In the work, he and Danang manipulate large black plastic sheets, constantly changing their shape with the swaying and twisting of their bodies, demonstrating the ever-changing appearance of islands.
He believes that this fluidity, like waves or air, is a medium that connects different cultural backgrounds, carrying the two artists' exploration of their own positions on this path, and through their interaction, gaining a deeper understanding of themselves.
Danang, who was trained in Indonesian Javanese court dance, shared that when they first started collaborating, even though his brain understood Wang Yu-kuang's artistic vision, his muscles, long immersed in traditional structures, needed conscious dismantling of inertia with the help of his partner to return to contemporary vocabulary in the theater.
Danang emphasized that he is proud to incorporate traditional Indonesian masks into the work. This sense of accomplishment makes him hope to inspire the younger generation in Indonesia, leading them to have the courage to step out of existing frameworks with their own cultural heritage and boldly explore more free artistic fields.
The two artists believe that the core of the work lies in the balance between the physical and psychological. Wang Yu-kuang explained that they chose to create artificial nature in the theater, using light and wind to guide the audience to feel a real presence. Danang hopes that through this work, the audience's imagination of "islands," "connection," and "memory" will be expanded, and they will reflect on the two-way "flow" between people.
Wang Yu-kuang emphasized that gaining the energy to move forward step by step in the process of mastering balance is the most resonant philosophy of survival and self-pursuit for people living on islands when facing the world. (Editor: Chang Chih-hsuan) 1150511
(Central News Agency reporter Luo Weijia, Jakarta, 10th) Taiwanese choreographer Wang Yu-kuang and Indonesian dancer Danang collaborated on the dance piece "Islands of Man," which was performed in Jakarta, Indonesia, from the 9th to today. Wang Yu-kuang told the Central News Agency that this work aims to deepen self-awareness through cross-cultural collisions, observing the unique characteristics and lacking qualities in each other's cultures to help people rediscover the form of their own culture and inner truth.
This work originated from the Cloud Gate "Wanderer Project" in 2019, where Wang Yu-kuang first met Danang Pamungkas in Indonesia. Now, through the cooperation between the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia and the Komunitas Salihara Arts Center in Jakarta, Wang Yu-kuang's "Light Manufacture" company returned to Indonesia after touring Malaysia, presenting for the first time a work that has undergone seven years of refinement and development.
Wang Yu-kuang pointed out that the English name of the work, "Islands" with a plural 's', symbolizes the imagery of archipelagos. By observing different cultures externally, one can in turn understand Taiwan's existence in the world.
He said that Taiwan possesses the characteristics of "fluidity" and "intangibility," which are key to connecting cultures. In the work, he and Danang manipulate large black plastic sheets, constantly changing their shape with the swaying and twisting of their bodies, demonstrating the ever-changing appearance of islands.
He believes that this fluidity, like waves or air, is a medium that connects different cultural backgrounds, carrying the two artists' exploration of their own positions on this path, and through their interaction, gaining a deeper understanding of themselves.
Danang, who was trained in Indonesian Javanese court dance, shared that when they first started collaborating, even though his brain understood Wang Yu-kuang's artistic vision, his muscles, long immersed in traditional structures, needed conscious dismantling of inertia with the help of his partner to return to contemporary vocabulary in the theater.
Danang emphasized that he is proud to incorporate traditional Indonesian masks into the work. This sense of accomplishment makes him hope to inspire the younger generation in Indonesia, leading them to have the courage to step out of existing frameworks with their own cultural heritage and boldly explore more free artistic fields.
The two artists believe that the core of the work lies in the balance between the physical and psychological. Wang Yu-kuang explained that they chose to create artificial nature in the theater, using light and wind to guide the audience to feel a real presence. Danang hopes that through this work, the audience's imagination of "islands," "connection," and "memory" will be expanded, and they will reflect on the two-way "flow" between people.
Wang Yu-kuang emphasized that gaining the energy to move forward step by step in the process of mastering balance is the most resonant philosophy of survival and self-pursuit for people living on islands when facing the world. (Editor: Chang Chih-hsuan) 1150511