The Dance Film Series is a free screening series (with popcorn!) co-produced by MyDance Alliance and Five Arts Centre, to introduce international dance films to Malaysian audiences, and to encourage enhanced enjoyment, interest and discussion around the art of dance.

MyDance Alliance president Bilqis Hijjas will introduce the work of the featured artist before the screening, and Five Arts Centre member June Tan will lead a discussion of the film following the screening.

Venue: Five Arts Centre, 27 Lorong Datuk Sulaiman 7, 60000 Kuala Lumpur

Don’t forget: bring your own beanbag!

For more info, please contact Bilqis, contact@mydancealliance.org or 017 310 3769. Please also contact Bilqis if you would like to organise special screenings of these works for audiences of 10 people or more.

Dance Film Series I – Image/ Re-imagine: Films using dance to generate interesting new imagery.

SESSION 1: PINA (103 minutes) — 8PM, Tuesday 22 May

The legendary dancer and choreographer Pina Bausch, who died in 2009, transformed the language of dance with her extraordinary and revolutionary body of work. This mesmerizing film by acclaimed director Wim Wenders (The Buena Vista Social Club) captures some of Bausch’s greatest choreographies, brilliantly performed by her Tanztheater Wuppertal ensemble.

A dazzling celebration of her life and work, Pina is a feast for the senses.

“Incredibly moving… An experience beyond live stage performance.” – The Times

[Film will be screened in 2D]

SESSION 2: Sacred Monsters (63 min) — 8PM, Tuesday 29 May

This major work and worldwide box office hit, exclusively recorded at London’sSadler’s Wells Theatre, brings together two of today’s pre-eminent dance talents: Akram Khan, world renowned for developing his own ‘contemporary Kathak’style, and international superstar Sylvie Guillem, as they explore the dynamics and language of two great classical dance forms, kathak and ballet.

“’I have spent my life studying and performing kathak. It is the source of my creative process,” says Khan, “Working with Sylvie Guillem is an exciting newchallenge, giving me the opportunity to explore another classical dance language with one of its greatest exponents, and as a result unearth the things that are most often lost between the classical and modern world.”

“An exhilarating evening of humour, charm and extraordinary tenderness.” – The Sunday Telegraph

“A five-star display of speed, precision and power.” – The Guardian

SESSION 3: Sinfonietta : Symphony in D : Stamping Ground (90 min) — 8PM, Wednesday 6 June

Dedicated to bridging the gap between modern dance and classical ballet, the Nederlands Dans Theater has forged a reputation as one of the most innovativeand exciting dance groups in Europe. Under Jiří Kylián’s visionary direction (from 1975 to 1999), the company is a world-renowned ensemble famous for their immaculate precision and powerful elegance.

These three works display Kylián’s unique and very personal style, his affection for group performances and his remarkable ability to create highly inventive and witty ballets.

“When people say they don’t ‘get’ contemporary dance perhaps they should try NDT.” – The Independent, UK

SESSION 4: Bamboo Dream (88 min) — 8PM, Monday 11 June

The subject of many stories and legends, bamboo symbolizes integrity and simple elegance. In this full-length work by Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan ,iconic choreographer Lin Hwai-min interprets the elegant music of composer Arvo Pärt as well as improvisations on the Chinese flute by Huang Sheng-Kai.

Bamboo Dream displays the seamless blend of classical, modern and Chinese movement forms characteristic of Cloud Gate’s style. Seven sequences of astonishing physical skill and beauty mark the changes of weather and passage of time, against a breathtaking stage set of evergreen bamboo.

Dance Film Series II – ‘Dance-y’ Documentaries

Documenting the creation of dance in interesting ways

SESSION 1: Dancing Dreams — 2 Sept (92 min)

In 2008, world-famous dancer and choreographer Pina Bausch selected 40 teenagers who had never heard of her to be part of the dance performance Kontakhof (‘A Place to Make Contact’). They spent the next ten months falling in love with dance and discovering the work of Pina Bausch, documented in this film by Anne Linsel and Rainer Hoffmann.

