Taishin Bank Foundation for Arts and Culture

Comments on the Finalist

The seemingly relaxed back and forth movements of playing badminton mark the start and the end of 2 Men. This production was jointly created by CHEN Wu-Kang and SU Wei-Jia, the founders of HORSE Dance Theatre, and the Hong-Kong director LIN Yi-Hua. The pianist LI Shi-Yang adds to the performance by occasionally playing impromptu scores on a John Cage-style prepared piano, turning 2 Men into a warm, sincere and compact production. The two actors use autobiographic lines and switch roles with each other, each acting as the other person. The double storyline from Alfred Hitchcock’s “Strangers on a Train” and the ever-present homophobia becomes a sort of “dilemma” in their relationship. The scene where Chen and Su intimately dance together fully shows the chemistry and trust between the two as well as the minute and heart-touching movements of their dancing limbs.   Committee member:LIN Ya-Tin

Having completed its three-week environmental theatre production Successor, HORSE Dance Theatre returned to the Experimental Theater in 2012 to present 2 Men. The focus of this production is centered on two of the founding members of HORSE: CHEN Wu-Kang and SU Wei-Chia. While the scale of the cast and production seem to have reduced, this project is in fact the realization of the two men’s dream to co-develop a creation. Co-created with genius theatre director Edward LAM, this production delves into the relationship between the two dancers and their affections towards each other.

Artwork Introduction

The relationship between two longtime best friends or colleagues can often be subtle and complex, sometimes be tighter of that of a couple, and even extremely competitive.

2 Men, Horse's new production for spring 2012, is a co-production between renowned cultural critic and observer Edward LAM, and choreographers CHENG Wu-Kang and SU Wei-Chia. Revolving around the theme of male friendship between two best friends, the play not only probes into men’s physical postures, but also the metaphysical details of emotions. CHENG Wu-Kang and SU Wei-Chia’s rendition of 2 Men is as complicated and emotive as classic ballet while maintaining the simplicity and sensibilities of modern dance—seemingly contradictory elements that come together seamlessly. Edward LAM's unique view provides the central dilemma: finding the motivation to endure the repetitions, frustrations, and recoveries of everyday life.

The production continued the longstanding tradition of the Horse troupe boldly using experimental musical elements by bring abroad the improvisational pianist LEE Shih-Yang, and adding an innovation the percussive use of prepared piano.

nitiation from the Emotional Aspect: A Relationship of 15 Years

Both having graduated from the Department of Dance, National Academy of Arts (currently the National Taiwan University of Arts), CHEN and SU have known each other for fifteen years. They were close friends who hung out and practiced dancing together, became partners in the pursuit of their dreams, and returned to Taiwan from New York to found the HORSE Dance Theatre. At once best buddies as well as working partners, the relationship between the two men was complex and subtle, closer than boyfriend and girlfriend at times, yet in competition with each other at the same time. But do they really understand each other as well as they think? With the help of “the great storyteller” Edward LAM, this dance challenges that understanding, investigating and discovering aspects that have yet been discovered.

Dance as Form, Theatre as Texture

Commenting on this first experience in working with a dance company, Edward LAM says, that “All relationships require space, including one’s relationship with oneself.” In this production, the two dancers mimic each other as though they were mirror reflections of the other, clash against each other in anger, or support the weight of the other like a tree, looking into the distance together. The language was self-examining, and all the rich body language demonstrated the subtle complexity of the two men’s relationship. The darker side brought out by Wei-Chia’s self-destructive movements finally receives comfort from Wu-Kang’s embrace, revealing the supportive friendship between males, and the fact that neither had ever tried to comfort the other through an embrace.

For the music, this production invited the collaboration of improvisational pianist LEE Shih-Yang, who boldly adopts the avant-garde technique of prepared piano, which alters the timbre of the piano to make it sound closer to a percussion instrument. LEE’s infinite creativity with the keyboard, exploring the classic and the modern, helps HORSE to venture further into the experimental realms of dance and sound.

About the Artist

Since 2004, HORSE has been creating collaborative works with unfettered creativity while honing its unique sensibility. HORSE has been lauded by The New York Times as “a charming and imaginative young all-male dance troupe from Taiwan.” In their fourth year as an ensemble, their humorous and profound Velocity became a finalist in the 6th Taishin Arts Award, later winning the top prize in the Performing Arts category.

Production Team

Collaborators: Edward LAM, CHEN Wu-kang, SU Wei-Chia

Performers: CHEN Wu-kang, SU Wei-chia

Live Piano: LEE Shih-yang

Technical Director: LIU Chia-ming

Set Design: HUANG Jih-Chun

Costume Design: TENG Yu-fang