Ljuzem Madiljin

"Ljuzem’s Walk" is a performative, mobile work choreographed and performed by Ljuzem Madiljin, dance artist and artistic director of Tjimur Dance Theatre from Taiwan. The performance has evolved over more than a decade as a personal and healing journey. It is a continuous exploration of identity and belonging as a female artist from the Paiwan people, one of Taiwan’s Indigenous groups, navigating the many roles and expectations of contemporary life.

Moving through the city, Ljuzem touches on echoes of Indigenous struggle and resilience, on memories of social control and discipline, and on stories of solidarity, women’s liberation, and collective strength. Through the open and responsive form of dance, she opens a space for listening, sensing, and sharing, where the personal and the collective, the urban and the spiritual meet. Ljuzem invites the audience to re-experience both the city and oneself, listening to voices still resonating in the city’s walls and to share a space between past, present, and what is yet to come.

Ljuzem Madiljin studied dance at Tainan University of Technology and Department of Cultural and Creative Industries, National Pingtung University. After graduating, she returned to her hometown, Tjimur Village in Pingtung County, where shevstarted her career teaching and dancing. In 2006, Ljuzem established the Tjimur Dance Theatre, the first contemporary dance company in Taiwan dedicated to the presentation and promotion of the aesthetics and philosophy of ancient Paiwan culture. She pioneered the Paiwan contemporary dance teaching system, dedicated to exploring Paiwan’s breathing method of singing and dancing, and then developed Paiwan contemporary physical training, Tjimur Technique. It has been a motto as well as a lifelong promise for Ljuzem that she must keep learning and paving the way for the indigenous kids to come back to their hometown. This has prompted her to have established the first professional dance company in Pingtung and to have toured in many indigenous villages to share their passion and inspire the wider audience in the southern tip of Taiwan.

This guest performance is kindly supported by the Ministry of Culture of Taiwan and in cooperation with Stadtkuratorin Hamburg.

Concept, choreography, scenography and performance: Ljuzem Madiljin
Outside eye: Baru Madiljin 
Vocal, sound and music design: Ljuzem Madiljin
Costume & Accessories: Artist-own traditional Paiwan wedding dress and from her family heritage
Nose flute: Ljaucu Tapurakac
Dramaturgy: Gwen Hsin-Yi Chang
Tour management: Jih-Wen Yeh
Ritual and technical support: Su-Ting CHIU
Production: Tjimur Dance Theatre
Co-production in residency: O Espaço do Tempo