bulabulay mun? (How are you?)
2022
Choreographer｜Baru MADILJIN
2022
Choreographer｜Baru MADILJIN
Healing the wound of history using the power of art.
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Taiwan’s first instance of battle that dealt with a foreign power, the Mudan Incident, took place over 150 years ago. In 2020, Tjimur Dance Theatre embarked on the first attempt at bringing the incident to the modern-dance stage. After three years of hammering things out, the troupe was finally able to present their “Mudan bodies” and “Bayao Bay wind” (references to what they learned during their field surveys in Mudan and the specific site of the incident, Bayao Bay) on stage, warmly asking a question of history that penetrates time and space: “bulabulay mun?” (“How are you?”).
Tjimur’s dance director, Baru Madiljin, came up with the creative concept, which was not to offer a new critique of a historical event but to use art to cast light on those who have experienced or borne the weight of the incident’s history. He looked to open a path via the dancers’ bodies to help audiences reconsider just how long it has been since they have sincerely asked someone, “How are you?” Tjimur Dance Theatre is Taiwan’s first professional dance troupe that focuses on the contemporary Paiwan people. Their dancers come mainly from a northern Paiwan community (in northern Pingtung County), but the Mudan Incident took place to the south, on the Hengchun Peninsula, where the southern Paiwan live. The two locales are separated by over 100 kilometers, so the troupe began with field surveys and were confronted with continual doubt as to their capacity to properly interpret the history and understand the difference between the traditional and the contemporary. The Paiwan in Mudan asked, “What makes you think you can present our story?” That made Tjimur artistic director, Ljuzem Madiljin, realize that her troupe needed to start by gaining a proper understanding of everything related. |
The Bayao Bay Wind and Mudan Bodies
During countless trips back and forth across those more than 100 kilometers, the members of the troupe visited the battle sites and the beach at Bayao Bay time and again to feel the local wind and waves, and learned traditional songs and dances from Mudan, getting a feel for the state of mind of the Paiwan who lived through the incident and were ever marching against strong headwinds. After three years, members of the troupe shared how they felt like Mudan locals while singing traditional Mudan songs, touching the Mudan elders to the point of tears. Ljuzem was then sure that the journey of understanding had begun, inspiring her to want to bring the troupe’s Bayao Bay wind and Mudan bodies to the world. e ne lja sinevawdjan a nia qadi. tjaljumaza men a ljemingaw......”
During countless trips back and forth across those more than 100 kilometers, the members of the troupe visited the battle sites and the beach at Bayao Bay time and again to feel the local wind and waves, and learned traditional songs and dances from Mudan, getting a feel for the state of mind of the Paiwan who lived through the incident and were ever marching against strong headwinds. After three years, members of the troupe shared how they felt like Mudan locals while singing traditional Mudan songs, touching the Mudan elders to the point of tears. Ljuzem was then sure that the journey of understanding had begun, inspiring her to want to bring the troupe’s Bayao Bay wind and Mudan bodies to the world. e ne lja sinevawdjan a nia qadi. tjaljumaza men a ljemingaw......”
“e ne lja sinevawdjan a nia qadi. tjaljumaza men a ljemingaw.” (“Sinvaudjan is the name of our community. We’d like to make an offering of our songs here.”
Ljuzem says, “What we want to present is not just that bit of history that has been washed over by the waves but also the unique vocabulary of the Paiwan body, and the you and me who wish to be understood. Maybe what we want really want deep down is a sincerely spoken “bulabulay mun?”
In homage to Mudan, the traditional songs “e ne lja” and “saceqalj” from Mudan are included in the piece. The six Tjimur performers had to learn not only to sing them but also the unique dance steps from Sinvaudjan in order to feel the spirit of Mudan’s Paiwan people through the rhythm of their bodies. When the sound of the crashing waves is heard on the stage, it seems like we go back in time to the Bayao Bay of 150 years ago.
The piece contains four dances, entitled “Greeting,” “Misunderstanding,” “Singing with Heart,” and “Retrospect.” The entire stage is decorated in red and yellow, the traditional colors of Mudan Paiwan attire. The sound of the waves of Bayao Bay and the vocals of the dancers bring the audience to an emotional climax. I’m sure that the artistically presented Mudan bodies of the dancers and their repeated “bulabulay mun?” have already helped heal some of the wounds of history.
Ljuzem says, “What we want to present is not just that bit of history that has been washed over by the waves but also the unique vocabulary of the Paiwan body, and the you and me who wish to be understood. Maybe what we want really want deep down is a sincerely spoken “bulabulay mun?”
In homage to Mudan, the traditional songs “e ne lja” and “saceqalj” from Mudan are included in the piece. The six Tjimur performers had to learn not only to sing them but also the unique dance steps from Sinvaudjan in order to feel the spirit of Mudan’s Paiwan people through the rhythm of their bodies. When the sound of the crashing waves is heard on the stage, it seems like we go back in time to the Bayao Bay of 150 years ago.
The piece contains four dances, entitled “Greeting,” “Misunderstanding,” “Singing with Heart,” and “Retrospect.” The entire stage is decorated in red and yellow, the traditional colors of Mudan Paiwan attire. The sound of the waves of Bayao Bay and the vocals of the dancers bring the audience to an emotional climax. I’m sure that the artistically presented Mudan bodies of the dancers and their repeated “bulabulay mun?” have already helped heal some of the wounds of history.