Pina Bausch died in 2009. Dancing Dreams is a testimony to her revolutionary work and the impact she has had on the contemporary dance movement.

“Uplifting and life-affirming! A moving and most fitting memorial piece for PinaBausch” – Cinema Without Borders

SESSION 2: Rize — 9 Sept (86 min)

This riveting documentary explores the physically astounding Los Angelesworlds of clowning and krumping – spectacular styles of hip-hop dance. Directed by photographer and music video director David LaChappelle, Rize follows the fortunes of dancers like Tommy the Clown, a former drug runner turned children’s-party clown, as well as the phenomenon of krumping, which resembles a cross between an epileptic seizure and ecstatic possession; what one practitioner calls ‘ghetto ballet’.

A movie full of passion, urgency and breathtaking images, Rize is an intimate portrayal of inner city youth surrounded by drug addiction and impoverishment who evolve a completely unique style of dance, and manage to rise above.

“Visually stunning.” – Washington Post

“A feel-good film that actually makes you feel good.” – Boston Globe

SESSION 3: Forgotten Memories — 16 Sept (52 min)

Jiří Kylián, renowned Czech choreographer and artistic director of Nederlands Dans Theater, has created more than one hundred works, many now part of the repertories of the greatest dance companies of the world. This 2011 film gives an exceptional insight into the life of a creative legend who has shunned the limelight.

Shot in Den Haag, Prague and Paris, Forgotten Memories is an intimate profile ofthe dancer’s life and career, his lucky escape from the Soviet crackdown on the Prague Spring, his creative process and even the love of his life, muse and now wife Sabine Kupferberg.

“Dancers and choreographers are very fragile, very breakable and we are an endangered species,” says Kylián, “Because we have decided that we will declare our body as a work of art. And it takes a lot of courage to actually open up and show yourself naked, with all the faults, with all the mistakes, with all the deficiencies that we have.”

SESSION 4: La Danse – The Paris Opera Ballet — 23 Sept (180 min)

Frederick Wiseman, one of America’s most respected documentary filmmakers, presents a glimpse into the inner workings of the world’s oldest ballet company. Wiseman and his camera crew watched from the sidelines as the Paris OperaBallet (among them ballet stars Emilie Cosette, Aurélie Dupont, and Laëtitia Pujol) worked out the details for the company’s 2008 program. In addition to dancers honing their craft, Wiseman trains his eye on the people backstage who help make the ballet a reality, from the artistic directors and financiers who raise the funds to the stage crew who build the sets and the cleaning crew who sweep up after the show.

“Frederick Wiseman’s astoundingly beautiful documentary has sumptuous delights to satisfy every balletomane.” – San Francisco Chronicle

“A unique kind of magic: a documentary about the work in art that is itself awork of art.” – Boston Globe

Don’t miss the next instalment of our popular platform for new works and emerging dance artists!

Featuring:

+ A new Cunningham-style group work by Yuka Tanaka, performed by Balletbase

+ ‘Dedication’, a new group work by Leng Poh Gee, performed by LAPAR Lab

+ A funky duet by Sofia Tengku Daud and Illia Afifuddin, two talented young dancers from Alice Smith International School

+ A group work choreographed by Suhaili Ahmad Kamil, performed by sublime dancers from Aurora School of Dance

8.30pm

Saturday 11 December

The Actors Studio, The Rooftop @ Lot 10

Tickets RM 10, buy at the door (FREE FOR MYDANCE MEMBERS)

For more information, contact Bilqis at +6017 310 3769 or contact@mydancealliance.org

Dancebox is a joint production of MyDance Alliance and The Actors Studio.

German choreographer Riki von Falken will conduct a choreography workshop for choreographers and intermediate or advanced dancers.

Riki von Falken’s reputation as a dancer and choreographer dates back to 1981, when she furthered her dance studies in New York. Since then, her work has been decisively influenced by the artistry of Merce Cunningham, Trisha Brown, Jennifer Muller and Stephen Petronio. Since 1988 she has concentrated solely on choreography, creating numerous solo performances in her native Berlin and also appearing in works in Graz, Salerno and Israel. Earlier this year, Riki spent three months working as a teacher in choreography and modern dance at ASWARA.

