Rose Historic Site - Tsai Ruyue Dance Research Society Introduction
Cai Ruiyue can be considered a pioneer of modern dance in Taiwan, dedicating herself to the promotion of this art form. Born in 1921 in Tainan City, she left for Japan at the age of 16 to study under Mr. Ishii Maku, who was known as the father of modern dance at that time, laying the foundation for her dance career. After returning to Taiwan, she devoted herself entirely to dance and introduced the concept of modern dance to the island. Over her career, she created more than 500 modern dance pieces, including "Song of India" and "We Love Taiwan," incorporating various dance forms such as ballet, ethnic dance, and Taiwanese folk dance, earning her the title of the Mother of Modern Dance in Taiwan. The Cai Ruiyue Dance Research Society is a historically significant building, originally a civil servant dormitory from the Japanese colonial period. During that time, various levels of dormitories, primarily wooden Japanese-style houses, were constructed in Taipei. In 1920, several pairs of wooden dormitories were built along Zhongshan North Road, and the Cai Ruiyue Dance Research Society was one of them. Based on the layout, it served as a dormitory for Japanese officials. In 1953, it became the home, choreographic studio, and rehearsal space for Cai Ruiyue, the Mother of Modern Dance in Taiwan, and eventually evolved into a dance classroom. Although it was once destroyed by fire, in 1999, it was unanimously recognized by heritage scholars and experts as the birthplace of modern dance in Taiwan, leading to a determined effort to reconstruct it, which prevented commercial exploitation and ensured the preservation of this historic site.
