We are very much looking forward to bringing Taiwan's U-Theatre to Portland on April 8-10 at the Newmark Theatre. This is a very special opportunity to experience a highly unusual cross-polination of Taiwanese culture and performance. I wanted to give some background about my trip to Taiwan in May 2006 and how I discovered U-Theatre and immediately felt that this company would be an exciting addition to White Bird's dance season.

I was invited by the National Performing Theatre of Taiwan to learn about the dance scene in Taiwan. When I arrived in May 2006, I, with a small group from around the world,  had the amazing opportunity to travel to the outskirts of Taipei, then took a mile long hike up one of beautiful mountains, to U-Theatre's outpost, where they create and rehearse their work. We met with the artistic director Ruoyu Liu and the drumming master Chih Chun Huang, who are a couple. They and their performers are very much like a closely-knit  family in that they meditate and dine together, and are spiritually connected. This unity is strongly visible in their the fluidity and Zen-like focus of their performances. 

Our group was fortunate to experience good weather as we were seated outdoors and had the chance to see this brilliant company perform on an open-air stage on top of the mountain, with incredible views as the backdrop. U-Theatre blends the precision of martial arts movement with the power of Taiko drumming, and the beauty of traditional story-telling into a masterful creation. 

Our group was very curious about the name U-Theatre. We learned that the U is a Chinese symbol for excellence. 

That day on top of the mountain and the opportunity to see U-Theatre perform has made a lasting impression on me. When we learned that U-Theatre was invited to Vancouver, BC just a couple of weeks ago to be part of the Cultural Olympiad, and was interested in the opportunity to perform in Portland, Wally and I didn't hesitate to invite them to be a White Bird Exclusive Event. There is no question that this company's work is a slight departure for us, but we couldn't resist sharing with you the spectacular, fully-produced performance that U-Theatre will bring to us, with its incredibly dynamic energy. The Newmark Theatre will be a perfect venue for this one-of-a-kind visit. We are proud to be the only stop on their North American tour where they will be performing their magical "Meeting with Boddhisatva."