Cloud Gate dance returns to UNC

When Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan first came to UNC in 2007, they were greeted by a receptive Chapel Hill crowd.

The company will return to Memorial Hall tonight, bringing Chinese culture and contemporary Western dance together.

“Our own dance is an ongoing searching process,” said Ching-Chun Lee, associate artistic director for the company.

“We are influenced by western ballet and Chinese disciplines such as martial arts, meditation and even calligraphy.”

She said Cloud Gate’s quality is unmatched.

Cloud Gate was formed in 1973, and Lee said that the company has been experimenting ever since.

“We were searching for our own language,” she said.

The modern ballet will be performed on a slightly inclined stage. Emil Kang, UNC’s executive director for the arts, said the floor will be used as a “fourth wall” for projection, adding yet another dimension to the culture-blending performance.

Live musicians will perform the music of Japanese composer Toshio Hosokawa to score the show.

Ellen James, marketing manager for the Executive Office for the Arts, said Carolina Performing Arts chooses performers that will bring something new and exciting to the Chapel Hill community.

And though Cloud Gate has appeared at Memorial Hall before, James said their previous popularity on campus and creative program brought them back on the schedule.

Chapel Hill is the first stop of five on Cloud Gate’s American tour.

‘“We come to the United States every two or three years,” said Janice Wang, senior project manager for the company.

When they last appeared at Memorial Hall, 1,800 tickets were sold — 1,000 to the first show and 800 to the second — of the 2,868 available, James said.

Lee said she always enjoys touring in the United States.

“It is a very good audience,” she said.

Cloud Gate will travel to New York, Ann Arbor, Mich., Chicago, and San Antonio, Texas, before continuing on to London.

Lee, who has worked with the company for 28 years, will lead a discussion following tonight’s show.

In conjunction with the performance, the company offered a free masterclass workshop on Wednesday.

Carolina Performing Arts uses masterclasses to involve students with the performances.

“It is a really unique chance to learn dance moves from somebody doing something different,” James said.

James said the two-night performance will be memorable.

“It is going to be a beautiful, magical, kind of transcendental experience.”

Contact the Arts Editor at arts@dailytarheel.com.