This visually arresting and deeply moving production tells the story of a community suddenly confronted by the immense power of wind and waves, awakening a heightened awareness of how far they have drifted from nature.
Tjimur Dance Theatre, Taiwan’s premier contemporary dance company, is dedicated to exploring and expressing the identity of the indigenous Paiwan people.
Choreographed by Baru Madiljin, bulabulay mun? / how are you? draws on the historic Mudan shipwreck incident of 1874 – a traumatic chapter in Taiwanese history, to reflect on the relationship between human actions and their unforeseen consequences.
Through an interplay of traditional Mudan songs and dance, bulabulay mun? seeks to heal historical wounds and revive ancestral memory, embodying the resilience and spirit of the Paiwan people. At its heart is a poetic meditation on our elemental connection to the world, an invitation to attune our senses and rediscover our place within nature.
A specially filmed of bulabulay mun? shot on location in South Taiwan will screened Barbican Cinema on Sunday 12 October as part of Dance Umbrella Film Series: Sunday Shorts, and will be available to watch via the Digital Pass.
£10 tickets
At Dance Umbrella we understand that cost can be a barrier, so we’ve made a limited number of £10 tickets available for every Dance Umbrella show.
To access £10 tickets, click here.
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Ljuzem MADILJIN
Artistic Director
Ljuzem MADILJIN (she/her)
Artistic Director
Pingtung (Taiwan)
Recognised as one of Taiwan’s top performing arts groups for fifteen consecutive years, Tjimur Dance Theatre is led by Artistic Director Ljuzem Madiljin and Dance Director Baru Madiljin. The company was founded in 2006 in Timur, a Paiwan community in Sandimen Township, Pingtung. It is the first professional contemporary dance company in Taiwan dedicated to exploring and expressing Paiwan identity through movement.
With the development of a unique movement methodology known as Tjimur Physical Skills, the company transforms Paiwan cultural memory into contemporary body language, giving shape and voice to the spirit of a living tradition.
Over the past nineteen years, Tjimur has staged more than 150 performances across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, appearing at renowned platforms such as the Cervantino International Festival (Mexico), GUIdance Festival (Portugal), and TANZ – Munich International Dance Festival (Germany).
Their innovative work has earned them nominations for the Total Theatre Awards (UK) and the Taishin Arts Award (Taiwan). In 2018, they launched the Tjimur Arts Festival and the cultural initiative In-depth Exploration of Timur, intertwining community, tradition, and contemporary creation.
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Baru MADILJIN
Dance Director & Choreographer
Baru MADILJIN (he/him)
Dance Director & Choreographer
Pingtung (Taiwan)
Baru is from the Timur Village of Paiwan. He graduated from the School of Dance, Taipei National University of the Arts. Since 2006, he has been the Dance Director and Choreographer of Tjimur Dance Theatre.
In 2014, Spiked, an online magazine in the UK, praised his work, stating “the choreography was strong”. In 2017, Le Figaro, a major newspaper in France, said, “this piece inherited not only the traditions from ancestors but also the spirit of Martha Graham”. In 2016, Elena Hernández wrote in EL DIARIO, a daily newspaper in Mexico, “this high-quality piece was sensational and strongly attracted the audience’s attention.” In 2022, Baru was selected as the Performing Arts Redefined Person of the Year in Taiwan.
Watch trailer
Gallery
Credit Jun-yong LIN, Ba Sa-xi
About the company +
Tjimur Dance Theatre was founded in 2006 in Timur, a Paiwan community in Sandimen Township, Pingtung. It is the first professional contemporary dance company in Taiwan dedicated to exploring and expressing Paiwan identity through movement. Recognised as one of Taiwan’s top performing arts groups for fifteen consecutive years, the company is led by Artistic Director Ljuzem Madiljin and Dance Director Baru Madiljin.
With the development of a unique movement methodology known as Tjimur Physical Skills, the company transforms Paiwan cultural memory into contemporary body language, giving shape and voice to the spirit of a living tradition.
Over the past nineteen years, Tjimur has staged more than 150 performances across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, appearing at renowned platforms such as the Cervantino International Festival (Mexico), GUIdance Festival (Portugal), and TANZ – Munich International Dance Festival (Germany).
Their innovative work has earned them nominations for the Total Theatre Awards (UK) and the Taishin Arts Award (Taiwan). In 2018, they launched the Tjimur Arts Festival and the cultural initiative In-depth Exploration of Timur, intertwining community, tradition, and contemporary creation.
Cast & Creative +
- Ljuzem MADILJIN
Artistic Director - Baru MADILJIN
Choreographer & Costume Designer - Ching-hao YANG, Ljaucu TAPURAKAC
Rehearsal Directors and Performers - Sheng-hsiang CHIANG, Tzu-en MENG, Zepulj KAZANGILAN
Performers - I-shun LEE
Technical Coordinator & Lighting Designer - Hung-chun WANG
Visual Image Designer - Jun-yong LIN, Ba Sa-xi
Style Photographers - Xiao-hui WANG, De-sheng YE, the people from Mudan Township
Traditional Song Instructors - Maurice LAI Yu-man (HoShunKing Artistic Workshop)
Director of Photography & Programme Supervisor - Bi-yun MAI, Lazurite SHATAO
Costume Production - Zhen-xia WENG
Copywriting - Wei-yu HUANG
Video & Sound Engineer - Yu-fei HUANG
Lighting Technical Coordinator - Jhih-jie HUANG
Sports Massage Therapist - Shu-ting CHIU
Company Manager - Jih-wen YEH
International Project Producer
Credits +
The production of this show is commissioned by the Pingtung County Government, Taiwan
Adviser- Ministry of Culture, Bureau of Cultural Heritage, Taiwan
Organiser – Pingtung County Government, Taiwan
Performer – Tjimur Dance Theatre
Special thanks to the people from Mudan Township
Supported by the Ministry of Culture, Taiwan
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