Come December 2010, T.H.E Dance Company, together with the National Arts Council and National University of Singapore Centre For the Arts, presents an inaugural week of dance events that are bound to titillate and revive the senses.

Rooted on the mantra of “Feel. Do. Think.”, CONTACT 2010 will engage its participants at a deeper level. With an emphasis on learning and exchange, the inaugural week long intensive will not only have performances but, more importantly, feature an extensive schedule of workshops, masterclasses and technique classes spread over 8 days. The fact that more focus will be placed on participation, learning and exchange instead of merely watching is the reason why it is being called an intensive instead of a festival.

Acclaimed local, regional and international artists have been invited to conduct the various classes and workshops, as well as perform. Be prepared for an approach that demands for more than just a fleeting appreciation towards the art of dance.

Main Stage Performances – Highlights include the premiere of Bohemian Parody a new work by Kim Jae Duk (Korea) for T.H.E Dance Company, a triple-bill evening titled 3 From Singapore featuring three of Singapore's most current and active dance companies - Singapore Dance Theatre, Frontier Danceland, T.H.E Dance Company - and a guest performance by dancer Chou Shu-Yi (Taiwan) during T.H.E Second Company's performance. Enjoy an exciting display of local as well as regional diversity.

Studio Presentation - The three studio presentation sessions during the intensive allow dance artists to feature their work in a setting that promotes exchange and discussion. Works-in-progress, alternative creations and workshop results will be featured. Raw and stripped down to their barest essentials, the Studio Presentation series will tackle the fundamentals of dance as an artform. Studio Presentation I will feature emerging choreographers from South East Asia, presenting talents like Muslimin Bagus Pranowo (Indonesia), Scarlet Yu (Singapore), Zhuo Zihao (Singapore) and Len Siew Mee (Malaysia). Studio Presentation II and the Dance Film Presentation will both feature the results of workshops led by Chou Shu-Yi (Taiwan), Kim Jae Duk (Korea), Muslimin Bagus Pranowo (Indonesia) and dance film maker Gabriela Tropia (London/Brazil). With each workshop, participants get to work with one of the artists over a five day period during the intensive to come up with a short dance. Jens Bjerregaard (Denmark) will also guest perform in Studio Presentation II.

Workshops - Those looking for a more engaging experience will appreciate our workshop series. Participants will work closely with a dance artist over five days to create a short work to be shown at the Studio Presentation series. A major highlight is the dance film workshop conducted by London-based Brazillian dance film maker Gabriela Tropia where participants learn the basics of dance film making. Under Tropia's guidance, they will create their very own dance film. Such a workshop is a first of its kind in Singapore’s dance community. Aside from this, there will also be no less than three movement workshops conducted by Chou Shu-Yi (Taiwan), Kim Jae Duk (Korea) and Muslimin Bagus Pranowo (Indonesia).

Masterclasses - Get first-hand experience of the varied movement qualities and concepts of our invited dance artists including Jacek Luminski (Poland) and Yvonne Ng (Canada/Singapore). Suitable for those who want to gain a comprehensive introdution to a particular dance artist's style.

Technique Classes – For those keen on honing their dance skills, our twelve technique classes spread throughout the week cater to beginners to professional levels. Do not miss this chance to improve or acquire new dance styles. Teachers conducting technique classes include highly established local professionals as well as regional and international names. They include Silvia Yong (Singapore), Albert Tiong (Singapore), Muslimin Bagus Prawono (Indonesia), Jens Bjerregaard (Denmark) and Jacek Luminski (Poland)

Eight marvellous days of just about anything dance; this is what the inaugural installation of Contact is about. Packed daily with activities and performances that will challenge and inspire your passion for dance, this is one intensive you will not want to miss. Do not just be enthralled by dance. Feel it. Think it. Do it.

CONTACT 2010 – A WEEK OF DANCE

11 – 18 DECEMBER 10

FEEL. DO. THINK.

Presented by T.H.E Dance Company.

Co-presented by NUS Centre For the Arts,

In partnership with National Arts Council.

