Infinite possibilities of movement through body exploration and experimentation, unlocking new pathways of sensation

Created as part of the <Numerical Series> by TAO Dance Theater, <16> and <17> are contemporary dance pieces that delve into the extremes and essence of body movement. The two works are presented as a double bill on stage.

The <Numerical Series> is one of choreographer Tao Ye’s best-known works that experiments with formats and explores the nature of the body. Beginning with <2>, the following works in the series are titled with a number only, symbolizing both the number of dancers involved and the sequential evolution of experimentation with the structure and the format.

The <Numerical Series> has been performed in over 40 countries and at more than 100 various performing arts festivals, establishing TAO Dance Theater as one of the most notable Chinese contemporary dance companies on the international stage. Based on the unique minimalist and repetitive movements of the <Numerical Series>, <16> and <17> expand the image of Circular Movement Technique to unfold the infinite possibilities created by instant flow on stage. Circular Movement Technique is TAO Dance Theater's unique movement style, a choreographic technique designed for all parts of the body to continuously rotate and flow as if they are drawing circles. With this technique, the two works deepen their exploration of the body and seek to practice Eastern somaesthetics.

<16> draws inspiration from dragon and snake dances. Sixteen dancers move in a single, connected line like a dragon, drawing circles of different shapes on the stage. The energy generated through flowing, circling, and marching transmits back and forth smoothly. While focusing on the organic flow of the group rather than individuals, their movements continue from beginning to end, presenting an infinitely derived structural multi-dimensional body. Through the ultimate exploration of repetitive and non-repetitive movements, it paints a chaotic but splendid micro-world.

<17> continues the flow of the previous work, but experiments with the body language with greater density through new compositions and rhythms. This work started from a sensory imagination of sound, and choreographer Tao Ye creates a dialogue with his previous work <7> through experimenting with the shape of sound and body movements. For Tao Ye, the vibration and resonance of sound are not only auditory but body language itself. He says, "Bodies are all connected, this is a language of the world.”

17 dancers scatter or gather together, seemingly in disorder.

Various sounds echoing on the stage synchronize with the dancers' movements, intertwining closely. In the performance, sound becomes the signal that leads the body's thoughts and movements. Sound and body interact with each other as if each were a language system of its own, creating an exciting contrast between the two. The harmony and dissolution of group dance blur the boundaries of sound, time, and body—appearing on stage like visualized sound waves or fireworks exploding in the air—opening new sensory pathways.