“Living Cultural Body” is not concerned with how culture is preserved, but rather with how culture continuously generates itself. The voice is not an accompaniment, but the origin of movement, leading the body into a state of being. Through song, rhythm, and breath, cultural memory is activated, tracing the origins of the Paiwan people, Taiwan’s indigenous ethnic group, from north to south. Culture is not displayed, but sustained through embodied action. When the song reaches the south, bulabulay mun? (“How are you?”) emerges—a greeting that transcends time, carrying memory and trauma while simultaneously opening space for renewed connection.
The Tjimur Dance Theatre is Taiwan's first professional dance company dedicated to contemporary Paiwan dance. Founded in 2006 by Ljuzem Madiljin, the company's director and artistic director, and Baru Madiljin, dance director and choreographer, the company is committed to interpreting contemporary experiences through ancient ballads. Integrating song and dance, the company uses song as a guide for choreography. Tjimur Dance Theatre showcases the extraordinary physical expressions of Paiwan culture, establishing a unique style among Taiwan's contemporary dance companies.
The performance is made possible with the kind support of the Ministry of Culture Taiwan and in cooperation with the MARKK Museum Hamburg.
Artistic Director: Ljuzem Madiljin