 

 

THE PROGRAM

MAIN STAGE PERFORMANCES

11 Dec 2010 --- 3 From Singapore Featuring Singapore Dance Theatre, Frontier Danceland and T.H.E Dance Company

14 Dec 2010 --- Momento - Chou Shu-Yi and T.H.E Second Company

17 & 18 Dec 2010 --- Edge - Kim Jae-Duk and T.H.E Dance Company National University of Singapore, University Cultural Centre Theatre $40 / $25 (*Savings package available through SISTIC)

Website: http://www.the-contact.org

 

EDGE – Kim Jae-Duk and T.H.E Dance Company

EDGE will be an evening showcasing Korean choreographer Kim Jae-Duk. The highlight of this evening will be the premiere of Kim's new work, Bohemian Parody, for T.H.E Dance Company as well as a new work-in-progress, As It Fades, by

T.H.E's artistic director, Kuik Swee Boon.

 

3 From Singapore

Three of Singapore's most current and active dance companies come together in an display of local diversity and variety. Such a coming together, up till this point, has been rare. This is an opportunity to watch the Singapore Dance Theatre, Frontier Danceland and T.H.E Dance Company perform side by side one another in an evening that will promise only the best that local dance has to offer. Singapore Dance Theatre will be presenting Oneiros by Australian choreographer Adrian Burnett. T.H.E Dance Company will be presenting Waterbloom. Frontier Danceland will be performing a new work by Albert Tiong.

 

Momento - Chou Shu-Yi and T.H.E Second Company

Yarra Ileto

Not to be left out are the voices of young developing choreographers. Dancers of T.H.E Second Company will perform works by 3 young locally based female choreographers honed by T.H.E's artistic director Kuik Swee Boon. Choreographers featured will be Yarra Ileto, Alison Chong and Lee Ren Xin. Special guest dancer Chou Shu-Yi (Taiwan) will also perform a work in this evening length performance.

 

STUDIO PRESENTATIONS

15 Dec 2010 --- Studio Presentation I

18 Dec 2010 --- Studio Presentation II

18 Dec 2010 --- Dance Film Presentation National University of Singapore, University Cultural Centre Dance Studio $10/session

• Muslimin Bagus Pranowo

• Scarlet Yu • Zhuo Zihao

• Chou Shu Yi

• Kim Jae-Duk

• Jens Bjerregaard

• Amy Len Siew Mee

• Gabriela Tropia

View dance in a different light. Studio presentation sessions allow dance artists to feature their work in a setting that promotes exchange and discussion because we understand that not all dance today can achieve their maximum artistic effect by merely sitting and watching passively in a conventional theatre setting. Works-in- progress, alternative creations and workshop results will be featured in this series. Raw and stripped down to their barest essentials, the Studio Presentation series will tackle the fundamentals of dance as an art form.

 

MASTERCLASSES

12, 13 & 16 Dec

National University of Singapore, University Cultural Centre Dance Studio $30/session

• Kim Jae-Duk*

• Chou Shu-Yi*

• Jacek Luminsaki

• Yvonne Ng

*Participants have to undergo an audition process for the following classes

Chou Shu-Yi

Experience the varied movement qualities and concepts of invited dance artists first hand in our series of masterclasses. Jacek Luminski (Poland), Chou Shu-Yi (Taiwan), Kim Jae-Duk (Korea) are amongst the several artists who will be giving masterclasses. These workshops are suitable for dancers with an advanced to professional level to interact and get to know the movement styles of these artists. These masterclasses are perfect for the dancer who would like a comprehensive introduction into these artists' artistic practice. Each masterclass lasts 2 hours and each class can hold a maximum of 15 participants. This is a ticketed event. Selection process required for advanced / professional level masterclasses.

 

WORKSHOPS

13 – 17 Dec

4 hours/session

National University of Singapore, University Cultural Centre Dance Studio / School of The Arts Studio

$200

• Kim Jae-Duk

• Chou Shu-Yi

• Muslimin Bagus Pranowo

• Dance film workshop by Gabriela Tropia: $500 (all equipment will be provided)

Those looking for a more engaging experience will appreciate our workshop series. Participation entails a five-day workshop during the intensive where participants will work closely with a dance artist to create a short work to be shown at the Studio Presentation series. These workshops are tailored for those who want to experience working and actively creating with a specific choreographer. Confirmed artists giving workshops are dance artists Muslimin (Indonesia), Kim Jae-Duk (Korea) and Chou Shu- Yi (Taiwan). Filmmaker/video artist Gabriela Tropia (London/Brazil) will also be conducting a dance film workshop series. Each workshop series with one of the artists will span 5 sessions over 5 days. Each session will be 4 hours. Each workshop will allow only a maximum of 20 participants. This is a ticketed event. Selection process required for advanced/professional level and film workshops.

