Yo Gee Ti

During our first night in Taipei, we had the chance to see a dance performance at the National Theater. We took the subway to the theater and walked a short distance before we saw the building. Built in the 1970's, the theater is dressed in traditional Chinese ornamentation and painted with a variety of bright colors. It is a stunning sight, especially when it is lit up at night. Nearby is the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial and a beautiful archway, adding to the brilliance of the square between them. We stood looking at the scene with amazement, having never seen something similar before in the United States. The interior of the building was just as beautiful. The ornamentation continued, but with a modern twist. The inside of the theater itself was similar to the theaters of Pittsburgh. There was a large balcony section with floor seating. Smaller balconies, resembling a stereotypical opera theater, lined the side walls, allowing for private viewings. Eye-catching chandeliers hung down from the ceiling. All of the design students on the trip were pleasantly surprised to see a green wall in the lobby. We approached our seats and waited anxiously for the show.

The National Theater - Taipei

The performance was illustrated by Compagnie Kafig under the artistic direction of Mourad Merzouki. Merzouki has been a student of many types of dancing, beginning with circus styles in his youth. He also enrolled in boxing and karate classes. In his teens, he discovered hip hop on the streets. During his career as a choreographer, he has mixed these three components with live music to create unique performances. 

The choreography was a combination of Merzouki's traditional style with a French influence. Performers wore black or natural-looking costumes balanced by a setting of suspended silk threads. The silk was able to be adjusted into several different backdrops. Lights changed the color of the fabric and set the tone for the performers and the music. Each dancer had specific strengths, highlighted in each of their individual and group routines. 

In the span of about an hour, the audience experienced several "stories" portrayed by different dancers. One couple seemed to be locked into an abusive relationship, while another was madly in love. The dancing resembled a blend of styles, though all the dancers were in extreme physical shape. Once a dancer in my youth, I truly appreciated how skilled they were and how much effort and practice went into the final performance. 

Before the Performance

It was interesting to see what Taiwanese people would pay to see at the National Theater. I was expecting the performance to be much more traditional rather than a mix of modern dance and martial arts. Nevertheless, I felt a deep connection with the experience, as if I could see myself watching a similar show in the United States.

A Day in Lukang

During our first weekend in Taiwan, we traveled to Lukang for the day with a group of friends from Tunghai University. From our hostel in Taichung, it was about an hour or so by bus. We arrived on a hot, sticky Sunday for a day of shopping, eating, and a visit to the local Matsu temple.

Our first stop was a lantern shop that was world-famous for the artist's handmade, hand-painted lanterns. The storefront was covered from top to bottom in different designs, decorations, and colors. The windows were plastered with photographs of the store owner with various celebrities. When we approached, the old man sat outside the store, greeting us in his calm manner with a small smile.

The Lantern Shop

We entered the small area, covered in every bit of ceiling space, wall shelf, and floor area with lanterns of different sizes and colors. With the help of our friends to translate, we spoke with the worker inside, bartering for prices and searching for the perfect style to give to our family back home as gifts. Many of the lanterns were adorned with tassels, beads, and glitter, while others were painted with flowers, traditional images, and ancient Chinese calligraphy. It was also an option to have the man paint a message directly onto a plain lantern. Christina, another Chatham University student, asked him to write something in Chinese for her sister, who would be graduating during our trip. It was amazing to watch him write the ancient language. He finished by hair drying the ink, preventing it from being smeared on the return trip to the States.

We moved on to a street festival where we were able to try at least a half a dozen different types of Taiwanese snacks. Some were similar to American food, such as candied strawberries, while others were entirely different. As we walked along the midst of vendors, we came upon the temple. A parade celebration was attracting a large crowd of people, making it a bit uncomfortable along with the scorching heat. We decided to eat lunch, an herbal mix of noodles, and then claw our way to the interior courtyard. Fireworks, drums, and traditional parade costumes streamed from the area as we looked upward to the hundreds of lanterns strung between the gates. Our friends explained to us how important Matsu was to Taiwan and its people, emphasizing how special this experience was. We also learned that we had visited Lukang on Matsu's birthday, a national holiday.

Matsu Celebration

As we pushed further to the interior, we found the source of the celebration. Hundreds of people were preparing to worship the goddess through incense or for the next round of the parade. A moment of fortune struck when Matsu herself was carried out by her followers to meet the crowds. We were among the first to see her before she could be worshipped by the nation.

Matsu