Artistic director of the Cloud Gate dance theatre, Cheng Tsung Lung has been hard at work on his new show – 13 Tongues which will open at the Dublin Dance Festival next week. Bringing his cherished childhood memories of Taipei's historic Bangka distric to life, Cheng's inspiration stems from his own mother’s tales of a renowned 1960s street artist and storyteller.
The last thing I saw and loved… Spiranthes sinensis, commonly known as the Chinese Spiranthes. Its flower coiled around its stem, quite exquisite.
The book I keep coming back to… The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde.
I find inspiration in… nature; trees, grass, flowers, insects, waves, and clouds.
My favourite film is… A City of Sadness directed by Hou Hsiao-Hsien.
My career highlight… has not yet happened.
The song I listen to to get in the zone is… any song by Johann Sebastian Bach, Gustav Mahler, and Achille-Claude Debussy.
The last book/film/show/piece of work/artist I recommended is… book – Cahiers: le sentiment by Vaslav Nijinski; film – Anatomy of a Fall directed by Justine Triet; show – anything by Brian Cox; fine arts: works by street artist Banksy.
I never leave the house without… the Heart Sutra.
The film/performance/piece of work I still think about is… Rashomon directed by Akira Kurosawa; The Rite of Spring choreographed by Vaslav Nijinsky; the Guernica painting by Pablo Picasso; and the Chappelle Notre-Dame du Haut building.
My dream role would be… to be a person neutral in life.
The best advice I’ve ever gotten… relax and take it easy.
The art that means the most to me is… book – Mahabharata by Vyasa; film: Apocalypse Now produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola; performance: Café Müller choreographed by Pina Bausch; exhibition: Works by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio.
My favourite moment in this performance is… when the dancers are singing and chanting.
The most challenging thing about dance on stage is… mind and body are one.
After a show, I… think about parts, sections, and/or movements that could be adjusted differently.
If I wasn’t an artistic director, I would be… a gardener.
The magic of dance to me is… to experience the joy and sadness simultaneously derived from the impact received deep within.
13 Tongues – an immersive and exhilarating representation of the sights, sounds and vitality of Taipei’s oldest district, the historic Bangka area – is the opening show of the Dublin Dance Festival this year. Throughout, the esteemed Cloud Gate dancers perform with astounding fluidity and grace to bring to life artistic director Cheng Tsung-Lung’s memories of the bustling street life of his childhood neighbourhood. You can find out more information about the show and book your tickets here.
Imagery courtesy of Dublin Dance Festival
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