Wednesday, May 6, 2009

TLS09: CELEBRATED BY SEVEN SKINS

Seven Skins in rehearsal

A DANCE PERFORMANCE
CHOREOGRAPHED BY AIDA REDZA
PERFORMED BY AIDA REDZA, ANNE JAMES, FOO CHI WEI, HAILIZAN MAHMOON, SHAFIRUL AZMI SUHAIMI, SUHAILI MICHELINE AHMAD KAMIL AND SUKARJI SRIMAN
MUSIC BY HARDESH SINGH
COSTUMES BY CAROLYN LAU AND LISA FOO
STAGE MANAGED BY JUNE TAN
VIDEOGRAPHY BY NAZIM ESA


Aida Redza is a dancer and choreographer whose works are a visual example of tight bound tradition, deconstruction and new dance. She is mainly inspired today by interdisciplinary collaborations based on the principles of chance happening as well as the intervention and interaction of the performance body within public spaces.

When I think of light, I think of skin lighting up. When I think of dance, I think of wearing wild flowers in my hair.

When I think of green, energy efficient light and dance I think of the ways of spreading the body and senses, as a candle or reflective surface emanating the love and inter-dependance between dance and light.

Bringing together five prominent and significant performers from different and unique performance backgrounds, to join me in discovering and exploring each our own special light, amidst the web of light created by the TLS09 team has presented us with seven choreographic challenges.
Of illuminating and resonating the romance of dance with the embodiment of light.


Anne James loves acting; is happy to dance again; is finding her life renewed in teaching Theatre; is a member of Five Arts Centre; is a snatch theft victim; believes that the political turmoil Malaysia has been going through since March 8 is a necessary process of national cleansing; is convinced that we will come through this dark period renewed as a nation and a people.

Light:
…radiantshinelustersheenglowincandescenceafter-glowluciditybrightsplendorglareblazeblindingbeamsolar-
raysflareflameglimmershimmertwinkle
sparkleglistenfireflyflickerreflectionglowwormdaylight-sunbeammoonshinehalonimbusauranebulalightningcandle-
lighttorchchandeliertaperbeacon…

Anne James interacting with Lisa Foo’s Lancelets, a
headgear and selendang made from PET bottles and LEDs



Foo Chi Wei is always spirited. It would be true to say that if there’s some action, Foo is certain to be in there somewhere. Discovering Odissi for the first time in 1992, Foo finally took the plunge in learning the dance form from Ramli Ibrahim a decade later in 2001 at Sutra Dance Theatre. In 2007, he was seen in Donna Miranda’s contemporary dance production Extended Periods of Waiting at The Annexe Central Market. Later the same year, he also took part in Dr.Zulkifli Mohamad’s play Selipar Jepun as a Cabaret performer at the Stor Theatre DBP KL.

Light is many splendoured things to me: Light is when I first open my eyes each day… Light is comforting beacon to the heart… Light is harsh reality… Light is the soul reflecting in one’s eyes…I cannot imagine a world without light… that would be a void without forms…


Hailizan Mahmoon is mother of Aida Redza. She loves to sing.


Shafirul Azmi Suhaimi is an independent artist who enjoys working in contemporary spaces. Currently studying dance at ASWARA, majoring in Choreography.

Shafirul & Sukarji reacting in Loh Kok Man's blue stage lighting


Suhaili Micheline Ahmad Kamil
aged 24, has been actively teaching dance to kids since the age of 17. She now teaches at ASWARA and Aurora School of Dance. She earned a Bachelor of Dance (Hons) and various awards from the Victorian College of The Arts, Melbourne. Her passion is to perform more but sadly, very few opportunities, such as this event, exist.


Light helps me to be noticed. The way I see it, dancers’ thirst for light will always be.

Suhaili and Anne James exploring the light by Carolyn Lau's nourishments.


Sukarji Sriman received a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Dance from the Five College Dance Department, Smith College, USA and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance from the Jakarta Institute of the Arts, Indonesia. In early 2006 he joined the Dance Program, Culture Center, University of Malaya and has now been appointed as Coordinator of the Dance Program. Sriman is well known as a Javanese classical dancer, and as a contemporary choreographer. More than 20 of his dance pieces have been choreographed and performed globally, including The Circle of Bliss, A Time of Darkness, Awakening, Manuhara, and Angin-Angin.

Light is life. Light can burn my body and soul to dance, to interact with others.

Sukarji wearing a fused plastic bag mask by Richard Lau


Hardesh Singh is a music producer/sound designer turned technopreneur who holds a degree in Telecommunications Engineering. He founded SoundWorks Productions in 2003, carving a name for himself locally and internationally with albums for local pop, rock and R&B artists as well as a remix release in Germany. His Music & Sound Design for films have been featured at major International Film Festivals. He has scored for numerous commercials and international award winning films.

WITH THANKS TO:

MARION D’CRUZ
JOSEPH GONZALES AND ASWARA
JUNE TAN


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