In late November, as the two most representative American modern dance companies, Paul Taylor Dance Company and Jennifer Muller The Works will stage performance at NCPA, demonstrating the essence of the world's top modern dance.

Paul Taylor Dance Company will demonstrate the essence of the world's top modern dance with two sets of programs

Paul Taylor's dance has been groundbreaking in the 20th and 21st centuries. Through modern dance, he constantly reveals his sharp observation on the depth of life and the tough social propositions, and his work has been leading the development of indigenous American modern dance. In 1954, he founded Paul Taylor Troupe, which has created 144 dance works so far.

From November 19th to 20th, Paul Taylor Dance Company will bring two sets of programs. In the three plays on 19th, Beloved Renegade is based on the American poet Walter Whitman's poetry collection Leaves of Grass, which is the poet's swan song and summary of his life. Le Sacre du Printemps (the rehearsal) narrates a confusing case of a kidnapping and a rehearsal scene of a dance company, which is performed in the "dark field" in traditional cinemas in black and white, and only some valuables are red. The background music is the Piano Duet version of Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring. Promethean Fire was created after the 911 terrorist attacks, with unparalleled depth and power, which boldly display the rescue scene at that historical moment, as well as the humanitarian spirit embodied in the tragedy.

Through modern dance, Paul Taylor constantly reveals his sharp observation on the depth of life and the tough social propositions

On the 20th, Mercuric Tidings shows powerful athletics, speed and an orderly chaos, with Schubert's Symphony No. 1 and Symphony No. 2 as the background music. Three Dubious Memories was once used in the documentary Paul Taylor's Creativity, and this modern dance narrates a romantic love triangle from each person's perspective and each story is different. Esplanade draws inspiration from a girl catching a bus, which reflects street character movement. Combined with Bach's music, the dance simulates the movements of standing, walking, running, sliding and falling, the dancing posture highlights fluency, beauty and nobility.

As an artist who does not take the usual way, Jennifer Muller's dance technique is highly advanced, which not only has Muller's pioneering and innovating abilities in the art fields of drama and dance, but also connects the language and music with the dance. Her choreography is very inspirational, and her modern dance company is also one of the most dynamic ones in the world today. With a deep interest in Chinese culture, Muller often integrates Chinese elements into her works.

From November 24th to 25th, Jennifer Muller The Works will bring two wonderful performances

From November 24th to 25th, Jennifer Muller The Works will bring two wonderful shows. The show on the evening of 24th is entitled "Evolution: Darkness to Light", in which four works will be performed. Miserere Nobis was firstly performed in 2014, which reflects the current social conflict and cruelty, and prays for God's forgiveness to mankind. The new work Working Title created in 2016 describes how extremely intense emotions affect interpersonal relationships, increase the complexity of communication with each other, result in estrangement, and produce unnecessary distress. Alchemy firstly performed in 2015 depicts an ever-changing melting pot. This work echoes the alchemy's traditional four elements of air, fire, earth, and water, just like the new saplings reborn from ashes. Momentum was created by Muller ten years ago to celebrate the 30th anniversary of The Works, which explores the energy, motive power and the movement of rushing forward, which can normally be seen on the streets of New York City and reveal the city's competitiveness, perseverance and power.

With a deep interest in Chinese culture, Muller often integrates Chinese elements into her works

The show on 25th is called "Change and Celebration". Flowers is an impressionist work jointly created by Muller and the famous photographer Barbara Bonick, based on Bonnick's work projection, in which the dancers' movements and the changing emotions in the images echo each other. Through the flowers in the images we can feel the dancers' superb skills. The play consists of five parts, which reflects the Chinese solar terms, draws the spirit of Bonnick's works, and the images of flowers represent the beauty of growth, delicacy, sensibility and instant. Speed was firstly performed in 1974, which is the early classic work of The Works. Dancers show the essence of dance with "changes", and even the life itself. This work enjoys a high reputation in the world with superb dancing skill, high momentum, and joyous atmosphere. Working Title will be staged again on the 25th.