 

TECHNIQUE CLASSES

13 – 18 Dec

1.5 hours/session

National University of Singapore, University Cultural Centre Dance Studio

$25 each

Maximum capacity: 25 participants per class

• Kim Jae-Duk

• Chou Shu-Yi

• Silvia Yong

• Albert Tiong

• Muslimin Bagus Pranowo

• Jens Bjerregaard

• Jacek Luminski

Silvia Yong

This is a chance for you to improve or acquire new dance techniques. Invited dance artists as well as members of T.H.E DANCE COMPANY will give technique classes. Levels of the classes will cater to all from beginners to professionals. With a total of 12 techniques spanning the entire week – 2 technique classes per day – you can be sure to get your fill of dance training. Teachers hail from Singapore, the region and the rest of the world: Local teachers include Silvia Yong and Albert Tiong, Regional and international teachers include Jacek Luminski, Jens Bjerregaard, Chou Shu Yi, Kim Jae-Duk and Muslimin Bagus Pranowo. This is a ticketed event.

 

ARTISTS AND COMPANIES BIOGRAPHIES

Invited foreign artists

Chou Shu-Yi: (performance / workshop / masterclass / technique class)

Chou Shu-Yi has been choreographing since 2003. His works have been selected and featured by numerous prestigious companies, organisations and festivals both in Taiwan and internationally. Some of these include the National Chiang Kai-Shek Cultural Centre's “New Idea & Dance Showcase” (Taiwan), Cloud Gate 2's Seed Choreographers Project (Taiwan), Taipei Artist Village, the American Dance Festival and the Cite International Des Art residency program in France. He has also won awards including a gold medal in the National Dance Competition organised by the Taiwanese Council for Cultural Affairs and most recently the 2010 Sadler's Wells Global Dance Contest with his work 1875.

 

Kim Jae Duk: (performance / workshop / masterclass / technique class)

Kim Jae Duk's works have been described by certain critics as among some of the most attention grabing, refreshing and innovative. As an artist, he grasps the essence of Korean tradition and delivers it in a way that is easily understood by a contemporary audience. His most acclaimed work to date, Darkness Poomba has received recognition in both Japan and Korea. Kim's own company, Modern Table bases itself on interdisciplinary performance that attempts to transgress the borders between traditional genres of dance and music. His other works include Joker’s Blues, Awake and Clocker.

 

Jacek Luminski: (masterclass / technique class)

Jacek Luminski is the founder of Silesian Dance Theatre, Poland's first professional contemporary dance company. Luminski has been a seminal figure in the Polish arts scene for the past decade, lobbying for the arts among government officials and politicians, as well as sowing seeds of tolerance, individual initiative, and creative thinking through seminars in management, community outreach, social integration, and education. The Silesian Dance Theatre is now a partner in Swarthmore's recently established foreign study program for theatre and dance students in Poland, and Jacek Luminski has been named the Eugene Lang Visiting Professor of Social Change at Swarthmore College for 2001.

 

Muslimin: (workshop / technique class)

Muslimin studied Javanese court dance with great master teacher Mr Pitoyo at ARLANG Budaya in Surakarta. He is actively involved in the Indonesian dance scene having performed at several platforms as well as winning awards. These include, Best Dancer on the National TV Dance Contest ”Lets Dance” in 2006 and 2007 and the Jogjakarta Arts Festival. He also has close links to Singaporean arts organisations, this includes being a dancer and collabolator for the Ghost Exchange by ARTS FISSION Company. His solo dance piece “Buta Bukan Mati” was nominated for the solo dance competition Pakan Baru Riau 2005.

 

Yvonne Ng: (master class)

Born in Singapore, of Peranakan Chinese descent, Yvonne Ng came to Canada to get a sensible degree in the hospitality industry, but following her heart she left university on the Dean's list with an honours degree in Fine Arts, Dance. After a decade of dancing for Canada's best choreographers, Ng has created several choreographic works as commissions or for her company, tiger princess dance projects. Yvonne's current focus is on creating discrete movement as symbols as opposed to choreographic vocabulary. Writers describe her work as ravishing, paradoxical, immediate and hard-edged, like painful memory.

