Dublin Dance Festival: Joyful Taiwanese dance show has all the colour of a vibrant aquarium

13 Tongues by Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, final night of Dublin run: May 15

13 Tongues, part of Dublin Dance Festival

Katy Hayes

Dublin Dance Festival kicked off on Tuesday night with a delightful show from Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan. 13 Tongues is a vibrant hybrid of western contemporary dance with Asian styles. There are occasional hints of martial arts movements. Some of the gestures are large and cartoonish, with an anime feel. The dancing is full of fun and takes utter joy in discipline.

A programme note explains that choreographer Cheng Tsung-lung has based this show on childhood memories of Taipei’s historic Bangka district and, particularly, his mother’s tales of ‘Thirteen Tongues’, a 1960s street artist and storyteller.