Through dancing, music, and the fervent devotion of the performers, we were transported to Hawaii for two hours. That was the premise of this performance in which seats were arranged in a jumbo jet seating pattern and “in-flight” tea service was offered during intermission.
The rather modern venue with white walls, a projector, and wall-mounted surround sound, while comfortable and clean, was a little distracting when trying to imagine the soothing sounds of Hawaiian waves. Were all of the outdoor venues booked full? I couldn’t help but imagining, if the dancing was taking place outside in the The Baroque Gardens at Song Shan Cultural Park, or at least not in a windowless basement so separated from the outdoors, how much more authenticity would be felt? After all, traditional Hawaiian performances take place in the outdoors, and the Hawaiian climate is far more similar to Song Shan at night than it is to an air-conditioned subterranean performance space.
Ultimately the relaxed fluidity with which the dancers executed their steps, their actions and facial expressions, projected a feeling distinctly Hawaiian, rescuing us from the white walls and bland amphitheater atmosphere. Neither restrained nor suppressed, at the same time neither gaudy nor false, these dancers were clearly at peace with themselves and their movements helped transport us to an island 8500km away, if only for 90 minutes.
演出場地：慕哲咖啡館