Watch this space as we will be bringing you exciting highlights from the recent SPROUTS 2010 - The Final Showcase held at UCC on the 18 Sept 2010, where the 8 talented finalists showcased the best of their choreography works.

SPROUTS 2010 – The Final Showcase

If you like dance with its vibe, energy and multi-sensory enjoyment, then bring along your dancing shoes and mood and come join us at the SPROUTS 2010 Final Showcase at the University Cultural Centre Theatre, on the 18th September 2010, 7.30pm. See the stunning works of our 8 young finalists showcase their dance choreography works, ranging from Contemporary and Chinese Folk dance.

These guys surely make and show all the right moves! Come support them and their arts. Get your tickets at $10 or $15 from SISTIC.

Schools may use the Tote Board Arts Grant in purchasing tickets. Limited 50%-subsidised Keppel Nights tickets are available. Visit www.keppelnights.com for more information.

The 8 Finalists

1. Phua Chiu Teng, Rebecca (competing with Once Upon A Time)

Rebecca began her dance training at the age of 11. Driven by her passion for dance, Rebecca developed her interest further in LASALLE College of the Arts. At LASALLE, Rebecca had the opportunity to work with many local and international artists and choreographers. Rebecca performed in Four Legs In The Morning, Two At Noon, Three At Night by Loretta Livingston, Lotto by Ming-Lung Yang in Singapore Da:ns Festival 2007 and The Vacant House by Loretta Livingston in Singapore Da:ns Festival 2008. Since her graduation, Rebecca has been teaching ballet. In the future, she hopes to choreograph and perform in contemporary pieces.

Once Upon A Time

“But I remember, I remember how it all started.”

Memories are something that we all hold on to. They can be filled with joy, happiness, regrets and can sometimes be painful. Sometimes, we wish that some things have never happened – how can we erase these memories? Some times, we look back and remember a happy period in our lives – how can we turn back time and find that happiness again? But, we can never do so. We can never return to the happiness we once had. We can only cherish these memories, and eventually forget some unhappy ones.

Performed by:

1) Ong Qian Xiu, Denise

2) Ee Wei Ling, Adeline

2. Chen Guohui, Max (competing with Tensions in Silence)

Max began dancing in junior college and served his national service as a dancer in the Singapore Armed Forces Music and Drama Company. In November 2005, he toured Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou as a performer with magic-musical production Magic of Love by Gateway Entertainment. He danced with Apsara Asia Company in Karma Yoga and Bitter Chocolate in May and July 2006 respectively.

In 2007, Max pursued full-time dance training at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) and graduated with a Diploma in Dance in 2009. During his studies at NAFA, he toured with the college to Tari Festival 2007 in Kuala Lumpur and performed in productions including The Third Space Series, which was part of Esplanade da:ns Festival 2007, Crossings (2008 and 2009), and interned with The Arts Fission Company during which he performed in Graffiti Roots choreographed by Angela Liong in 2008. In 2009, Max received the NAC Arts Bursary (Overseas) Award to further his dance studies at Purchase College SUNY, New York, and graduated with BFA Dance in 2010. His performance credits include works by Jonathan Riedel, Stephanie Tooman, Larry Clark, Lim Fei Shen and Gillian Tan.

Tensions in Silence

Tensions in Silence is an exploration of the cause and effect of silence between people; the silence of unspoken matters between people, where ambiguity forms tension.

Performed by:

1) Soon Xuan Ping Chermaine

2) Wang Xiaoxiao

3. Chiew Peishan (competing with Touch Me Not)

Peishan received her initial dance training in the Beijing Dance Academy Overseas Chinese Dance Examination Syllabus. She graduated with a Diploma in Dance from LASALLE College of the Arts in May 2007, following her graduation from Nanyang Technological University with a Bachelor of Accountancy in 2004. Since 2006, Peishan performed in various contemporary dance productions with John Mead Moving Image Arts Dance Company and Frontier Danceland. She also performed in Checkmate (2008) and The Passing (2010) by Albert Tiong in Esplanade da:ns Festival 2008 and M1 Singapore Fringe Festival 2010 respectively.