Riki’s solo works range from interests in visual arts and architecture to radical personal introspection. She has also created a trio work for herself, a disabled actor and a second dancer, focusing on what happens when different forms of movement clash. According to German dance critic Katrin Bettina Müller, Riki’s “movement language has nothing heavy to it and is free from forced expressionism, instead it features a lightness, transparency and even elegance. This is due in part to the long work of transforming very inner movement into an external form and, on the other hand, due to constant self-introspection: how necessary is this movement, what does it trigger in the eyes of the spectator?”

10-12.30pm
Saturday 30 Oct 2010
Studio Tari Utama, Top Floor, ASWARA

The workshop is FREE but places are limited. To reserve your spot, please contact Bilqis at +6017 310 3769 or email contact@mydancealliance.org

Sponsored by the Goethe-Institut, and hosted by ASWARA and MyDance Alliance. For more information about Riki, see www.rikivonfalken.com

For map to ASWARA, see here: http://www.aswara.edu.my/web/guest/ContactUs

Missing your dose of dance now that Short+Sweet is over? Never fear: Dancebox is here! Catch your favourite regular dance night next weekend!

Don’t miss this fantastic lineup:

+ Breakout choreographer Naim Shahrazad in a powerful new duet with S+S Best Supporting Dancer Azizi Mansor 

+ Australian choreographer-in-residence Daniel Jaber previewing his exciting upcoming works

+ Visiting German choreographer Riki von Falken with a solo that will keep you suspended

+ Multimedia new work from returning choreographer Mun Lee, with a video performance by Aris Kadir

+ An evocative mix tape of moves from the senior dancers of Singapore American School

+ A solo by the unforgettable Nanci Traynor, with live sound accompaniment by DJ French Chris

+ Modern ballet choreographed by Amy Kong

8.30pm
Saturday 30 October
The Actors Studio, The Rooftop @ Lot 10
Tickets RM 10, buy at the door (FREE FOR MYDANCE MEMBERS)

For more information, contact Bilqis at +6017 310 3769 or contact@mydancealliance.org

Dancebox is a joint production of MyDance Alliance and The Actors Studio.

MyDance Alliance is working with The Actors Studio at Lot 10 Shopping Centre to bring you the Dancebox Series.

Dancebox is a one-night performance every two or three months which takes place at The Actors Studio Theatre. Performance in Dancebox is open to MyDance members.

We are looking for short dance works in any genre to showcase at future Dancebox events, such as:

• new works by emerging choreographers
• experimental works by established choreographers
• works by visiting international artists or returning Malaysian choreographers
• works-in-progress looking for feedback
• lecture demonstrations or non-traditional formats

Conditions:

• works should be between 7 and 15 minutes long
• choreographers should be MyDance Alliance members. Choreographers can join MyDance on the day of the performance
• works should be of a professional or pre-professional standard.
• bump-in and technical rehearsal of the works is on the same day as the show. Rehearsal time is strictly limited.

If you are interested in contributing a work to future Dancebox events, please email us.

The dates of Dancebox for 2011 are:

• 26 March 2011
• 20-26 June 2011*
• 26 Sept – 2 Oct 2011*
• 5-11 Dec 2011*

Dancebox is part of the FUSED Series at The Actors Studio Theatre. Other FUSED nights include live music, theatre, film and comedy. For updates on other FUSED nights see The Actors Studio website.

A platform for 10 young choreographers from ASWARA to explore their creativity.

Saturday, 26 June 2010
The Actors Studio, Rooftop Lot10 Shopping Centre
8.30pm
Tickets RM10, buy at the door

Featuring breakout choreographers:

• Naimsyahrazad – Seasons
• Fione Chia Yan Wei – Another Me
• Gloria Patie – Ruai
• Marrulhuda dan Murni – M2M
• Fairul Zahid – Not Only Me
• Hasmizan, Nurul Dhurar, Sufie Ashraf, Yang Mardhiah, Munirih, Denny Donius – Us

Dancebox June 2010 encourages students from ASWARA to test their creations, be more independent and cooperate with other people in the dance industry. Through this exercise, they will learn organisational and communication skills crucial for survival.

