Dharma's way in modern dance

The Friends of the Arts Foundation’s International Dance Festival 2012 kicked off on November 23 with veteran choreographer and festival artistic director Vararom Pachimsawat’s “Dhamma-Da Dance Mind 4D”. It was at a new venue – the freshly reconfigured studio on the fourth floor of the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre. The festival is also part of the centre’s Performance Festival #1.
Entering the studio, I noticed that Lord Buddha’s teachings were summarised on displays next to the ramp down to the main space. In short, they suggested we always be fully conscious in every moment of our life, knowing what we’re doing, watching, hearing, speaking and even tasting and smelling. It may sound ordinary – “dhamma-da” – but it’s very important, since people often misbehave without full consciousness.
Once seated, I noticed the slow progress in the hall’s rearrangement. The seating didn’t look like the design plan circulated, but instead took the form of multi-purpose platforms. The result was obstructed views – unless you make sure only shorter people are sitting in front of you.
Plus, the black curtains didn’t totally enwrap the hall, so the performance lighting looked rather peculiar. In short, those who paid Bt1,800 or Bt1,200 for a ticket had every right to complain.
Technical drawbacks aside, the six members of the Company of the Performing Artists worked well as an ensemble in conveying the show’s messages, notwithstanding their dance backgrounds and levels of experience.
Chulachart Arunyanak, master of classical Thai dance, fits right into contemporary dance. He’s comfortable in modern dance movements and his stage presence was as compelling as ever. The same could not be said for his junior, Pattarakit Phumpipat.
While their experienced Western counterparts, May Yimsai and Rangsima Boonsinsuk, carried the show, Rata Thuvasin effortlessly stole the limelight. A recent graduate of London Contemporary Dance School, she was both comfortable and engaging in all physical movements and dramatic actions.
Another young dancer, Krid Prarom, showed promise, but instead of using his movements to communicate to the viewer, he seemed to show off the exciting movements he could do at such a young age.
There were audience-participation parts, fulfilling the show’s 4D tag, in which we had a chance to truly focus on our perceptions, including our taste buds. The problem was that they conveyed the very same messages we already received from the physical movements and the installations.
Seasoned composer Sinnapa Sarasas’ original music supported the performance substantially without drawing too much attention to it. 
Walking out at the end, we were reminded again of the messages by reading the words on the ramp. Given the show’s contemporary-dance genre and its merits in improving life, I wish it had left more space for us to interpret and take it forward on our own.

FINAL SHOWS
The International Dance Festival concludes with these |productions:
“Dhamma-Da Dance Mind 4D” on Saturday at 7.30pm at Chiang Mai University’s Art Centre. Tickets cost Bt600 to Bt1,800 (Bt300 for students) at (053) 944 833.
At 10pm May Yimsai and Pattarakit Pumpipat perform at the Sang Dee Gallery. Visit www.Friends-of-the-arts.info for more details.
Jitti Chompee’s “Muet” runs tomorrow through Sunday at 8pm at the P Tendercool Gallery on Bangkok’s Soi Charoenkrung 30 and Monday and Tuesday at 7pm at Chiang Mai’s 137 Pillars House.
Check out www.18MonkeysDanceTheatre.com.