Jazz (Dance) Quintet: A Musical Dialogue

Jazz (Dance) Quintet: A Musical Dialogue was supported by a grant from the New Taipei City Cultural Affairs Department and presented at the New Taipei City Government Arts Center Concert Hall.
This project is Taiwan’s first full concert-hall production to bring swing dance and blues music together through music, storytelling, and dance—on a formal recital stage.
Guided by a storyteller, woven with jazz improvisation and the body language of social dance, the performance forms a real-time dialogue between music and movement, delivering an immersive cross-disciplinary experience rich in narrative and live energy.

Introduction

About the Program

Welcome to a cross-disciplinary performance that blends music, dance, and micro-theatre. From script development to rehearsals, we built this work through challenges and collaboration—finally bringing blues and swing into a formal concert hall.

Date: 2024/04/27 (Sat) ｜ Time: 19:30–21:00 ｜ Venue: New Taipei City Government Arts Center Concert Hall (No. 62, Zhuangjing Rd., Banqiao Dist., New Taipei City)

Program Description

Jazz (Dance) Quintet: A Musical Dialogue brings together jazz, social dances (Blues, Lindy Hop, Charleston, Balboa), and Taiwanese folk storytelling. Through improvisation and movement vocabulary, it paints a vivid and free jazz landscape.

Highlights

  • The first project to bring Taiwan’s blues & swing music-and-dance into a formal concert hall.
  • Improvised dialogue × folk storytelling × social dance movement.
  • Musicians and dancers share the stage—lighting up both dance floor and concert hall.

Program Structure

  • Part I: Folk storytelling × Jazz (Dance) Quintet (Blues) / guided listening by musicians.
  • Part II: Folk storytelling × Jazz (Dance) Quintet (Lindy Hop / Charleston / Balboa).

Credits

Folk Storytelling: Yu-Chiao Yang

Musicians: Olivia Chuang (Vocal), Claire Chen (Piano), Shi-Yi Xue (Piano), Yu-Lun Wei (Trumpet), Ya-Chu Chuang (Drums), Teng-Yang Li (Drums), Sheng-Hang Zhong (Bass), Chih-Yuan Chen (Clarinet/Saxophone)

Dancers: Penny Chen (Blues/Balboa), Lucas Lin (Blues/Balboa), Chris Sun (Lindy Hop/Charleston), Viva Lin (Blues/Lindy Hop), Ya-Juan Huang (Lindy Hop/Charleston)

African Drum: Chris Sun

Production Team: Lighting/Sound: Ling-Yin Huang ｜ Video/Photo: Scott Ko, Chun-Hsiung Wu ｜ Front Desk/Tickets: Caroline Chen ｜ Stage Manager: Zhi-Jia Liang ｜ Directors: Chih-Yuan Chen, Olivia Chuang

Post-Show Notes

[Sold Out & Successfully Concluded] The show sold out a week before opening and received enthusiastic feedback, with many asking for an additional performance. Thank you to every audience member, faculty from the NTUA Department of Music, all dancers and musicians, storyteller Teacher Yang, and every on- and off-stage partner.

Selected Audience Feedback

  • I loved how different disciplines were stitched together—everyone truly enjoyed the music.
  • Combining North American folk storytelling with jazz tradition was so creative!
  • My first time at a concert like this—lively, fun, and perfect for a relaxing weekend.
  • Awesome—please do more shows!
New Taipei City Cultural Affairs Department grant information Jazz (Dance) Quintet: A Musical Dialogue poster (2024/04/27) — New Taipei Arts Center
View Official Event Page
Video

Rehearsal & Behind the Scenes

National Taiwan University of Arts · Room 1001
Rehearsal Highlights