A glimpse of Dunas

Last week, two of our da:ns programmers, Faith and Jobina, flew off to Barcelona/Girona, Spain, where they spent lots of time with Maria Pages and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, and also previewed Dunas for the first time. They got back into the office today, and Jobina shares her thoughts on the piece here:

“It is not about contemporary meeting flamenco – it is about a meeting between two people – Maria and I”, says Larbi. And what a soulful union it is. Watching these two great dancemakers whom I admire so much – both for their work and as people – it reminds you again how dance has ability and complexity far beyond words to express so clearly, so deeply what the heart feels, and is. Even at rehearsal, watching Maria and Larbi feeling their way afresh each time with each other, accompanied to the stirring, aching tunes by Szymon Broska of piano, violin, flamenco and arab voice – you are transfixed and mesmerized – transported into the shadowy world of the Moroccon sandscape, where the varying shades of the emotions become so intense you can’t quite pin down what they are – you feel joy, as well as pain, you want to jump and clap along, as well as sit in quiet contemplation - and most of all, you feel this is why art must exist – to not just take your breath away – but to breathe life into you.

Every day, as we watch and watch again, we see new things, we feel new things, and think new things – and every time, we want to go back again, and again as though to learn to become more human once more. And to quote words from Karthika’s (Larbi’s manager whom I also have had a privilege of finally meeting face to face) newly published book of poems called Bearings - “I think I would like to die watching you dance.”

Go buy tickets for everyone you love, or even those you don’t – for a shared experience like this will transform all those polite and often general ways we try to find each other into a calm, centred nod of knowing we’ve already found each other in ourselves.

Jobina

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Wow. I mean, maybe it's best left at that because more words might do the work a disservice. Once in a long while, you get to watch something that is so astounding in its beauty, or profundity, that words don't quite seem to get the job done. For the rest of us who haven't seen it, maybe Dunas will be one of those rare gems. I certainly hope it is!

From T.H.E in indonesia, with love

hi guys!! sorry for the long long hiatus. we've all been swamped with putting together the best da:ns festival yet- hard to believe it's only 7.5weeks away.

Here, we've got a guest entry from Mun Wai, who is from T.H.E Dance Company - one of Singapore's best regarded, most dynamic contemporary dance companies. T.H.E is now in Indonesia for the first half of their da:ns artist residence - in the jungle at renowned Indonesian choreographer Boi Sakti's house in Depok (1 hr outside Jakarta). So this is a shoutout to da:ns fans and those excited to see the work :)

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It has been almost 2 weeks here in Depok, Indonesia. We the dancers of T.H.E Dance Company have been having a rather exciting time working with Boi Sakti at his studio. Depok is one sprawling rural town about 1 hour away from Jakarta. With it’s dusty roads and thousands of scooters zipping through the streets, it’s a far cry from the orderliness of Singapore. But Depok’s chaos is in a way strangely enjoyable.

Right now, we have just almost finished creating the prologue of the dance. The direction of the entire piece seems to be heading down an expressionistic, modernist work that talks about the discontents of modern civilisation. Boi is a man with very strong points of view and he seems intent to make these points very apparent in the work. It’s very interesting because all the pieces I have been dancing with T.H.E Dance Company so far have allowed me the space to distance myself slightly from emotion to enjoy the flow of the movements themselves but now with Boi’s work, I can’t dance convincingly without putting myself in a certain character and frame of mind.

Just yesterday, there was an earthquake in Indonesia. The epicentre of the quake was about 200km away from the Depok/Jakarta region and measured 7.3 on the richter scale. At last count, Indonesian news reported a death toll of approximately 29 people in the town nearest to the epicentre, there were minor damages to some buildings in Jakarta. We felt slight tremors in our dance studio. They were minor tremors but for a Singaporean chap whose most exciting weather experiences so far have been the afternoon Singapore showers, to feel the earth actually move put a lot of things into perspective. I shan’t venture into the cheesy clichés about life but suffice to say my being was very moved in a big way, literally and figuratively.

Mun Wai.

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Do expect more from them as they continue their residency in Indonesia, before they move to the Esplanade Rehearsal Studio for the rest of it.

