Jade Dance Theatre was founded in November 1997 and supported by the Ministry of Culture in Taiwan. Our aim is to promote the art of dance, and to experience life with this language. Jade Pi-Yu Hua, the artistic director has invited artists from different fields for collaborations. The aim is to retrieve the movements and gestures from traditional dance and use them in contemporary background, so that the modesty of the oriental dance could be well-presented in modern choreography and create new meanings in the contemporary social context.
Our neo-classical productions include “Catch of Glimpses”(2004), “Transform”(2007), “Simplicity Re-found”(2007), “Vipashyana”(2009), “Crystal Tun-Huang”(2009~10), “An Encounter in Time”(2012) , “Action without Action”(2014) and "Quantum Dance - Crescent Spring"(2016). A review on “Vipashyana” on Dance Europe Magazine praises that ”Jade Hua created many beautiful patterns with her dancers, who certainly moved with impressive dream-like serenity and calm.” (May, 2009).
In 2010, Jade invited popular singer and composer Kevin Lin to join in for “An Untold Secret”. In 2011, three promising young choreographers Wei-ling Hsu, Eddie Chun-Hui Lin and Hui-Chun Peng worked together for “Lively Night Market”. Our devotions to experimenting with new ideas never stop. The stage again opened to Eddie Lin for “Corner Shop”(2012) and “Barbecue At Home”(2013). The former one was nominated at the 11th Tai-shin Arts Awards. Eddie Lin's works presented his precise observation of society by humble, gentle but strong speech. He likes to use the open attitude and sense of humor to bring the theater and real life closer.
Except for touring in Taiwan, we’ve been invited to give performances overseas in 2000 and 2002 to Europe and Paraguay in 2003 and 2007, and 2009 to Japan and South Korea. In 2014, “Eggs of Blessings" was chosen by Ministry of Culture to present Taiwan at Edinburgh Fringe. "The troupe seamlessly fuse traditional elements with circus-style acrobatics and more contemporary dance styles.” We received a wide coverage and reviews from the press and critics with a 4-star honor. In 2015, “Eggs of Blessings” joined in 2015 TaiwanFest in Canada, which was the best portrayal of Taiwanese culture passing on “hope”.
Except annual productions, JDT also gives promotional workshops at enterprises and communities, and do charity performances at nursing home for the elderly.
Life is like a poem.
Music be its rhythm.
Dance be its words.
With love and hope,
we compose.
Artistic Director
Jade Pi-yu HUA
Graduate of Dance Dept. of National Taiwan University of Arts.
Master of Arts in Arts Studies of FoKuang University.
Focusing on martial arts and bearing of classical Chinese dance, Jade Hua attempts to instill the classical dance with new concepts and broaden its vision. From the concept of “rounding” for the hands, eyes, torso, steps and methods, the contour of the body is “prolonged” through the practice of modern dance techniques. So the body lines are no more confined in the traditional forms, but given the freedom to move outward, as a way to create new from the old.
Jade Hua is good at portraying the innermost fineness and delicacy of the females through the bearing and movements of classical dance. This essence of the tradition is carried on and interpreted in the contemporary cultural background, and is the objective of Jade Hua to redefine traditions and new creations.