Workshop

Bulareyaung Pagarlava is from the Paiwan tribe of Taiwan. His name means “happy warrior”. He studied studying at the Dance Department, Taipei National University of the Arts. From 2004 to 2006, he served as the Resident Choreographer for Cloud Gate 2. He was a resident artist at the American Dance Festival in 2008. In 2011, he created Landscapes 2011 ADF there. Bulareyaung was twice commissioned by the Martha Graham Dance Company, for which he created Lamentation Variation (2009) and Chasing (2011). After traveling all over the world, he decided to go back to his Paiwan origins, and further explore and promote the music, dance and traditions of indigenous cultures. He founded Bulareyaung Dance Company in 2014.

Songs and Dance – The Movements in Indige- nous People of Taiwan


Amis tribe is the most populous of all the indigenous tribes of Taiwan. Their New Year ceremony is called Ilisin, whose purpose is to venerate the spirits and tribal ancestors as a way of thanking them for their protection and praying for a good harvest in the coming year. The singing and dancing are a necessary element of Ilisin. For the Amis people believe that the more enthusiastic and spectacular their singing and dancing are, the better their harvest will be in the year ahead.