Arts | CCM to stage contemporary dance piece ‘Rice’

A new contemporary dance piece, titled “Rice”, will be held at the Macau Cultural Center’s (CCM) Grand Auditorium on April 15.

The show’s choreography was conceived by the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre and designed by creator Lin Hwai-min. According to a statement from CCM, the piece is “a celebration of nature’s life cycles in tandem with human drama.”

The piece combines a variety of soothing sounds from traditional Hakka songs to classical compositions by Camille Saint-
Saëns and Richard Strauss, “balancing hyper-slow intensity with bursts of frenetic fury.”

A series of activities will be held in tandem with the performance, including a workshop hosted by the company’s performers. The workshop is designed to lead dance enthusiasts to explore their physical capabilities and create their own style. A pre-
performance talk and a backstage tour will also be held.

Founded in 1973, the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre has dedicated itself to transforming traditional aesthetics into a contemporary display of physical movement.

Dubbed one of the leading modern dance theatres, the troupe has been a frequent guest at New York’s Next Wave Festival and other international stages such as London’s Sadler’s Wells and Barbican Centre, as well as Moscow’s Chekhov International Theatre Festival.

The company previously performed at CCM with “Moon Water” and “Nine Songs”, two productions presented back in 2004 and 2012 respectively.

Tickets are available for “Rice” from February 5 at CCM’s box office and Macau Ticketing Network outlets.