The Selangor State Department of Culture, Arts and Heritage hosts the Selangor Dance Festival 2005 for 7 weeks. The competition is on every Saturday until 11th June 2005.

The competition has three categories consist of Tarian Tradisional Negeri Selangor (Traditional Dance of Selangor state), Rampaian Tarian Tradisional (Various Traditional Dance) and Tarian Kreatif Malaysia (Malaysia Creative Dance). Every group has to compete in the second and third categories. The first category has to be done as a compulsory for entering FTS but will not be given marks. Each week consists of 1 group to 3 groups performing. The result of the competition will be announced on 11th June 2005.

Date : 30th April 2005 – 11th June 2005 (on all Saturday)
Time : 8.30pm
Venue : Has changed to Dataran Seni Klang, Klang, Selangor (opposite The Store & Klang Bus Stand)

Our third, Malaysian Dance Festival 2005, Living Heritage , starting from 27th June 2005 – 10th July 2005 will be held at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC), Sentul Park, Jalan Strachan, Off Jalan Ipoh, 51100 Kuala Lumpur. For Box Office, do contact 603 – 4047 9000 (KLPAC), 603 – 2094 0400 / 603 – 2094 1400 (The Actors Studio @ BSC). The public transport available are Sentul Railway Station (take KTM from KL Sentral) & Rapid KL 143 (take bus from KL).

This festival will includes Emerging Artists Showcase, Traditional Dance Night, Ballet / Jazz Night, Contemporary Dance Night, International Collaborations, Afternoon Showcase, Gala Night, Workshops, Conference and Video Sessions. From 8th July 2005- 10th July 2005, Asia Pacific International Dance Conference has chosen MyDance Alliance again to host the AGM, AGM 2005. This AGM 2005 will be held on the last 3 days of MyDance Festival 2005.

The tickets price are RM 35 (Adult), RM 20 (Students) & packages available. For Gala Night, tickets are RM 120, RM 80, RM 40 (discount for package purchases available). As for the workshop fees are RM 40 (Adult) & RM 25 (Students / MyDance Alliance members) [packages available too]. Meanwhile, the conference registration fee is RM 400.

To enquire more information on performance, do contact 016 – 221 0562. As for workshop, do contact 012 – 390 3242. Lastly for conference enquiry, do contact 019 – 662 5459.

A one-week workshop on curatorial practices in the context of contemporary art developments and increasing cultural exchange between Asia and Europe. This is organised by the Goethe-Institute Jakarta and the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF). This will be held at Goethe-Institute Jakarta & Selasar Sunaryo Art Space, Bandung, Indonesia, from 6th March – 11th March 2006 (Monday – Saturday).

The deadline for application is on 10th June 2005. Application eligibility are:-
Curators in the field of contemporary art practices (below 40 years old).
Curators with a documented interest for either the contemporary Asian art scene.
Curators with an interest in the history & development of the curator’s role in their home country etc.
Curators with a good ability to communicate in English which will be the working language.
Curators from ASEM members countries : Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Malaysia , Malta, Myanmar, Netherlands, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, United Kingdom and Vietnam.

Particular attention will be given to participants from the new EU member countries, who have an interest in developing projects with Asia. Special attention will also be given to applicants who are freelancers in alternative art spaces.

For more informations, do contact Ms. Marie Le Sourd at marielesourd@asef.org or visit http://www.asef.org/dir/ce

Wild Zebra is created by Zhang Jigang (a playwright, choreographer and director). Wild Zebra shares a story of two zebras (a young prince of the wild & a princess of the forest), sacrifice their love for each other in order for other animals learn that peace, love and understanding are life’s most precious gifts.

Wild Zebra will be staged from 29th July 2005 – 3rd August 2005 (Friday – Wednesday) at Istana Budaya, Kuala Lumpur. It is presented by The Star and Artistry by Amway and supported by the Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry. The dancers are from the Shanghai Oriental City Dance Troupe.

Tickets are priced at RM 90, RM 120 and RM 180 (evening shows) meanwhile RM 50, RM 80 and RM 130 (matinees). For details, do contact The Star’s Marketing Services Department 03 – 7967 1388.

‘A Jazz Dance’ drama comprising of different styles of jazz dance, ranging from Hip-Hop, Lyrical Jazz, Contemporary Jazz, Ethnic Funk to Funk.

The piece “ek is – I am” is choreographed by Celeste Theunissen and the original music composition by Adrian Ho Hok An. This work depicts Celeste’s life from childhood through to where she is now. The other pieces were choregraphed by both local and international choreographers. The people involved are Liew Yen Shan, Yap Mei Shang, Yee Mei Er and Chua Yuen Fun.

