An invitation towards finding a better future, together.

Do we exist as individuals to suffer the weight of the world, or is there a possibility of thriving through cooperation, where we learn not to live in conflict but harmoniously, seeking out solutions together? That is the story that T.H.E Dance Company’s latest production attempts to tell, with Searching Blue.

Choreographed by Kuik Swee Boon, Searching Blue takes inspiration from the Extended Mind Thesis and Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor’s “My Stroke of Insight”, dealing with ideas of change and connection through paradigm shifts and externalising thought. This is presented as the audience begins in the studio, where dancers Fiona Thng. Chang En, Klievert Jon Mendoza, Haruka Leilani Chan, and Frankie Drousioti are dressed in dark blue outfits, and have demarcated a large space in the centre of the studio with a circle of blue chalk.

As audience members, we sit on the periphery of the circle, the chalk marking an unspoken boundary preventing us from entering, while the dancers circle around it. Each time one of them gets close to an audience member, they extend the chalk circle with an additional stem snaking towards us, as if symbolically connecting us to the circle, offering a handful of chalk to us as well to add to it. We are no longer strangers in a space, but partners in this act, witnesses of what is about to unfold.

Initially, what we see before us is a battle, as Klievert Jon Mendoza enters the circle, displaying immense flexibility and strength as he moves about the ‘arena’. Each time another dancer enters, they seem to engage in some form of battle with each other, vying for the same space as they become visibly more agitated, competing to prove who is more deserving of belonging. From forceful legwork, to landing with grace, each movement is a display of immense control that speaks volumes of the training T.H.E has put them through.

But eventually, as more dancers enter the ‘arena’, the feeling of conflict seems to dissipate, as they chart their own path, no longer seeking to oust each other, but to garner the other’s respect. What initially appears to be a mess, as their chalked hands stain the ‘arena’, eventually becomes a melding of minds, as they realise the commonalities between them. No longer engaged in a fight, we watch as they stretch their bodies out, slowing their movements in an act of exploration of their limits, and they move together, on this same journey.

All this is accompanied by Kent Lee’s live music, combining instrumental and voice work that evokes elements of mysticism and spirituality, as if the dancers have embarked on some kind of religious journey to open their minds within, and realise the sheer interconnectivity of everyone and everything. Like a Pied Piper, Kent’s music is hypnotic, and as this segment of Searching Blue draws to a close, he exits the studio, with the dancers following close behind.

But this is a performance that has really just begun. Outside, the rain is falling, while Cafe Melba hosts an event with steady electronic beats. Everything seems to be going against an outdoor performance, but the dancers are determined, and begin this segment slowly, with an act of observation of their new surroundings, touching the plant life and ground as they lean in. It feels as if the movement from indoor to outdoor represents an expansion of the mind, going beyond traditional confines to a whole new world, as they seek what this new environment offers.

The invitation is not limited to us observing, but to involve us as well, with each dancer reaching out to a member of the audience, pairing with them to engage in dance together, leading them to stretch and move their bodies in unexpected ways. Dance isn’t just for professionals, but for us as well, allowing us to expand the range of our movements, and discover new things about ourselves.

Kent Lee continues to play, and leads us away, the dancers using the natural space of railings and ramps to find new ways of moving, the sound system wheeled along on a trolley close behind. Traversing Goodman Arts Centre, we find ourselves at the backroads, and watch the dancers dash across the concrete paths, now fully a single entity. Once again we are asked to join in, this time linking hands to form a circle, ebbing and flowing to form waves as we move in harmony with our fellow audience members, a simple act that connects us even further.

Somehow, the path leads us out the gate and towards the park connector, where curious onlookers stare at the little procession going on, the dancers still leaping, dashing and freewheeling across the road. We reach a patch of green and the dancers simultaneously pause, take in their new surroundings, and pose as they look into the distance. It feels as if they are connecting not just with each other, but nature itself as they literally touch the grass, weave in and out among the trees, and perhaps, find solace in the greenery.

Our journey then takes us along the canal, and while the path seems long at this point, the dancers skip along and follow the path to our final destination – a small alcove of trees and patch of grass, the playground lying just ahead. This space becomes their stage, as they arch their back, sweat it out, but not caring, compelled by some force (or Kent Lee’s evocative music, speaking to the soul) to perform here. They seem to become one with the environment, moving in time to the music and the wind, and with all the experiences built up, feel like a united whole.

Marking the final production in T.H.E Dance Company’s 15th anniversary, Searching Blue feels like a culmination of everything Kuik Swee Boon and his team have built up all these years. But more than that, the production, with the way it ends, also feels like an optimistic look into the future, as the dancers dash off into the distance, boldly moving together to confront whatever lies ahead.

If anything, T.H.E has proven once again that they are at the forefront of innovative dance work that pushes their dancers to new heights, and their artistic journey is one we want to continue charting, for five, ten, fifteen, or however many years they choose to carry on for. We feel a sense of confidence, a calm and stillness in our hearts as we watch this act of play, of discovery, of sheer excitement for what’s to come, ready to take on all the highs and lows of tomorrow, together.

Photo Credit: Crispian Chan

Searching Blue ran from 17th November to 3rd December 2023 at Goodman Arts Centre. More information on T.H.E’s 15th Anniversary on the15.co.

Production Credits:

Choreographer: Kuik Swee Boon Sound Design, Composition and Performance: Kent Lee Performers: Fiona Thng. Chang En, Klievert Jon Mendoza, Haruka Leilani Chan, Frankie Drousioti Production Stage Manager: Lee Xinzhi Sound System Design: Joel Manuel Fernandez