Event
2024 Invited to perform at Kunstfest, Weimar
2024 Invited to perform at Taitung Arts Festival, Taiwan
2024 Invited to perform at GUIdance, Portugal
2024 Invited to perform at dentidades Festival, Chile.
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2023 Nominated for the 21th Taishin Performing Arts Award.
2023 Invited to perform in Weiwuying 5th Anniversary organized by National Kaohsiung Centre for the Arts
2023 Invited to perform in CREATIVE EXPO TAIWAN X FOCASA
2023 Invited to perform in International Festival for Contemporary Dance of the City of Munich
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2022 "bulabulay mun?" (the environment dance film version), screening at Cinedans FEST ' 22
2022 "bulabulay mun?" (the environment dance film version), screening at TANZAHOI International Festival
2022 Launch of the dance film "bulabulay mun?" (both the black box version and the environment version)
Premiere in 2022
2024 Invited to perform at Taitung Arts Festival, Taiwan
2024 Invited to perform at GUIdance, Portugal
2024 Invited to perform at dentidades Festival, Chile.
-
2023 Nominated for the 21th Taishin Performing Arts Award.
2023 Invited to perform in Weiwuying 5th Anniversary organized by National Kaohsiung Centre for the Arts
2023 Invited to perform in CREATIVE EXPO TAIWAN X FOCASA
2023 Invited to perform in International Festival for Contemporary Dance of the City of Munich
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2022 "bulabulay mun?" (the environment dance film version), screening at Cinedans FEST ' 22
2022 "bulabulay mun?" (the environment dance film version), screening at TANZAHOI International Festival
2022 Launch of the dance film "bulabulay mun?" (both the black box version and the environment version)
Premiere in 2022
Reviews
"Another feature of this piece is how the choreographer integrated the objects in a precise way. Many movement elements were developed around one stick. While dancing, the dancers climbed or grabbed the stick, reflecting the instability of their bodies and the cohesion they created together."
- The reason for the nomination for the 2023 “PLUMA Art Award” (second season), Hong-Wen Lu
- The reason for the nomination for the 2023 “PLUMA Art Award” (second season), Hong-Wen Lu
"The piece of dance work “bulabulay mun?” presented not only the scars or controversy caused by this historical event and the concept development or re-interpretation through the language of dance, but also how the Tjimur Dance Theatre faced the tight relationship between the differences in ethnic consciousness and the contemporary subject consciousness. The complexity derived from this expanded the vitality of dance, self-criticism, and aspects that could be / could not be approached even further."
- The reason for the nomination for the 3rd season of the 21st Taishin Arts Award, Ya-Li Huang
- The reason for the nomination for the 3rd season of the 21st Taishin Arts Award, Ya-Li Huang
"...the dancers’ performances, choreography, use of objects, spatial arrangement, and choice of music were all outstanding. Especially, the dancers’ bodies moving with the rhythms of the ancient ballads from the Mudan Township, in a precise and satisfying way, with the scent of mountain wind and ocean waves. It was very impressive."
- The reason for the nomination for the 3rd season of the 21st Taishin Arts Award, Meng-Hsuan Wu
- The reason for the nomination for the 3rd season of the 21st Taishin Arts Award, Meng-Hsuan Wu
Production Team
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Artistic Direction - Ljuzem MADILJIN
Choreography／Costume Designer - Baru MADILJIN Art Consultant - Derjk Wu Rehearsal Direction and Performers - YANG Ching-hao, Ljaucu TAPURAKAC Performers - CHIANG Sheng-hsiang, WANG Chiu-ju, MENG Tzu-en Technical Coordinator and Lighting Designer - LEE I-shun Visual Image Designer - WANG Hung-chun Photographer - WANG Hung-chun, QIU Jia-hua Main Visual Designer - JIN Dao, Winder CHAN Style Photographer - LIN Jun-yong, LIU Zhen-xiang, Ba Sa-xi Traditional Song Instruction - WANG Xiao-hui, YE De-sheng, the people from Mudan Township Film Production Supervisor - Maurice LAI Yu-man @HoShunKing Artistic Workshop Concept／Film Direction - Maurice LAI Yu-man Cinematography - Maurice LAI Yu-man, CHIU Chih-hua, HUANG Po-yu Audio Recording - HUANG Po-yu Post Production - Maurice LAI Yu-man Promotional Video Shoot ing - CHEN Yu-cheng @Doggy Studio Costume Production - MAI Bi-yun, ShaTao Lazurite Art Copywriter - WENG Zhen-xia Playbill Design - LIN Qiao-ruo Playbill Managing Editor - LIAO Yun-Jing Company Management - CHIU Shu-ting International Relations - Gwen Hsin-Yi CHANG |
The production of this show is commissioned by the Pingtung County Government
Presenter - PAN Meng-an Executive Producer - WU Ming-rong Co-Executive Producer - LI Yun-fang Administration Producer - PENG Rui-zhen Production Supervisor - CAO Zhong-mei Adviser - Ministry of Culture, Bureau of Cultural Heritage, Ministry of Culture Organizer - Pingtung County Government Co-organizer - Cultural Affairs Department of Pingtung County Performer - Tjimur Dance Theatre Special thanks to - the people from Mudan Township |