Dancebox June 2010 is also an avenue for ASWARA students to increase their marketability and reach a new audience.

A collaboration between ASWARA, MyDance Alliance and The Actors Studio at Lot 10.

For more information, contact:

Chee Ah Moi 03-26975046, Faillul Adam – 0172471772, Marrulhuda Mawardi – 0176653201, Murni Omar – 0172181502.

Date:   17 Feb 2010

Time:   3-5pm

Venue:   Su-Ling’s house, Sg Buloh

Attendance:  Choy Su-Ling, Bilqis Hijjas, Joseph Gonzales, Prof Anis, Suhaili Micheline, Leng Poh Gee, Visithra Manikam, Janice Yong.

Dance Awards

• Kakiseni’s model not considered sustainable. Opt to replace it with a more manageable festival-based model, in which awards are given not in the spirit of competition, but as recognition for achievement, with an accompanying statement from the panel of why the award has been awarded.
• Decisions to be made by a large range (at least 10 people) forming a panel of judges deciding in discussion with each other. This is considered a more congenial and democratic model, which cannot be upset by statistical outliers as occurred in the points system.
• Judges will be privy to the process of development of the works, in order to recognize process-based as well as performance-based achievement.

Dance Festival

• To be held September 2011.
• In a range of venues, possibly including KLPac, TAS @ Lot 10, the Annexe, Panggung Bandaraya & ASWARA in order to attract a diverse crowd. Site-specific urban performances also a possibility.
• An opportunity for corporations and foundations to be involved as part of their CSR. AsiaDanceChannel will seek RM 1.5 million budget, with the intention of paying performers, funding the costs of production, professional fees and other related costs.
• PR (by Pixarus Communications) and event management (by ADC) will be professionally performed, in a client-based relationship in which MyDance is the “paying” client.
• Two separate MyDance committees will oversee the festival: a curatorial committee and a management/production committee. MyDance members should not be in both groups, to prevent burn-out and the wearing of too many hats.
• To include a program of outreach workshops prior to the performances to encourage new audiences to attend. Participants creating work for the festival and previous year’s participants are required to conduct workshops.
• Awards will provide seed money for subsequent productions.
• Festival will have a theme, and participants encouraged to engage with theme. Awards given based on criteria related to the theme.
• Representatives and applications will be sought from all over the country, to make this a truly Malaysian dance festival.

Agenda for next meeting (end of March 2010)

• Establish a steering committee of interested individual to lay foundation work:
• To decide how to form curatorial and ad hoc management committee.
• To have initial discussions with a professional events manager.
• To establish returns for sponsors, in terms of exposure, etc.

Dancebox is back, with six short dance works springing out of the box and onto the stage, all for only RM 10!

8.30pm Friday 2 April 2010
Entry by minimum donation of RM10 (pay at the door)
Venue: The Actors Studio @ Lot 10
Roof Top, Level 8A, Lot 10 Shopping Centre
50, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur.

A joint production between MyDance Alliance and The Actors Studio Theatre, Dancebox is a platform for new dance works by emerging choreographers, and experimental, informal or work-in-progress showings. So you never know what you’ll find when you open the box!

Featuring:

INSTANT
Four young dancers conduct an experiment with holding. When you reach for something, you can’t hold it right away, but, given the choice, people will always choose instant.
Performed by Muhaini Ahmad, Nurulakmal Abdul Wahid, Suwandi Paiman and Albar Ramdzan.

+

AN ALTERED STATE OF CONSCIOUSNESS
Have you ever woken up and found yourself paralyzed? You cry for help but your sounds are muffled. In between states of consciousness, you are a prisoner of your body.
Choreographed by Vivian Chan, and performed by Ellya Sam-Mun Yee, Melody Tee, Pippy Song, and Vivian Chan.

