We were at the dress rehearsal of BIRDY, one Hung Dance’s most critically acclaimed productions, which will be premiering in New York at NYU Skirball on July 17 & 18th. BIRDY explores the relationship between freedom, limitation, and identity through a distinctive movement language inspired by Tai Chi, traditional Peking opera and contemporary dance.
We sat down to speak with Lai Hung-Chung, Choreographer and Artistic Director of Hung Dance about his artistic vision for BIRDY and Wei-Ping Chen the dance company’s Operations Director. Lai told us that the themes of freedom, limitation, and identity not only reflect his personal struggles but also relate to Taiwan’s situation.
Hung Dance is an award-winning Taiwanese contemporary dance company founded in 2017. The troupe’s name comes from the Chinese character 翃 (Hóng), meaning to fly.
Related Links:
PURCHASE tickets to BIRDY’s New York Premiere at NYU Skirball July 17th & 18th: https://tickets.nyu.edu/huangdancebirdy
How to Reinvent a Dance Tradition? Be Light as a Feather.: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/06/arts/dance/contemporary-chinese-choreographers-shen-wei-lai-hung-chung.html
Award-Winning Taiwanese Company Hung Dance Brings the Acclaimed Production BIRDY to New York for a Limited Engagement at NYU Skirball on July 17 & 18: https://tccny.moc.gov.tw/News_Content.aspx?n=769&s=253454
BIRDY (a part of the Taipei Cultural Office in New York’s 35th Anniversary):
https://taiwanpop.tw/event.html?num=06
Hung Dance: https://www.hungdance.com/
Hung Dance on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HungDanceTaiwan
Hung Dance on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hungdancetaiwan/