Don't miss:

VOID
Jendela Peradaban (Window of Civilisation)
23 Oct 09, Fri, 8pm
24 Oct 09, Sat, 330pm & 8pm
$30

Ticket sales start today!

Did you see this is ST Life! pg 3 today big and bright? Click through to get your tickets now!

love, the da:ns team

Watch out for upcoming posts on Project X, by RAW Dance Company ft. Last For One.

Einstein said...

Dancers are athletes of God.

Tomorrow:

- Ticket sales start

- Website launch

- Big ad in ST Life!

Just so you know.. :)

love, the da:ns team

Shift Ticket packages

further on my previous colin dunne post, his performance is part of the Shift series. For our Early Bird special till 25 Sep, buy a package of 3, including a ticket to Out of Time, VOID and Transmission of the Invisible for $70. UP $90, thus making savings of more than 20%. not bad huh!

more on VOID and Transmission of the Invisible in posts to follow but as a brief intro

VOID - Jendela Peradaban (Window of Civilisation) marks renowned Indonesian choreographer Boi Sakti's return to the international dance scene. This is a da:ns 2009 commission that searches the soul and questions the meaning of 'Civilisation'. Performed by T.H.E Dance Company.

Transmission of the Invisible is a compelling tribute to the recovery and rebuilding of the arts in Cambodia after the Khmer Rouge regime. Performed by Tribal Crackling Wind, it tells, through dance, of the resilience of the human spirit.

da:ns 09 tickets go on sale next week!!!! Get excited. and keep checking back for up-to-the minute information and juicy tidbits.

love, the da:ns team

Paloma Herrera is coming..

.. and she will be partnered by none other than fellow American Ballet Theatre Principal Marcelo Gomes.




Here is a clip of her performing Don Quixote, a role that she is famous for, with Angel Corella. Sorry can't embed! Youtube disabled it. but click and watch, believe me, it's worth it.

Dancing with Herrera and Gomes are Yuan Yuan Tan and Tiit Helimets (principal dancers, San Francisco Ballet), Iana Salenko and Marian Walter (principal dancer and soloist, Staatsballett Berlin), Mizuka Ueno (principal dancer, Tokyo Ballet) and Ashley Bouder (principal dancer, New York City Ballet).

Don't miss

An Evening with Paloma Herrera, Principal Dancer, American Ballet Theatre

26 & 27 Oct 09, Mon & Tue

8pm, Esplanade Theatre

Tickets from $20 - $120

TICKET PRICES.. wawaweewah

Hear ye, hear ye. i know you will like this.

Enjoy reduced ticket prices at da:ns 2009 - and some delicious special ticket packages. This year, tickets start at $20. And schools can get tickets for as little as $10.

CENTRESTAGE

Spectacular productions from around the world take centrestage in the Esplanade Theatre and Concert Hall

Dunas

by Maria Pages and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui

23 & 24 Oct 09

$20, $40*, $60**, $80, $100

$10 for school bulk bookings

An Evening with Paloma Herrera

Principal Dancer, American Ballet Theatre

26 & 27 Oct 09

$20, $40*, $60**, $80, $100, $120

Project X

by RAW Dance Company featuring Last For One

26 & 27 Oct 09

$20, $40*, $60**, $80
$10 for school bulk bookings

RE-

Parts I, II, III

by Shen Wei Dance Arts

$20, $40*, $60**, $80

$10 for school bulk bookings

*$20 for students, $28 for NSFs and senior citizens

**$30 for students, $42 for NSFs and senior citizens

Shifting your notions of dance.. with Colin Dunne

This one's kind of fun.



I spoke to some friends, trying to cajole them into watching shows at dansfest. One of them looked at me and said flatly, "But I don't like dance." Maybe I need some new friends.



Anyway, I asked him what he liked. He said, "Humour. People poking fun at things. I relate to speech and talking more than i do dancing."


To which I laughed and said, "We actually have something like that."


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The purpose of our dansfest SHIFT programme is to showcase contemporary work that challenge the notions of what dance is and can be. One of our programmes this year is 'Out of Time' by acclaimed Irish dancer Colin Dunne.

Another first for dansfest! We've never showcased Irish dancing before. Colin Dunne is a highly acclaimed, former dancer from Riverdance - The Show, and his performance here includes a big multimedia screen where footage of traditional Irish Step Dance, including him as a child training to be a step dancer will be projected.