+

TURBULENCE
Contact improviser David Lim joins Aidira Khaidir and Iylia Nordin to experiment with stochastic shearing of space-time velocity, also known as entropic experiments in second law thermodynamics.

+

THE PARASITE IN HER
She is moving without purpose, she is walking without conscious, but she is moving and going somewhere. The parasite in her tells her how to move and the parasite in her tells her where she goes. She is living because parasite living in her, but when parasite leaves her, her new life begins.
Performed by Nyoba Kan butoh dancers Kiea Kuan Nam and Yeow Lai Chee

+

GASP / STUCK
When you tire of being in the functional flow, break into a moment of silence and examine your emotions. Drift to a world you create with your own space, time and matter. But remember, returning to being functional in the flow is inevitable.
A work by first-time choreographer Crystal Low Sim Wei, performed by dancers from Balletbase. Featuring original music composed by John Siew.

+

MANGALA CHARANAM HARI HARO
A classical Odissi invocational dance piece dedicated to Lord Vishnu & Shiva, performed by Gayathri Vadivelu and Lawrence Sackris.

Enquiries: contact Bilqis Hijjas 017 310 3769 or bhijjas@gmail.com.

Dancebox is part of FUSED, a bi-monthly experimental series at The Actors Studio Lot 10, hoping to bring new audiences into theatres and to give emerging talents a chance to perform.

If you are interested to perform in future Dancebox events, please contact Bilqis Hijjas 017 310 3769 or bhijjas@gmail.com. For FUSED non-dance events, e-mail Ayunni at ayunni@theactorsstudio.com.my.

After performing to a full house during The Actors Studio at Lot 10’s opening week, MyDance Alliance is back again! On 23 January, MyDance Alliance will present the first of its new Dancebox series in The Actors Studio theatre on the rooftop at Lot 10.

Serving up an affordable and accessible fare of fresh experimental dance works, MyDance Alliance brings you the first Dancebox of 2010 entitled Moves & Sorts, featuring:

STRINGS
In a collision between dance and drawing, the movements of a dancer are transformed into a series of lines drawn live by the artist. Other dancers then use these visual cues to interpret their own movement. A unique performative process which changes every time it is performed, Strings gives us insight into new ways to produce art and movement. Performed by Australian visual artist Rochelle Haley and dancers of Rimbun Dahan and ASWARA.

CITY.THOUGHTS.
“You look at me looking at me looking at you.” An improvisational work performed by an ensemble of dancers presenting LAPAR Lab choreographer Low Shee Hoe’s exploration of the relationship between the city and me, myself and I.

RE.DANCE
The first serious dance work from young choreographer Hii Ing Fung, winner of Best New Female Talent at Short+Sweet Dance 2009. An elegant example of partner work between male and female dancers, first premiered at TDS Festival of Dance, and now revolutionized for the stage at TAS!

TRIBE
A new work from this community of women who express their feminine power through Tribal Style Belly Dance. Led by artistic director Nanci Traynor, Tribe tells tales of ancient magical journeys, enhanced by lush textiles, swishing tassels and heavy tribal jewelry. Saturday’s performance will be accompanied by music mixed live by a DJ from Paris!

Performance Details
Admission: Entry by minimum donation of RM10 (at the door)
Venue: The Actors Studio @ Lot 10
Roof Top, Level 8A, Lot 10 Shopping Centre
50, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur.
Presented by: The Actors Studio and MyDance Alliance

Enquiries: contact Bilqis Hijjas 017 310 3769 or bhijjas@gmail.com.

Moves & Sorts is part of FUSED, a bi-monthly experimental series at The Actors Studio Lot 10, hoping to bring new audiences into theatres and to give emerging talents a chance to perform.

If you are interested to perform in future FUSED dance events, please contact Bilqis Hijjas 017 310 3769 or bhijjas@gmail.com. For FUSED non-dance events, e-mail Ayunni at ayunni@theactorsstudio.com.my.