Her performance credits include works by Jaime Redfern (Australia), Ricky Sim (Singapore), Loretta Livingston (USA), Low Mei Yoke (Singapore), Anthony Meh (Malaysia), David Hsiao (Taiwan) and Gaspard Louis (USA). Her recent choreographic works include Self-Less (2009), Let’s Go Kendra (2010) and Gasp (2009), featured in Frontier Danceland’s production, Dancers’ Locker 2009, Dancers’ Locker 2010, and the finals of SPROUTS 2009 – New Works Platform for Budding Choreographers respectively.

Touch Me Not

Touch Me Not is an exploration of the sense of touch as a need. How can ‘touch’ feed other senses and potentially shape our behaviour?

Performed by:

1) Chiew Peishan

2) Dapheny Chen

3) Alice Tan Yen Yen

4) Foo Yun Ying

4. Fan Yaohong, Royston (competing with Alone) 

Yaohong graduated with a Diploma in Dance from LASALLE College of the Arts in October 2004. During his college days, he performed Shutter by Jaime Redfern and Friday Night by John Mead in the Fifth Annual Contemporary Dance Festival and participated in the Fifth Asia-Pacific dance competition where he obtained an honorable mention for his duet work in 2004. In the same year, he represented LASALLE to attend the international dance conference/WDA (World Dance Alliance) in Taiwan and represented LASALLE to perform Shutter at Taipei National University of the Arts. He has worked and performed with Melissa Quek and Ebelle Chong in SOJOURN in 2006. In 2007, Yaohong was awarded a one-year scholarship for L.A Dance Connection dance programme. Recently, Yaohong performed with John Mead Moving Arts Dance Company Kaleidoscope (2008), Secret Journey (2009) and 02- Square Series by Frontier Danceland performing, The Pilgrims (2010) and EvEonly (2010).

Alone

Have you ever been in love with someone who is unaware of your feelings? Do you wonder if both of you could become more than just friends? What would you do then?

The item is about falling in love with a long-time friend. Others might think that it is easier for you to confess your feelings to her than someone whom she has known for long. Do you really believe that? While treating her as a “good” friend with so much familiarity and understanding, your heart is longing to make your feelings known! What if she does not reciprocate your love? You find yourself torn in between conforming to the norms of a friendship and yearning to progress beyond friendship. That’s the struggle within you! The changes in your behavior, thoughts, and emotions were brought about by the internal struggle.

Performed by:

1) Fan Yaohong, Royston

5. Basu Mallick Koustav (competing with Be[longing])

Koustav is currently a student in the National University of Singapore. He started dance at the age of 21 with the NUS Dance Ensemble. In his four years with the group, he has worked with Dan Kwoh, Kavitha Krishnan, Shahbirul Zaki Ahmad and resident choreographer, Zaini Mohd Tahir amongst others. He also performed in two Fringe Festivals for Singapore Arts Festival and was selected by Kavitha Krishnan to perform in a version of Ramayana for Reflections 2007; an annual concert in Republic Polytechnic. Recently, he joined NUS Dance Ensemble in participating in Platform Campus under the Singapore Arts Festival 2010. His first attempt at choreography was during The Next Wave 2008; an annual concert by the NUS Dance Ensemble. It was the first time that an undergraduate was given the opportunity to choreograph for the concert.

Be[longing]

To not to conform is to rebel

To not to conform is to rebel

But sometimes one has to ask

Is it really worth it?

Performed by:

1) Tan Fangxi

2) Chee Ai Ting

3) Liu Yong Huay

4) Virgenia Vivian

5) Kelvin Pang

6. Fong Huey Jun, Liz (competing with To be examined)

Liz Fong, a National Arts Council (Overseas) Arts Bursary recipient, graduated from the New Zealand School of Dance in 2007. During her time in New Zealand, she had the opportunity to work with renowned choreographers like Michael Parmenter, Leigh Warren and Daniel Belton, performing their works The Bach and Nevermind the Bindies.

In 2008, she directed a full-length dance production Enter #1773 in which she also performed with professional guest dance artistes, Verity Jacobsen and Ding Qirui. She won awards in both Contemporary Dance and Choreography at the 12th New Prague International Dance Festival. In 2009, she choreographed and performed with PasarTheatre for the Singapore Arts Festival 2009 Fringe program. Liz Fong was also featured as the ‘Up and coming young dance artiste to look out for’ in Zaobao daily. In the same year, she joined T.H.E Second Dance Company under Artistic Director Kuik Swee Boon. She is actively dancing for T.H.E Second Dance Company and performed for Emerging Choreographers I and II. Liz is also a free-lance choreographer, dancer and dance Instructor under MOE.

