18

The TAO Dance Theater just premiered their new dance work 18 at the Vienna International Dance Festival, ImPulsTanz. Known for their dynamic, mesmeric and minimalist style of movement, where dancers are often choreographed to dance in unison, the TAO Dance Theater was founded in Beijing by choreographer Tao Ye, dancer Duan Ni and Wang Hao in 2008. The dance work 18 is based on a poem written 1,600 years ago by Chinese poet, Tao Yuanming, titled Form, Shadow and Spirit (Xing Ying Shen). Through the dialogue between these elements, the poet posed questions which inspired 18: How does the body endure reality? How does the spirit respond to the world? How can one preserve inner freedom amid the currents of time? And through the language of dance, 18 performers of the TAO Dance Theater will continue to engage with these timeless questions. The piece is also inspired by the nine-square grid traditionally used in Chinese calligraphy copybooks (zitie, 字帖), reimagining  the formations of the square and circle through the infinite possibilities of movement.

Alongside 18, there will also be the performance of 16; a piece inspired by the dragon dance Loong, where a group of sixteen dancers wearing black move through multi-coloured lights, embodying the mythical bringer of happiness.

Check out the promotional trailer for the 16 and 18.