Nine Songs (contemporary dance)

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Nine Songs is a dance-piece by the Cloud Gate Dance Theater. The dance premiered at the National Theater and Concert Hall, Taipei in Taiwan on August 10, 1993.,[1] marking the first dance-piece after the group's reunion in 1991.[2] The piece consist of eight sections, lasting two hours: “God greeting”, “Chinese Apollo” (premiered as 'East Emperor Taiyi'), “Commander”, “Lady Hsiang”, “The God of Cloud”, “Mountain Ghost”, “Worship Song to the State” and “Send Divine Song”.[3] The dance is based on Nine Songs in Chu Ci by Qu Yuan, a Chinese poet/politician during Warring States period. The three main themes for the piece are: love, nation & people.[4]

The music for the dance first originated from various parts of Asia, including: Taiwan, Tibetan monks, Japan as well as South-East Asian aboriginal songs, from India and Java.[5]

The set for the dance was created by Ming Jue Lee, the Professor of Stage Design at Yale University. The lily-pond oil painting, that serves as the backdrop for the performance, draws inspiration from Lin Hwai-min.[6] The depiction of this natural element, is meant to form a bond between modern clothing & folk costume. “Send Divine Song”, the last segment of the dance, features the use of eight-hundred candles, being lit to eventually reveal the shape of a creek. The set was awarded the New York Dance and Performance Award (FKA; Bessie Awards) in 1996.[7]

## Designers

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Choreographer: Hwai-min Lin

Stage Design: Ming-Jue Lee

Stage Supervisor: Meng-Chua Wang-

Stage set: Painter YuShan Lin (Lily pound)

Calligraphy: Yang Tse Dong, Calligrapher

Dance Soundtrack: Aborigine's Song from Tribe Zho, Asian Folk Music, and Ju Percussion Group

Music Advisor: Hsiao-Song Choo

Lighting Designer: Ke-Hwa Lee

Magic Lantern: Huei-Wen Chang

Costume Design: Huai-min Lin, Rue-Chi Luo

Mask Design: Shu-Feng Lin, Yao-Jun Wang[8]

## References

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1. ^ "雲門舞集2012秋季演出《九歌》". Taiwan National Art Performing Center. October 14, 2020. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
2. ^ "林懷民 不朽九歌". We People. October 14, 2020. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
3. ^ "《九歌》" (PDF). 雲門舞集. October 14, 2012. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
4. ^ "演艺中心快讯". 翰声文化. October 14, 2020. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
5. ^ "NINE SONGS: FROM NATIVE TRADITION TO CONTEMPORARY CREATION". Ramon Magsaysay Center. August 27, 1999. Archived from the original on 2005-08-20. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
6. ^ Wei, WangRong (September 20, 2012). "十九年後「東方」何在？《九歌》". National Cultural and Arts Foundation.
7. ^ "雲門舞集2012秋季演出《九歌》". 高雄市政府文化局. October 13, 2012. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
8. ^ "《九歌》". Cloud Gate Dance Theater. October 14, 2013. Retrieved October 14, 2020.