Friendship secured by dancing through life, regardless of age.

There’s never an age limit to dance, but certainly, what one can do with one body changes immensely as one ages. But as Frontier Danceland founder Low Mei Yoke and her friends prove, all it takes is a little compromise and continued effort to keep dancing, and through that process, hold on to steadfast friendships, in Dance with Me. Presented as part of the Esplanade’s 2025 Huayi – Chinese Festival of Arts, there’s something undeniably heartwarming about watching four longtime friends reconnect through their shared passion for dance, and celebrate their 40 year friendship at the Esplanade Theatre Studio.

Co-created by Low Mei Yoke, choreographer Ong Yong Lock and sound designer Ng Chor Guan, Dance with Me sets up an intimate, cosy living room-like space with couches and potted plants, making it feel like a casual gathering of old friends for an afternoon get-together. At its best, the performance radiates warmth, particularly in moments when the dancers move together in a fluid, almost line-dance-like formation—simple, organic, and deeply connected, the smiles evident on all four of their faces as they let their bodies take the lead and free their minds.

Once their initial group warm-up of line dancing and other formations is over, each performer introduces a personal theme in what they’re currently doing with their lives. Thong Meng Lan explores her commitment to domesticity and even plays with a Roomba onstage. Selina Tan Siew Lan revisits her role as a dance teacher, getting the audience to clap a rhythm for her to dance to. Jean Lee reflects on how she’s left her dance career behind for public speaking instead, trading ballet flats for no-nonsense, rhinestone-studded high heels, but how even teaching a class retains a form of choreography, extending that to an entire life philosophy. Finally, Mei Yoke asserts her continued pursuit of contemporary dance, donning sunglasses to show how hip she is, and plays with an electronic soundscape designed by Chor Guan that uses her voice as the base, showing off inspired choreography.

However, for all its nostalgia and gentle charm, the performance struggles with coherence and pacing. In a way, this is a performance that feels designed for audience members who know them personally; at no point do they ever speak of or reveal the depth of their friendship or their personal histories. Without a deeper understanding of their pasts and friendship, the emotional stakes feel muted, and we never feel like we get to know them beyond a surface level understanding of the roles they have presented for us, a private relationship that we are not privy to.

In addition, the incorporation of live typing on screen—a stream-of-consciousness style exploration of wordplay and abstract thoughts in Chinese that the dancers and Chor Guan take turns to do feels more distracting than illuminating, never quite justifying its presence in the work. At most, these musings on the weather and passing, non-sequitur commentary on friendship simply suggest that each dancer still holds some degree of distance from each other, never sharing their full selves with each other.

The real surprise comes post-curtain call, when the women truly let loose, each given their own song to move to, finally embodying the joy and freedom that felt restrained during the main performance. Here, the camaraderie shines, each one cheering on the other during their solo, and the audience even singing along to the songs they recognise. Visually, Gabriel Chan’s lighting design impresses—raindrops and water ripples cast a poetic atmosphere, the lighting dynamic and illuminating them with happiness radiating from their bodies, making one wonder why this energy wasn’t threaded more deliberately throughout the piece.

Dance with Me leaves lingering questions, the biggest of which prompts us to ask if dance, as this piece suggests, evolves into something more reflective, a testament to resilience and the many ways we move through life. It’s a lovely sentiment to consider, but one that, despite its poignant intentions, never quite lands as powerfully as it could have. Yet, as they cheers over glasses of water and share a final embrace, their history remains theirs to keep—perhaps, for them, it is enough to be recognized as friends who love to dance. This return to the stage, the shared movement, and the spotlight is not just a performance; it is a celebration, a reaffirmation of their friendship, and a gift from Mei Yoke that allows them to continue moving together, both in dance and in life.

Dance With Me played from 7th to 8th February 2025 at the Esplanade Theatre Studio. More information available here

Huayi – Chinese Festival of Arts 2025 runs from 7th to 16th February 2025 at the Esplanade. Tickets and full programme available here

Production Credits:

Artistic Director Low Mei Yoke Concept and Choreography Ong Yong Lock Co-Created by Low Mei Yoke, Ong Yong Lock, Ng Chor Guan Collaborating Performers Low Mei Yoke, Selina Tan Siew Lan, Thong Meng Lan, Jean Lee Siew Kim Original Music & Live Performance Ng Chor Guan Lighting Design Gabriel Chan Wei Wen Creative Writing and Documentation Tung Ka Wai