But riverdance this is not. Colin will interrogate the style, form and culture of Irish stepdancing in this personal and provocative solo work, peppered with trademark Irish humour where he talks to the screen, addressing his younger self and other dancers. All this while he is zipping across the stage in a blaze of percussive footwork which will then be digitally processed to form a soundscape in real time. Wow. That was a mouthful.

Wit, humour, virtuosic feet, multimedia, speed.. I think it'll be pretty cool.

Catch
Out of Time by Colin Dunne (Ireland)
27 & 28 Oct 09, Tue & Wed, 8pm
Esplanade Theatre Studio

Sidi Larbi interview with The Guardian

The Guardian did a nice interview with Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui on Monday- short answers, informative, personal- it really does give a deeper sense of who he is. I like interviews like that because they add another layer to the artist and allow us to see the human side of the artist and perhaps even get to understand his work more.

What he says about the myth of contemporary dance being inaccessible is true though- and could probably be applied across the board to most performing art forms - don't have preconceived notions, or pre-judge your appreciation of it! Article linked here.

Portrait of the artist: Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, choreographer
'I do read my reviews – but only a month after a performance.'

What got you started?
Watching a friend imitate Kate Bush when I was 13. I loved the idea of expressing yourself through movement.

What was your big breakthrough?
Winning best Belgian solo at a dance contest in 1995. I found my own style, mixing hip-hop with classical ballet and African moves – and met major choreographers like Alain Platel. It was only later that I realised I had been very lucky.

Do you suffer for your art?
Sometimes. As a choreographer, your work is quickly owned by other people – dancers, critics, audiences. It's strange when people assume that you have sole responsibility for it.

What work of art would you most like to own?
There's nothing I'd like to own. Art should be there for everyone.

What's the biggest myth about contemporary dance?
That it's inaccessible. You don't judge a book from the first page; so you should learn to see a dance piece from beginning to end before you judge it.

What's the greatest threat to dance?
It might not always be something people get paid for, but I don't think there's any danger of dance going away. It's part of the nature of people to need to move.

What song would feature on the soundtrack to your life?
Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush. It's about trying to make a deal with God.

What's your favourite film?
Wall-E, because I like the way he tries to do good. Requiem for a Dream, for making addiction something I can understand. And Shortbus, because it makes you realise we're indoctrinated with ideas about sexuality being bad.

What advice would you give a young choreographer?
Don't be afraid to do work that's like stuff other people used to do. So many people try to find something new, but by continuing a tradition, you will make something new.

Is there anything about your career you regret?
Regret is a word I don't like. My first work of choreography, Rien de Rien, was about not believing in regret – only in making choices.

Complete this sentence: At heart I'm just a frustrated . . .
Musician. I hear music in my head and would love to translate what I hear.

Do you read your reviews?
I do, a month or so after a performance. Everything that's said about me influences me. So if I get a bad review at the time, that's when I want to quit.

DANCE QUOTE OF THE DAY

FOOTWORK TICKETS ON SALE!

The very first of da:ns 09 tickets have gone on sale!

Anyway. My point is. For all of 12 buckeroos (for each class) I can learn all of this.

Footwork workshops starting from August (click for enlarged timetable) :

Click here to book!

I might be on the da:ns team but that says absolutely nothing about my ability to dance. Let's just say it's not my forte. Pure truth, not even marketing schpiel! I hold on to hope that one day I'll try something new (looking at Capoeira at the moment) and realise that I'm a latent martial arts talent waiting to be discovered. Or possess a hidden grace that I know not of. Or, if I signed up for Reggaeton I could potentially realise that my butt and arms could move in opposite directions. I am coordination-challenged, evidently.

Or I could take my dad to Merengue (that would be a scream because guess who I got my two left feet from?) Or I could just go get a good sweat out of Salsa Hip Hop and actually have a good time exercising.

Introductory dance classes on the cheap, and limited spaces only - get your tickets!

Maria Pages interview

A concise, informative interview with Maria Pages on her art and her dance.