 

Gabriela Tropia: (dance on screen and dance flim workshop)

Gabriela Tropia graduated with a BA in Dance at UNICAMP, Brazil in 2005. She has been in London since 2006 and received her Masters degree in Dance for the Screen at the London Contemporary Dance School (LCDS) in 2007. She has worked on a series of short films commissioned by the LCDS for the Edge Dance Company. Some of her videos were screened at the One Minute Film Festival at The Place Theatre (London, 2007) and the Danca em Foco (Rio de Janeiro, 2007). In 2008, Gabriela Tropia's dance film, Tableleg (Campinas, 2006) was part of the Live Screen at Sadler’s Wells Theatre. Gabriela Tropia was also the video artist responsible for the film and video art in T.H.E Dance Company's production O Sounds.

 

Jens Bjerregaard:

Jens Bjerregaard is both founder and artistic director of Mancopy Dansekompagni and the Koreografisk Center Archauz, - a first-of-its-kind centre for choreography in Denmark. Facilities of the Archauz center include two black box stages and studio space, and the programs include an artist-in-residence program, a youth company, open classes for professionals, a biannual international choreography competition, and the production of other highly-acclaimed dance companies.

Extremely conscious of form, Bjerregaard’s language is playful, yet sophisticated. He constantly challenges himself and his dancers – both in his choice of music and artistic approach. He was trained in dance and choreography at the Laban Centre of Music and Dance, London (1989-1992), and is among the few choreographers in Denmark who consistently practices dance as an abstract, non-theatrical expression. Bjerregaard is best described as an architect of movement, with a natural instinct for structure, often inspired by contemporary art and design. His style is often displays a certain ‘Scandinavian feel’, founded on a consciousness of form and good design.

 

Local Artists:

Yarra Ileto: (Performance)

Born in Australia, Ileto began her dance training in ballet completing her RAD grade and major examinations. In 1999, she joined Quantum Leap Youth Dance Company under the direction of Ruth Osborne and in 2000, she performed at the Dance Excellence convention in Los Angeles with the Canberra Youth Ballet School. Ileto holds a BA Honours degree in Performing Arts-Dance from LaSalle College of the Arts. She has worked with choreographers such as John Mead, Jaime Redfern and Tammy L. Wong.

Ileto joined T.H.E Dance Company in 2008. She has performed in Silence, O Sounds, Within.Without, Variance, Void – Jendela Peradaban, The Man In The Centre and toured with the company to China, Indonesia and Poland. She has also choreographed works for T.H.E Second Company, the affiliated youth training wing of T.H.E Dance Company.

 

Kuik Swee Boon: (performance)

Former principal dancer of the Compania Nacional de Danza in Spain (CND), Kuik has worked with Nacho Duato as well as several renowned choreographers including Jiri Kylian, Mats Ek, Ohad Naharin and Wim Vandekeybus. Prior to leaving for Spain in 2002, Kuik danced with the Singapore Dance Theatre (SDT) since 1991, taking on principal roles in many full-length performances. Kuik received a nomination in 2003 for the Benois De La Danse Award. In 2007, he was awarded the Young Artist Award from the National Arts Council.

Kuik founded T.H.E Dance Company in September 2008. In the past two years since its establishment, T.H.E has performed in most major local arts festivals, collaborated with well known choreographers from Asia (Zhang Xiao-Xiong, Taiwan and Boi Sakti, Indonesia) and toured China, Indonesia and Poland. Kuik has also choreographed Pellucid for the Singapore Dance Theatre. Pellucid was re-staged in November 2009 in Denmark for Danish contemporary dance company Mancopy Dansekompagni.

 

Albert Tiong: (technique class)

Tiong was a professional dancer with Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan from 1996 to 1999, He has also been guest artist with Hong Kong Dance Company in 2000, and principal dancer with the local Odyssey Dance Theatre from 2000 to 2003. He has performed and choreographed for festivals such as M1 Singapore Fringe Festival 2010 and the Esplanade da:ns festival. Tiong also teaches contemporary dance extensively in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong. As the resident choreographer and training master of Frontier Danceland since 2007, Albert created Self Scan for Singapore Arts Festival - Arts on the Move 2007, co-choreographed Something Wrong (2007), Memory (2007) and The Master and Mistresses (2008), and choreographed a full-length work, Beg Your Pardon? (2009).