Date : 17th June 2005 (Friday)
Time : 8.30pm – 9.30pm
Venue : The Actors Studio, Greenhall, Ground Floor, Zhong Zheng School Memorial Centre, No. 32, Lebuh Light, 10200 Penang
Tickets : RM 30 (Adult) & RM 25 (Students)

Date : 10th June 2005 – 12th June 2005 (Friday- Sunday)
Time : 8.30pm
Venue : Experimental Theatre, ASK Campus, No. 464, Jalan Tun Ismail, 50480 Kuala Lumpur (can assessed through Jalan Parlimen, after the Bank Negara and behind the JKR building). [The nearest LRT station is Masjid Jamek]
Tickets : RM 5 & RM 10 (sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage Malaysia)

Umesh Shetty will be extending and further exploring his piece entitled ‘VARSHA’ that premiered at ‘Inside Out’ in April. It will feature dancers Azizi Sulaiman, Dhanya Thurairajah and Sri Vidya Nagendram (who are medical doctors and another news-worthy story), Loke Soh Kim and Vijay Nair.

In 2002, Loke Soh Kim created ‘Watermelon Juice’ that received rave reviews. Now she is restaging that will a second-part and continuation of her Malaysian fruits inspired series, this time using DURIANS. This show will come with a warning to those with an aversion to the fruit. The dance will again feature Azizi Sulaiman, Kamaludin Daud and others.

Aris Kadir who last year won the APPEX scholarship from UCLA to workshop with 16 international artists from across Asia and USA in Bali. He will be premiering a new work ‘Dari Diri Dewi’ inspired by the traditional elements of Makyung and attempting a contemporary presentation on the theme of women. These will be danced primarily by graduates and dancers of ASK..

The four choreographers that are selected for the Asia Young Choreographer Project in Taiwan are :-

Elise Catherine May (Australia)
Wong Jyh Shyong (Malaysia)
Jack Gary (New Zealand)
Elena O. Laniog (Philippines)

The Singapore Arts Festival 2005, starting from 26th May 2005 until 26th June 2005, The Season of Brilliance consists of Dance, Music, Theatre, KidsFest, Family Entertaiment, Late Shows, Visual Arts, Outreach, Partners Event and Festival Conversation. It will be held in various venue in Singapore.

For more information, do log on to http://www.singaporeartsfest.com

Ms. Tamalyn directs from Miami, Tamalyn Dallal, of the “Bellydance Superstars” DVD, has been dancing for the past 28 years. She has taught in many countries and recently finished an instructional book called “Belly Dancing for Fitness”. There are 4 types of workshop available:-

Workshop 1
(26th February 2005, Saturday, 12noon – 3pm, Fees of RM 120.00)
Polishing the Basics is important for everyone. Hands and arms are the most feminine and expressive movements of belly dance. Learn about the different types of movements that come from many parts of the Middle East.

Workshop 2
(26th February 2005, Saturday, 4pm – 5.30pm, Fees of RM 60.00)
Floor Work is the artistic and beautiful but must be done in good skill and taste. This workshop teaches how to go to the floor, several types of backbends, knee walks, roll-overs and isolations while on the floor, as well as getting up gracefully and the proper costuming and music.

Workshop 3
(27th February 2005, Sunday, 10.30am – 1pm, Fees of RM 100.00)
Finger Cymbals is challenging but it improves a dancer understanding of the music and helps with coordination. Once you recognize the rhythms, your dancing will improve and so does your appreciation.

Workshop 4
(27th February 2005, Sunday, 2.30pm – 5.00pm, Fees of RM 100.00)
Belly Dancing with a Latin Flair will utilizes several popular songs that have mixture of Arabic and Spanish music. This will incorporate elements from Spain with turns and hand movements, as well as Cumbia from Colombia with skirts and delicate hip movements. While adapting to salsa steps to belly dance beats.

The venue is at The Dato Pilus Hall, Top Floor, Sri Cempaka School, No. 19, Jalan Setiabakti 1, Damansara Heights, 50490 Kuala Lumpur. Special workshop package are available as (A = Workshop 1+3 or 1+4 = RM 200) ; (B = Workshop 2+3+4 = RM 250) ; (C = All the Workshops = RM 330). Ms. Tamalyn is bringing her book and DVD for sales, so do bring extra cash to the workshop.

For further inquiries and reservations, please contact Sherlyn at 012 – 311 2277 or e-mail to her at sharkidance@fastmail.fm or even check out the website http://www.sharkidance.com