Synopsis:

da:ns festival commissions five leading contemporary dance companies in Singapore with an open invitation to create new works that represent their identity and artistic direction for the near future. Over two weekends, experience the distinct dance practices, viewpoints, and expressions of each company as they perform alongside one another at the Esplanade Theatre.

Heading the first weekend (8 & 9 Oct) are P7:1SMA and T.H.E Dance Company.

P7:1SMA explores the intersection of traditional and contemporary practices, using dance to reimagine the dynamics of the Malay identity. Through an examination of gestures used in nuptial blessing rituals, Selamat Pengantin Baru (Happy Newlyweds) is their attempt at reinventing the catalog of dance that features at Malay weddings.

With a body of works that navigate the human experience, T.H.E's essence is found in their "HollowBody" methodology which embraces physical, emotional, philosophical and meaningful expression to convey their collective identities and lived experience. The company's latest offering, A Beautiful Day, casts light on the positive aspects of living in the midst of an inexplicable pandemic.

Taking centrestage in the second weekend (15 & 16 Oct) are CHOWK Productions, Frontier Danceland and RAW Moves.

CHOWK Productions' raison d'etre is to develop an Asian contemporary dance expression that dissolves the dichotomy between tradition and modernity. In Variations on a Theme, odissi is approached in a similar fashion to how a Western classical music composer would when elaborating on a main theme. Experimenting with footwork, rhythm and tempo, the pared-down piece features three dancers and two musicians and is an invitation to relish in the intangible pleasures of a live performance.

Committed to cultivating versatility in expression through the body, Frontier Danceland's dynamic range of innovative works craft unique experiences that heighten sensibilities and evoke introspection. In The Span of Us, they enter the different realms and interspaces of personal territory, exploring the potentiality of proxemics in human connectedness.

Driven by the spirit of inquiry, one key focus of RAW Moves is to create interdisciplinary and experimental works that seek to redefine movement. Evolving from a microcosm of different worlds, Overlap discharges the fragmented "corps memories" from one's past to initiate a new query into the self. The work explores new causalities of expression and the relationship between movement, sound and space.

These works not only mark the strengths and distinctions that set each company apart, but also reflect the diversity of contemporary dance in Singapore. This is a rare chance to witness all five companies in their element, to be In Good Company.

In Good Company is commissioned by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay in collaboration with CHOWK Productions, Frontier Danceland, P7:1SMA, RAW Moves and T.H.E Dance Company.