da:ns focus – Out of Site: An Interview with choreographer Rachid Ouramdane on ‘Corps extrêmes’ and staging the power of the human spirit

In a feature article on French choreographer Rachid Ouramdane, New York Times arts critic Gia Kourlas described him as ‘the choreographer bringing hope to the stage and beyond’. It’s a big title to live up to, but one that Rachid lives up to and carries well, particularly with his work Corps extrêmes. Playing at the Esplanade this weekend as part of their da:ns focus – … Continue reading da:ns focus – Out of Site: An Interview with choreographer Rachid Ouramdane on ‘Corps extrêmes’ and staging the power of the human spirit

Review: Still In Motion by RAW Moves

Let the water flow, and find peace in the shared soundscape. If dance is all about movement – is it possible to find it even within stillness? That is the central question at the heart of Still In Motion, a collaborative, immersive performance by Andy Lee from Unlock Dancing Plaza (Hong Kong) alongside Matthew Goh from RAW Moves (Singapore). Central to the performance is the … Continue reading Review: Still In Motion by RAW Moves

da:ns focus – Out of Site: An Interview with choreographer Hwa Wei-An on the power of falling, and what keeps him going

To make art is to live life dangerously and vulnerably, consistently putting one’s creativity and a part of one’s self up and subject it to as much criticism as awe and adoration. For Malaysian choreographer Hwa Wei-An, that danger comes very literally, and plays out prominently in his solo dance piece A Reason For Falling, which plays this December as a part of the Esplanade’s … Continue reading da:ns focus – Out of Site: An Interview with choreographer Hwa Wei-An on the power of falling, and what keeps him going

Preview: da:ns focus – Out of Site by Esplanade

In the final edition of da:ns focus this year, the Esplanade presents da:ns focus – Out of Site, a weekend of dance performances that foregrounds the intersection of extreme sports and dance. Presented from 6 – 8 December, it’s time to break new ground as these programmes consider how sites of extreme sports function as catalysts for dialogues with risk that unlock new thresholds and stir … Continue reading Preview: da:ns focus – Out of Site by Esplanade

★★★★☆ Review: PEARLS by Joshua Serafin (CAN 2024)

The non-binary body finds healing and solace in decolonisation and community. To be queer is to resist norms, and to live as a queer person inherently means to stand apart from the majority, incurring curiosity and perhaps even fear in others. The queer existence then is one often fraught with pain and violence, to face prejudice on account of one’s differences, and a constant search … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: PEARLS by Joshua Serafin (CAN 2024)

★★★★☆ Review: Magic Maids by Eisa Jocson and Venuri Perera (CAN 2024)

Collision course of the monstrous and magical elements of femininity, prejudice and Britney Spears. From the moment one enters the Esplanade Annexe Studio for Magic Maids, there is the sense that we are participating in something sacred or ritualistic. Hanging from the back wall is an armoury of brooms of various lengths and types, while above us, white and red string is layered and arranged … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: Magic Maids by Eisa Jocson and Venuri Perera (CAN 2024)

★★★★☆ Review: TOTEM – Void and Height by Sankai Juku (CAN 2024)

Finding beauty in horror and grief, as we make meaning against the inevitable. The name of Japanese dance form butoh originates from ‘ankoku butō’, or ‘dance of darkness’. While never conforming to any specific definition, the spirit of butoh is precisely couched in the idea of resistance and counterculture, an avant garde movement that refused to use formal dance techniques, and often dealing with taboo … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: TOTEM – Void and Height by Sankai Juku (CAN 2024)

Review: Streams Where Deer Drink by Sigma Contemporary Dance

Immersive dance experience ponders over memory and form, utilising space and projections to transform a space into a bastion of dreams. The beauty of dance often lies in the way the performers move and adapt to their chosen space and soundtrack, transforming their bodies to elevate the space and turn mere atmosphere into a complete experience. In Sigma Contemporary Dance’s newest work, the contemporary dance … Continue reading Review: Streams Where Deer Drink by Sigma Contemporary Dance

Connect Asia Now: An Interview with Joshua Serafin on healing, spirituality and the cosmos in ‘PEARLS’

Multidisciplinary artist Joshua Serafin is a force to be reckoned with. The 28-year old is already making waves across the festival circuit, with their provocative, viscerally-charged work often leaving a deep emotional impact on viewers as they reel from the sheer force of it. From performing at the Venice Biennale in 2024, to receiving nominations for the 2023 ANTI Festival International Prize for Live Art … Continue reading Connect Asia Now: An Interview with Joshua Serafin on healing, spirituality and the cosmos in ‘PEARLS’

Connect Asia Now: An Interview with Eisa Jocson and Venuri Perera on broomsticks, witchcraft and domestic work in ‘Magic Maids’

Artists and choreographers Eisa Jocson (Philippines) and Venuri Perera (Sri Lanka) may both hail from the same continent, but it took both of them being at a residency in Switzerland to finally properly befriend and begin working together. “We’ve met here and there in various places over the years, and I’ve been a fan of Eisa for some time now,” says Venuri. “But it was … Continue reading Connect Asia Now: An Interview with Eisa Jocson and Venuri Perera on broomsticks, witchcraft and domestic work in ‘Magic Maids’