Meditative Dance Theatre in Contemporary Taiwan

This book explores the most unique contemporary forms of Taiwanese dance theatre and the theatre of movement created by renowned choreographers whose productions are committed to the Eastern body aesthetics (dongfang shentiguan). By examining the shared backgrounds of the creators of these forms of contemporary dance theatre, the book reveals how native traditions have inspired the formation of these contemporary dances, whether from the Taiwanese islands, mainland China or other Asian countries, to create innovative performances simultaneously inspired to some extent by Western dance theatre. In doing so, the book reveals how Taiwan’s rapidly modernising and increasingly technologically advanced society has made such a radical turn towards the Eastern traditions of corporeality. Ultimately, it highlights the significance of contemplative art in the over-aesthetised reality of our time and how dance serves as a vehicle for the transformation and renewal of human beings in a technocratic and technology-driven world. Featuring first-hand findings from fieldwork with dance innovators and dance schools in Taiwan, this book will appeal to students and scholars of Taiwanese culture, theatre and dance as well as performance studies.