LIN Hwai-Min 1947-

PERSONAL: Born February 19, 1947, in Chiayi, Taiwan. Education: Attended Chinese Dance Institute, 1967; National Cheng-chi University, B.A., 1969; attended University of Missouri graduate school; University of Iowa, M.F.A., 1972; studied dance with Marcia Thayer and Linda Lee, University of Iowa; studied at Martha Graham and Merce Cunningham dance schools, 1971-72.

ADDRESSES: Office—Cloud Gate Dance Theater, G5F, No. 19, Lane 231, Fuhsing N. Road Taipei 10542, Taiwan; fax: 886-2-2712-2106. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER: University of Iowa dance ensemble, dancer, 1970s; Cheng-chi University, instructor in English and journalism, 1972, Chinese Culture University, instructor in dance; Cloud Gate Dance Theater, founder/director, 1973-88; National Institute of the Arts, Taipei, China, founder of dance department, first chairperson, 1983-88, graduate dance program founding dean, 1993-94; Taipei Modern Dance Company, cofounder, 1984; Requiem, choreographer, 1989; Cloud Gate Dance Theater, dancer, 1991, artistic director; Roshomon opera, world premiere director, 1996. Instructor in master dance classes, Cambodia, 1999.

AWARDS, HONORS: National Arts Award, 1980, for choreography of Legacy; Wu Sanlien Arts Award, 1980, for Tale of the White Serpent; named one of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons in the World, Jaycees International, 1983; Fulbright scholar, 1990; Lifetime Achievement Award, Department of Culture of New York City/Chinese American Council, 1996; Honorary Award of Fellowship, Hong Kong Academy of the Performing Arts, 1997; Ramon Magsaysay Award, 1999; honorary doctorate, National Chung Cheng University, 1999; named Choreographer of the Twentieth Century, Dance Europe; named among Personalities of the Year, Ballet International, 2000.

WRITINGS:

Cicada, [Taipei, Taiwan], 1974.

(Translator) Jean-Claude Carriere, Manhabarata, [Taipei, Taiwan], 1990.

Contributor to On Dance, [Taipei, Taiwan], 1989; Brief Encounters, [Taipei, Taiwan], 1989; and About Nine Songs, [Taipei, Taiwan], 1993.

SIDELIGHTS: Dancer, instructor, and choreographer Lin Hwai-min founded Cloud Gate Dance Theatre in 1973. It was the first modern dance company in Taiwan and China. Named after a Chinese ritual dance performed over 5,000 years ago, Cloud Gate's performances blend traditional Chinese dance and martial arts with modern dance techniques. Lin is the artistic director for Cloud Gate. The group tours throughout Asia, Europe, North America, and Australia. He also founded the dance department in 1983 and the graduate dance program in 1993 at the National Institute of Arts in Taiwan.

Lin has won numerous awards, including being named one of Ten Outstanding Young Persons in the World in 1983 by Jaycees International, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Department of Culture of New York City and the Chinese American Council in 1997, and earned the Ramon Magsaysay Award, which is the equivalent of the Nobel Prize in Asia, in 1999.

Lin's most well-known piece is Legacy, a dance that tells the story of the migration from China to Taiwan over 300 years ago. His novel Cicada is an all-time best seller in Taiwan. Asiaweek.com contributor Bradley Winterton called Lin "part of the modern history of the island [Taiwan] and one of its most ardent admirers."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Sunday Times, April 18, 1999, David Dougill, "Rice and Peace; Dance," p. 22.

ONLINE

Asia Week,http://www.asiaweek.com/ (April 12, 2002), Bradley Winterton, "Staying in Step: Lin Hwai-Min."

Rena Shagan Associates,http://www.shaganarts.com/ (April 12, 2002), "Cloud Gate Dance Theatre: About Lin Hwai-min"; "Cloud Gate Dance Theatre: Lin Hwai-min, Artistic Director."*