Dancing without stops

He is a celebrated choreographer who set out to create his own new landscape through his art. He's the heart of Cloud Gate, the first contemporary dance theater in the Chinese speaking world. He's been with his dancers for thirty some years, but he says he's always looking for the means of escape. In our "List" today, we meet Lin Hwai-min, a man with many stories.

Lin Hwai-min, founder of Taiwan-based Cloud Gate Dance Theater, is now 61. Cloud Gate is one of the most sought after contemporary dance groups in the world. Lin himself is lauded by European dance magazines as one of "The Most Important Contemporary Dancers" of the 20th century.

Lin once said limbs are his world; Laziness is his adversary; The ultimate goal for a dancer should never be the sound of applause, but the goal of self-fulfillment.

Lin Hwai-min was born into a family of intellectuals in South Taiwan. He once was a celebrated writer, in the 1960s. In 1969 he went to America to continue his studies. During that time, Lin entered dance courses at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance and the Merce Cunningham Dance Studio. He never intended his extra-curricular studies to form the basis of his life's career.

Lin Hwai-min said, "Although by then I was gradually getting used to life in the States, I knew "I'm not an American." The cultural environment and all the knowledge I had acquired stimulated my nerves. So, I needed to go back to Taiwan."

In 1973 Lin Hwai-min established the first contemporary dance theater in the Chinese speaking world. He called the theater: "Cloud Gate", a name derived from a long-lost dance form in China, dating back some five thousand years.

"Xin Chuan", one of the theater's early works remains the best known. It shows great concern for the grass-roots culture in Taiwan, during the 1960's.

Lin Hwai-min said, "'Xin Chuan' was choreographed in 1978 when I was in New York. I missed my hometown so much the the homesickness inspired my choreography. I recalled childhood memories of Xingang, where I grew up."

Although the performances of "Xin Chuan" were far from perfect, critics say the dancers knew just how to express raw emotion with their earnest, yet graceful movements.

Lin Hwai-min said, "I used to drink for a whole month after performing season. I had the pressures of doing the productions and worrying about box office returns. What if I couldn't make ends meet?"