To be examined

The work aspires to explore the incessant explorative and calculative relationship dancers tend to have with their bodies, as well as the bodies in space. This inspiration comes from the awareness that most dance artists possess a natural tendency to ‘measure’ any person they meet. The tendency to compare the other’s physique to that of a dancer’s ideal, how the dancer would love to have that attribute from that someone who does not actually need it because his life/work does not necessitate skilled body mechanics; and hence the acquiescence of their own deficiency in this aspect. The piece is not one about dejection, frustration or physical limitation. On the contrary, it centers on the inquisitive, investigative and comparative nature of dancers, which works to maximize their individual physical potential.

Performed by:

1) Wang Da

2) Jackie Ong

3) Alice Tan Yen Yen

4) Koh Xiuli

7. Tan Ting Feng, Kenneth (competing with Simplicity; Reality)

Kenneth is currently pursuing his Diploma in Dance at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. He joined Dance Horizon Troupe (Singapore) at the age of 17 and has been dancing and choreographing for major productions by the troupe. He later received training in contemporary dance with Wong Wai Yee when he was in Singapore Polytechnic. He has also had the opportunity to perform in the work by Ricky Sim at the Singapore Arts Festival (2007). Recently, he choreographed for Nanyang Technological University for Chingay (2009) and also choreographed the mass display for the Singapore Youth Festival Opening Ceremony (2010).

Simplicity; Reality

Is the world really as beautiful as we pictured when we were young?

Performed by:

1) Janice Oei

2) Jophia Chua

3) Aw Ruo Ning

4) Low En Tong

5) Elaine Chai

6) Wong Seok Ching

7) John Lee

8) Nicholas Long

8. Serene Tan Xian Lin (competing with On the Pod Yul Highlands)

Serene Tan is currently a first year student with Beijing Dance Academy. She is the first Chinese dancer to receive the National Arts Council Scholarship (Overseas).

In 2005, at the age of 15, Serene was awarded the National Arts Council Rotary Club training grant scholarship for the 8th Peach and Plum Cup dance competition. She made a history by becoming the first Singapore student to win the 2nd runner-up prize in the dance competition under the international category of Chinese Folk dance. In 2009, she was awarded an Honourable Mention for the same competition.

In 2007, her choreography for Yuying Secondary school was awarded Gold with Honours in Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) Central Judging for Chinese Dance. Subsequently, she has been achieving Gold Awards for the schools under her charge. Recently, she was the champion for the Multi Talent Category – In celebration of Singapore 2010, while representing Singapore for the 4th International Children’s Art Competition in Beijing.

On the Pod Yul Highlands

The piece is inspired by what Serene has learnt in school recently – Tibetan dance. Tibetans living in Qinghai – Tibet Plateau have a long history. They originated from serfs whose heavy bending during work made them unable to straighten their backs. In Tibet, there were also serious hierarchy groupings. When the serfs met their lord, they would have to hunch their backs over to salute and not speak or exchange glances with the lord. The serfs would stretch out their hands, as a form of tribute to the lord. Therefore, Tibetan dance is performed in a hunched back positions (qu bei), as a testimony to their past.

This choreography is inspired by how the Tibetans in the past 50 years, under the lead of the government, implemented national reform, the abolition of the feudal serfdom as well as the liberation of the serfs. The dance movements highlight the image of the Tibetan serfs, expressing how they felt when they were being oppressed, as well as their psychological state at that point of time.

Performed by:

1) Serene Tan Xian Lin

2) Ho Jia Yi

3) Koh Wei Tin g

4) Sherwin Chen Ye Qi

5) Jaclyn Lau Pei Lin

6) Glenda Neo Yuan En

More about SPROUTS 2010

Proudly organized by the National Arts Council (NAC) together with Frontier Danceland, SPROUTS provides a platform for debuting fresh and exciting choreographic works by budding choreographers. Previous winner of SPROUTS 2009, Gianti Gadi, will also perform her new work during the Final Showcase of SPROUTS 2010.

An array of exciting opportunities and prizes await the winner of the “Most Promising Work”– a cash prize of $2000, along with an Arts Professional Development Grant of up to $3000 to pursue further training in dance choreography. The lucky individual will also get to perform a new or expanded work at the Finals of the next edition of SPROUTS.