 

Silvia Yong: (technique class)

Trained in contemporary dance and Chinese classical dance, Yong’s career began with the People’s Association Dance Company in 1990. She was a principal dancer with Odyssey Dance Theatre in Singapore from 2000 to 2004. Yong has also been invited to work with local and regional dance companies and artists including the Arts Fission Company (Singapore), Ecnad (Singapore), E-Side Modern Dance Company (Hong Kong) and “Xin” Dance Workshop (Malaysia). As one of the founding members of T.H.E, Yong has performed in all the company’s works since its establishment.

 

Zhuo Zihao: (performance)

Zhuo received his contemporary dance training at Lasalle College of the Arts in Singapore and the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts both under scholarship. His experience is wide ranging. He has worked with choreographers including Alberto Del- Saz, Robert Tannion, Charlotte-Boyd Christensen, Daryl Thomas and Cheng Tsung- Lung and was a resident artiste with Odyssey Dance Theatre in Singapore.

As one of the founding members of T.H.E Dance Company, Zhuo has performed in Silence, O Sounds, Within.Without, Variance, Void – Jendela Peradaban, The Man In The Centre and toured with the company to China, Indonesia and Poland.

 

Lee Ren Xin: (performance)

Lee Ren Xin has just graduated from the Diploma in Dance from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA). She is currently in New York's Tisch University furthering her dance studies. As a recent student of NAFA, she has performed in all of the School's major dance performances. She is part of T.H.E Second Company and during her stint with the company so far, she has choreographed for T.H.E Second Company. She has also been selected to dance in a few of T.H.E Dance Company's productions.

 

Alison Chong: (performance)

As a young dance artist, Chong started her formal dance training at the age of 17 and is versatile in numerous styles of dance. Notable performances and projects include being a soloist in Silence by Ricky Sim (Singapore), choreographing a work titled Nunca me dice adios for her LASALLE diploma graduation show (2009) and dancing in pieces by Ming- Lung Yang (Taiwan), Loretta Livingston (USA), Albert Tiong (Singapore), Grace Shinhae Jun (USA), Cheng Hsienfa (Singapore), Melissa Quek (Singapore) and Zaini Tahir (Singapore).

 

Performing Companies

Singapore Dance Theatre

The Singapore Dance Theatre (SDT) was founded in 1988 by Goh Soo Khim and the late Anthony Then. Under the directorship of Goh Soo Khim, SDT developed into a premier professional dance company that grew from seven to 24 dancers. Each year, the Company performs five to six seasons, including the widely popular Ballet Under The Stars (BUTS) at the Fort Canning Park.

With the appointment of Janek Schergen as Artistic Director in January 2009, the Company is poised for new achievements in the international and Singapore dance arena. Janek is also the Artistic Director of the Choo-San Goh & H. Robert Magee Foundation which oversees the licensing and production of Choo San Goh's ballets and the annual Choo San Goh Awards for Choreography.

 

Frontier Danceland

Present artistic director Low Mei Yoke and Tan Chong Poh founded Frontier Danceland in July 1991. Frontier Danceland is a non-profit dance. The artistic feature of the company is a crystallization of the mixture of both East and West cultures, to express the incessant vigour, ever-flowing emotions and multiplicity of human activities of contemporary life in Singapore. The company’s uniqueness lies in the fusion of dynamic Western dance technique with the strength and beauty of Asian expressions.

 

T.H.E Dance Company

T.H.E Dance Company was founded in September 2008 by artistic director Kuik Swee Boon. T.H.E stands for The Human Expression and it is indeed our aim to reflect and personify the many facets of man and humanity through our dance and our art. Kuik has pulled together several dedicated dancers to help create a dance company with its own unique identity. Together, we hope to build a dance company that is strongly rooted in our local arts scene and at the same time prominent on the international front. T.H.E believes strongly in collaboration with other like minded artists because creation, to us, is never seen as one person’s effort but a result of a dynamic energy that comes from an entire group of people.