PRESS & NEWS
December 23, 2016
Arts Fuse Feature: Best In Dance of 2016
"The Dream Project debuted its second performance to date, showcasing not only the physical talent of its performers, but the importance of its ongoing goal to merge East and West through dance. Inspired by the Eastern story of Xi Shi, yet personified through Western modern dance, the work successfully depicted Chinese traditional values as seen through the female perspective." - Arts Fuse
CoolCleveland: Time River Returns – Video Etiquette at Mather Dance
03/26/2015
Philip Glass’ String Quartet No. 3 (Mishima) rolls out of the speakers, filling Mather Dance Center like a shimmering stream. The rehearsal of Time River proceeds smoothly as the choreographer, Chun-Jou Tsai, watches via skype from Boston as the 8 dancers spiral around the floor of Cleveland’s 100-year-old dance space. The actual skype connection worked fine but there had been some adjustments, all laughably non-technical.
Midway through the rehearsal the dancers paused to rearrange camera and monitor. “It’s video etiquette,” explained Artistic Director Gary Galbraith. “When the camera and the monitor are facing upstage center, the dancers can look at Chun-Jou on the monitor and she sees them looking at her.”
Tsai originally choreographed Time River for her thesis concert in 2013 and Case is taking the highly unusual step of remounting it for the upcoming spring concert. Karen Potter, Department Chair, says she can’t think of another such case in the last 15 years. Even watching in rehearsal, we’re inclined to agree that it’s an unusually good piece of student choreography.
Choreographing Time River, Tsai was inspired by the passage of time and how time makes change within a group of people. We were impressed that she manages to suggest her theme without dramatizing it and that she maintains interest throughout a 15 minute dance despite dance vocabulary with a low level of difficulty.
As Potter says of Time River, “You see how the seed idea develops throughout the dance, how it emerges in each of the 3 sections of the dance. For instance, she groups people in linear patterns so that they suggest metaphors for the passage of time. A line of people comes to seem like the pendulum of a clock or a hand on a clock.”
January 09, 2015
Sampan News: "Dream" Combines Modern Dance And Classic Chinese Poetry
Bouquets were scattered among the audience at “The Dream Project,” an original dance piece by Taiwanese choreographer Chun-jou Tsai staged on Dec. 20 at Cambridge’s Green Street Studios. “The Dream Project” combines traditional Chinese long-sleeves dancing, contemporary dance and video art to create a truly unique portrait of Tsai’s artistic growth. “The Dream Project” combines traditional Chinese long-sleeves dancing, contemporary dance and video art to create a truly unique portrait of Tsai’s artistic growth.” - Arick Wong, Sampan News
December 31, 2014
Arts Into Motion: The Dream Project Succeeded With An Over-sold Crowd Packing the Chairs and Floor of Green Street Studios' Modest Space
It's no small feat to fill a theater on a chilly winter night in Boston, yet Chun-jou Tsai's The Dream Project succeeded with an over-sold crowd packing the chairs and floor of Green Street Studios' modest space.
“The beauty, yet difficulty, of Tsai's choreographic style stems from its breath of quick staccato foot and hand gestures to its luxuriant full-bodied twists and rolls through the spine.” - Merli V. Guerra
“While all technically strong, most lacked the emotional and physical clarity that makes Tsai such an intense force on stage.” - Merli V. Guerra
“Similarly, the solo reached a heightened level of emotional and physical endurance."
“It's not often we see such high-caliber performers and attention to detail in a debut performance such as this one.” - Merli V. Guerra
“If her work continues to progress from here, Tsai promises to become another leading voice in the Boston arts scene.” - Merli V. Guerra
Penumbra:RME The Dream Project Seamlessly Blends Improvisational And Long-sleeves Techniques To Create Imagery That Is Alternately Fluid And Sharp
11/8/2014
The Dream Project features the work of Chun-Jou Tsai and is produced by Penumbra:Exchange . Her solo from the Diversity in Movement will be featured during this performance along with group pieces performed by Wisty Andres, Jorge Delgado, Hsia-Hua Liang, and Brian Washburn. The concept for the concert is a fusion of contemporary modern and traditional Chinese dance that visualizes the calligraphy of a classic Buddhist poem. Ms. Tsai's choreography seamlessly blends improvisational and long sleeves techniques to create imagery that is alternately fluid and sharp.