Singapore scores twice over

Two of the year’s big-buzz contemporary-dance productions – “6,000 Miles Away with Sylvie Guillem” and “Political Mother” – are coming to Singapore’s da:ns festival, which kicks off a week from today.
The host Esplanade Theatres on the Bay was among the organisations that commissioned “6,000 Miles”, which had its world premiere at Sadler’s Wells in London two months ago.
“We knew right from the festival’s start in 2006 that we had the ability to commission and support artists with new works, especially Asian artists,” says Faith Tan, the Esplanade’s programming officer.
“As the festival continues we get more comfortable, and we’ve formed good relationships with many artists.”
The link with Sadler’s Wells came about when the Esplanade presented shows by Hofesh Schechter and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui that had appeared there. Schechter is the creator of “Political Mother”.
“Commissioning new works is something we want to keep doing,” Tan says, rather than simply booking established works, “but it’s quite scary sometimes since you never know how a new work is going to turn out.”
The Esplanade didn’t co-produce “Political Mother”, she points out. “I saw it and thought it was very powerful and should be shown here.” 
The Spanish Embassy has facilitated two flamenco productions – “Sevilla/Madrid/Sevilla” by the Ballet Nacional de España (which will appear in Bangkok soon after with a different piece) and “Solo” by Israel Galván.
The two shows, Tan says, provide “a nice contrast between traditional flamenco, with spectacular costumes and lighting, and Galván’s deconstruction – it’s just him with no music or traditional costumes.
“And a lot of people have said they’ll go to both shows.”
The Esplanade’s da:ns series runs all year and has included shows by the Netherlands Dans Theatre and the Mariinsky Ballet. Early next year, it’ll have the Paris Opera Ballet.
These performances add to the excitement of the October festival.
“When I was at the Mariinsky Ballet show I saw a lot of people pick up the da:ns festival brochures. I think it helps build up momentum.”
As for Asian artists, the festival and the Goethe Institut’s Tanzconnexions project are offering “We Came from the East” by Papua-born Jecko Siompo. Siompo’s characteristic movements, known as “Animal Pop”, cross over from tribal dance to hip-hop.
And Thailand’s Pichet Klunchun Dance Company is now in the one-month residence while working on the festival-commissioned “Black and White”. Why Pichet, I ask Tan. “Why not?” she says.
“The first time I heard about him was when I watched his collaboration with jerome Bel, ‘Pichet Klunchun and Myself’. I liked his ideas so much that I invited him to do ‘About Khon’ at the da:ns festival 2007, and our relationship has developed since then.
“He mentioned this idea for ‘Black and White’ to me last year during ConverAsians and his schedule best fit this year’s festival.”
For “Black and White”, Pichet has been inspired by the fact that the Ramakien murals display many patterns in the fights between monkeys and demons, whereas there are only four in classical khon.
So Pichet has incorporated the other fight patterns and, being politically minded, tries to show that warring foes sometimes need to support one another in the course of battle. Black and white can occasionally become grey.
A trial run of “Black and White” at the Esplanade Theatre Studio earlier this month revealed the company’s most aesthetically challenging work to date. The khon-trained dancers must venture far from the restrictions of the genre.
One observer even termed some movements “khon contact improvisation”, while another said some of the dancers seemed less than comfortable.
“Technically speaking,” says Pichet, “these movements are totally based on the ideology of khon since dancers trained in other genres can’t master them, no matter how skilful they are.
“The problem is that classically trained Thai dancers aren’t used to collaborating. They know how to follow orders and do their best. So we’re working on this new attitude.”
The company will also present three classical khon shows as part of Rasas, the festival’s free showcase of Asian dance.
“I see people walk past Rasas, stop to watch and get some exposure,” Tan says. “I think most people have a fixed idea of what dance is. If you really like hip-hop, nothing else is cool. That’s why we keep having so many genres and different types of programmes.”

 Get up and …
_ The da:ns festival runs from next Friday until October 16 at Singapore’s Esplanade Theatres on the Bay.
_ Tickets range are S$10 to $120 (Bt250 to Bt3,000) but many shows are free.
_ Book at www.Sistic.com. Get more details at www.dansfestival.com.