In November 2003, Judy Mitoma, director of the Asia Pacific Performance Exchange (APPEX) Programme, was in Malaysia looking for potential participants.
It has been announced that TWO Malaysian artists have been selected:
Ajit Bhaskaran Dass and A. Aris A. Kadir
APPEX Artists Fellowship 2004
The APPEX programme is an initiative of the Center of Intercultural Performance of the Department of World Arts and Cultures at the University of California Los Angeles.
The programme involves bringing together 8 artists from the United States and 8 artists from the Asian / South East Asian region to collaborate for 6 weeks in Ubud in Bali, Indonesia.
The aim is for the 16 artists to form bridges of communication and develop a profound understanding of each othersโ cultures through a process of workshops, oral and video presentations, master classes, group projects and improvisations, public presentations, reflections and reviews.
Ajit Bhaskaran Dass
* exponent of both Bharata Natyam and Odissi Classical Indian Dance styles
* impressive repertoire of professional productions and artistic collaborations in Malaysia, Southeast Asia, the Americas and Europe
* regularly performs and conducts workshops and lectures abroad
* voted best male dancer in the International Music and Dance Festival in Chennai, India by the Shankarabharanam Trust in 1996
A. Aris A. Kadir
* awarded Best Dance Student Award in 2001 at Akademi Seni Kebangsaan
* has worked as facilitator, back-up singer, make up artist and wardrobe master in numerous projects, workshops and productions around Malaysia
* also an accomplished mak yong and bangsawan performer and choreographer
* participated in numerous international dance festivals in Singapore, Thailand, China, Indonesia, Japan and France