On the evolution of Flamenco:

"Both styles have to live together. Tradition is very important because it
is the root of everything we have now but at the same time art needs to evolve
because it's an expression of our time."

On her personal process:

"When I have an idea I have a complete picture, like a film in my head. In a
flash I can see everything. I can see where the dancers are, how the lighting
works, everything. Sometimes it's so fast I don't have time to take it all in -
I've lost many flashes like that!"

For those not in the know, Maria performed Sevilla to a full house at da:ns festival 2007. It's always so good to know that we've built up a rewarding, mutually encouraging friendship.

Sevilla, da:ns 2007

WE'LL ALWAYS BE TOGETHER IN ELECTRIC DREAMS

This is going down tonight:

And the da:ns team is going to be there to see which mambo kings are going to lead our massive outdoor

M A S S I V E M A M BO J U M B O come October.

I'm not even kidding!

What's Your Move is this free component of da:nsfest that has different dances every night going on at the Esplanade Forecourt, where professionals teach passers-by the moves of various dances, including Swing, Bollywood, Ballroom and Salsa. But this year, we've got the support of Singapore's very own uberclub Zouk and we're bringing Mambo out of the club and sharing all this cheesy 80's and 90's goodness (really delicious goodness) with everyone.

For those not in the know, in Singapore, there is the Merlion. And then there is Mambo Night at Zouk where Singaporeans of all ages come down and dance in sync to 80's and 90's hits from the likes of Rick Astley and Belinda Carlisle. Throw in some Love in the First Degree, dream some Electric Dreams in a Square Room and you're well on your way... in the Summer Rain. It's Singapore's own dance, choreographed, passed down, loved and treasured by many.

This is just one of the really exciting events happening at da:ns festival this year.. and you heard it here first!

PRELIMINARY FEST LINEUP

Many of you may have seen this at Esplanade during the arts festival and Flipside festival:

da:nsfest says hello!

On Centrestage (and more to come) :

The World Premiere of Dunas by Maria Pages & Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui (23 & 24 Oct)

The Asian Premiere of The Re-Triptych by Shen Wei Dance Arts (30 & 31 Oct)

A World premiere and an Asian premiere - when the da:ns team found out we did something of a leprechaun jig around the office. Happy as clams, and not to mention super excited as well. These days any performance happening for the first time can be a world premiere (like the school play I put up in '96) but for one of the best and most prolific, eloquent flamenco dancers in the world (Maria Pages) to want to dance for us with Sidi Larbi of Sutra (the arts fest performance with the Shaolin monks and Antony Gormley) fame... it really is an honour.

And Shen Wei as well. Everyone remembers the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony. And this:

Scroll to 2:10 and watch!

Shen Wei was the lead choreographer and chief creative consultant for the opening ceremony, directing 16,000 dancers. This beautiful piece with ink-dipped dancers swirling across the blank canvas of the stadium floor is adapted from his work Connect-Transfer. Shen Wei Dance Arts will be performing The Re-Triptych at da:ns 2009 after its World Premiere in the USA.

Watch this space for more from these artists, as well as the full lineup!

DANCE QUOTE OF THE DAY

FEW THINGS ARE MORE POWERFUL THAN THE ABILITY TO SPEAK VOLUMES TO HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WITHOUT USING ANY WORDS.

MAKING A START

Welcome to the da:ns festival blog!

In the spirit of the digital age and sharing information here's something that will provide instant gratification for all you dance fans out there in the months leading up to da:ns fest 09! What's a festival team that doesn't keep it real anyway? Before we begin-

Save the date

23 October - 1 November 2009

Ticket prices have also been reduced this year - students can watch the shows from as low as $10 if they come with their schools, and for the public, the lowest ticket price for all our Theatre/Concert Hall shows is $20!

In our fourth festival you will find dance(r!)s to adore, stories to fall in love with, high-energy shows that'll get you on your feet, work that will set you thinking and lots of fun for you and your friends/family in a full celebration of the joy of movement.

This very blog will keep you up to date with all the latest news and behind the scenes action with interviews, photos, video and lots more over the next few months and throughout the festival. So keep checking back, subscribe to our feed and get excited.

Look out for Who's Coming, an introduction to the da:ns team and more in our upcoming posts!

It's Friday and I've got candy in my heels ;)