In February 2027, Weiwuying will present the Akram Khan Company's latest work, Thikra: Night of Remembering. It is Akram KHAN's eleventh work to be presented in Taiwan, yet also the closing chapter of his company's touring history.

In 2002, the 28-year-old Akram KHAN and his company made their Taiwanese debut at the invitation of LIN Hwai-min, founder of Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan and a pivotal driving force in Taiwanese contemporary dance. 25 years later the Akram Khan Company is folding.

At this turning point Weiwuying specially invited LIN and KHAN to hold a conversation after the performance of Thikra: Night of Remembering on February 20, at the Playhouse, moderated by CHEN Ya-ping, Dean of the College of Dance at Taipei National University of the Arts.  

Since their first encounter in 2002, LIN Hwai-min has been celebrated by The Times as "one of the most significant contemporary choreographers in the world," and was honored with the prestigious Samuel H. Scripps / American Dance Festival Award for Lifetime Achievement. 

Meanwhile, the young Akram kept surpassing himself, growing into an iconic figure on the international dance scene. Akram has received nearly every major award in British theatre; his company performed at the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics, and he was appointed MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for his contribution to dance.

Born of Bangladeshi descent and raised in London, Akram began training in the North Indian classical dance form of Kathak at the age of seven, later studying contemporary dance at university. The techniques, music, and textual traditions of Kathak, along with Indian culture, have become sources of inspiration for his choreography in contemporary dance.

In a parallel journey, after receiving training in modern dance in the United States, LIN Hwai-min founded Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan. He developed his choreographic language from traditional theater, qigong and internal martial arts, and nourished his works with calligraphy and classical literature. He has reinvented contemporary dance by fusing the East and the West, captivating audiences around the world.

In an international dance world still dominated by Western trends, both masters chose not to follow the mainstream. Instead, they developed distinctive bodies of work rooted in their own cultural backgrounds — leading their companies onto the world stage. They created their own legends and legacies in contemporary dance.

In 1973, LIN Hwai-min founded Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan, the first professional dance company in Taiwan, at the age of 26. Over the decades it has nurtured generations of dancers and audiences, which laid the foundations of Taiwan's theatre culture; through countless international tours, LIN made Taiwan known to the international dance scene. In 2019, after directing Cloud Gate for 46 years, he passed the torch to CHENG Tsung-lung, retiring with grace. Also at the age of 26, in 2000, Akram KHAN founded his own company which became a global phenomenon with a meteoric rise.

In 2025, Weiwuying presented Akram Khan's Giselle, created for English National Ballet. That same year the Akram Khan Company launched its last global journey with Thikra: Night of Remembering. In 2027, Weiwuying will become the sole presenter in Taiwan for the company's final performances of its Asia tour.

To mark this historic occasion Weiwuying invites LIN Hwai-min and Akram KHAN to share the stage and engage in a discussion about the body, culture and creation.

Don't  miss the dialogues by two of the internationally acclaimed masters!

  Ticketing Information  

Starting from 12:00 pm on Thursday, 14 October, free tickets will be available through OPENTIX on a first-come, first-served basis.

Ticket Allocation: To be announced.

※ The talk will be conducted in English and Mandarin. No subtitles will be provided. Simultaneous Mandarin interpretation will be available on-site. 

  Speakers   

LIN Hwai-min (Founder, Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan)  

LIN Hwai-min founded Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan in 1973 and stepped down as its artistic director in 2019. LIN often draws from Asian cultures and aesthetics to create works with contemporary resonance. Under his direction, Cloud Gate tours extensively to international acclaim and prominence.

Among the honors LIN Hwai-min has received are the Samuel H. Scripps/American Dance Festival Award for Lifetime Achievement, the John D. Rockefeller Award, New York, the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from France, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Movimentos International Dance Festival in Germany. He has also been celebrated by Time Magazine as one of "Asia's Heroes".

Akram KHAN（Director of Akram Khan Company, Choreographer）

Akram KHAN, one of the most influential and widely acclaimed dance artists working internationally today. Over more than 25 years of his creative career, he has continually expanded the boundaries of contemporary dance through a distinctive physical vocabulary, profound storytelling, and a deeply cross-cultural perspective.

KHAN is also renowned for his interdisciplinary collaborations with leading artists from around the world, including legendary French ballerina Sylvie GUILLEM, Belgian-Moroccan choreographer Sidi Larbi CHERKAOUI, and flamenco star Israel GALVÁN. In 2012, he was invited to contribute to the creation of the London Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, bringing his distinctive artistic voice to a global audience. His work has received numerous major honours, including the Laurence Olivier Award and the Bessie Award, and in 2005, he was appointed a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his services to dance. In 2022, Khan was appointed Chancellor of De Montfort University and has also served as an Associate Artist at leading arts institutions, including Sadler's Wells Theatre in London.

  Program  

2027/2/19(Fri)19:30、2/20(Sat)14:30、2/21(Sun)14:30

►Akram Khan Company - Thikra: Night of Remembering