The TNUA School of Dance’s summer production, “Muted Spring,” was staged from May 31 to June 2, offering five performances that presented a number of classic and newly choreographed works.
 

A total of 75 undergraduate and graduate students took part in the performances, which presented: Prof. Ho Hsiao-mei’s “Renaissance of Its Ashes”; “From Inside” by guest professor, Lee Jeoung-yun, from Korea; Ms. Su Shu’s “Chasm” and Czech choreographer Jiri Kylian’s “Soldier’s Mass.”  
 

It was a production staged to mark the 35th anniversary of the establishment of the School of Dance, and the 20th anniversary of the introduction of its unique 

Prof. Zhang Xiao-Xiong, chairman of the Department of Dance, noted that the “Muted Spring” production marked the world premiere of “Renaissance of Its Ashes,” Chasm,” and “From Inside.”
 

He said he had to thank a number of people for helping obtain the permission to produce Kylian’s classic dance “Soldier’s Mass,” including: TNUA President Prof. Chen Kai-Huang; Mr. Andre Verkade, deputy representative of the Netherlands Trade and Investment Office (NTIO); and Australian choreographer Leigh Warren, a visiting professor at TNUA, who traveled to Europe to help secure the permission. 
 

Prof. Zhang noted that “Soldier’s Mass” – which was presented in Taiwan for the first time – was a big challenge for the students, who had to interpret the feelings of the young Czech soldiers, as depicted in Mr. Kylian’s dance, in the face of deaths, betrayals and the fall of their country.
 

Mr. Kylian also sent a letter of encouragement to the students prior to the performances, which he could not attend in person.
 

Caption: TNUA students perform Jiri Kylian’s “Soldier’s Mass” in the School of Dance’s summer production.