Asia-Pacific CHANNELS

Newsletter of the World Alliance Asia Pacific No. 2 | December 2020 Cheenee Limuaco in her work Salom, first prize winner in the WiFi Body choreographic competition directed by Myra Beltran, which premiered online on 28-30 August 2020, presented by Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Contents

Executive reports 1 President’s report 2 Update from the Global Executive 3 Special Thanks 4

Network reports 6 Education & Training Network report 8 Research & Documentation Network report 10

Chapter reports 12 Aotearoa New Zealand report 14 Australia report 16 report 18 Hong Kong report 20 India report 22 report 24 Malaysia report 26 Philippines report 28 Singapore report 30 Taiwan report 32

Channels, No. 2, December 2020 2020 WDA events Newsletter of the World Dance Alliance Asia 2020 WDAAP/TDRS Conference and AGM 34 Pacific

ISSN: 1328–2115 Editor: Bilqis Hijjas ([email protected]) About the World Dance Alliance Asia Pacific 35 Publisher: World Dance Alliance Asia Pacific World Dance Alliance key contacts 36

Cover: Jaring Laba-Laba di Executive reports Beranda Angka (The Spiderweb on the The Executive Board of the World Dance Alliance Asia Pacific (WDAAP) is elected by the Digital Verandah), membership every two years at the Annual General Meeting, which is held in a different choreographed by Ari Ersandi, photographed country each year and is hosted by the local WDA chapter. The Executive Board consists by Erwin Octavianto, of the President, the Vice President, the Secretary, the Treasurer and four regional Vice presented in the online Presidents, who represent the interests of their regions: East Asia, South-East Asia, South festival Jagongan Wagen, Asia and the Pacific. Members with a specific interest in the affairs of one of these regions by Padepokan Seni should contact the designated Vice President. If members wish to contribute to issues Bagong Kussudiardja (, Indonesia), within their own countries, they should contact their Chapter heads. on 24 July 2020.

December 2020 | Asia – Pacific Channels 1 President's report by Urmimala Sarkar Munsi

In these strange times, one remembers I am extremely happy to report that the Antonio Gramsci’s words “pessimism of the Taiwan Society (TDRS) and intellect, optimism of the will” that he wrote World Dance Alliance Asia Pacific (WDAAP) in his Prison Notebooks. Covid-19 holds are organising the International Dance us literally in our ‘safe’ spaces, prisoners Conference in Taiwan and the WDAAP of our concerns for others and selves. This Annual General Meeting – scheduled to pandemic restricts our thoughts, movements be held on 26th and 27th of December and our communicative processes in more 2020 – as a symbol of hope and love for ways than one. dance. Let us all thank Tsoying High School Dance has suffered, and so have dancers. for hosting the conference in these difficult Lack of freedom to use studios, lack of times. The international presentations shall patronage in the troubled times, and lack be on screen while Taiwanese scholars of any possibilities of performing for a live and dancers shall come together for audience seemed like a death knell for dance this significant event. We are happy that Left: Cheryl Stock, WDA and dancers for a while. But the relentless Prof. Yunyu Wang’s unbound energy and Secretary General from “optimism of the will” has prevented us from enthusiasm helped us to continue WDAAP’s 2009 to 2016, at the WDA becoming discouraged and most dancers yearly event and AGM. Global Summit in Taipei, Taiwan, in 2004. are trying different ways and means to Last year we had a beautiful event – the Right: Mohd. Anis. Md dance, to conquer the challenges and to Ocean Dance Festival, on the serene sea Nor, WDA Secretary make a living. shores of Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Looking General from 2016 to The internet is a saviour for many in these back the memory of the event seems almost 2020, at the WDA Global Summit in Brisbane, times. It opens small, limited but powerfully surreal in its intensity and sincerity. Australia, in 2008. All enabling windows of communication for We shall go on dancing, researching photos on this page by all, and dancers have managed to change dance, and celebrating the spirit of Julie Dyson. their modes, mediums and methods of togetherness through dance. moving, teaching, choreographing and being In these troubled times filled with visible. “Cynicism of the intellect” may be bereavements, ill-health and fear, let’s Update from the communications with a view to finding a new debilitating at times , but it has not been promise to keep dancing and remember Global Executive way forward for the organisation. able to kill the “optimism of will”. World what Pearl Primus said: We invite members to submit ideas and Dance Alliance Asia Pacific extends its “The dance is strong magic. The dance As previously announced in an email to the suggestions for a new look WDA, perhaps encouragement and support to the dance is a spirit. It turns the body to liquid steel. It WDA Global Executive from the Secretary- even considering working across regions community. DANCE WE MUST – for us, makes it vibrate like a guitar. The body can fly General, Prof. Mohd. Anis Md. Nor, this through networks chaired by expert leaders for those around us, and for our future without wings. It can sing without voice. The position will not be contested at the next in their fields (e.g. research, education, generations. dance is strong magic. The dance is life.” meeting of the Executive. health & welfare, etc). We should also The position of Secretary-General was consider new governance for WDA, created in 2008 in an effort to bring under membership and communication methods, one umbrella the work of the WDA regions, and ways of evaluating effectiveness as a i.e. Europe, the Americas and the Asia- world dance organisation connected through Pacific. Much was accomplished during common interests and skills. that period under two SGs, Dr Cheryl Stock This conversation is important for the and Prof. Mohd. Anis Md. Nor, and we future of WDA and our membership, and we acknowledge the fine work undertaken by look forward to continuing the discussion both to formalise our modus operandi and to directly with regional heads, chapter heads Sweety Das Chowdhury and Maria Farih Upama share common ambitions for WDA. These and individual members. performing ‘Porakrom achievements will be preserved as WDA WDAAP announces the initiation of Manobi’, choreographed moves forward to a new era. a global dialogue on the contemporary by Manipuri dance This pandemic year has seen massive concerns of dance and dancers, in the form exponent Sweety Das Chowdhury for Dakshaja, shifts in our expectations and the ways in of a webinar series. a six-day virtual festival which the regions are responding, so we We shall be planning two days of keynote on the multifarious forms have agreed that at the next Global General speeches and round-tables to have a and aspects of Goddess Meeting (at the next WDA Global Summit, focused and yet inclusive dialogue on Durga, organized by in Hong Kong in June 2022, if all goes 'Dancing and 'Net'-working: Presence and Maitree Pahari, director of Lok Chhanda, New according to plan) the key agenda items Representation in a Changed World.' Please Delhi. Photo: Abir Haque will be a review of WDA structures and look for updates on our Facebook page.

2 Asia – Pacific Channels | December 2020 December 2020 | Asia – Pacific Channels 3 Special Thanks

World Dance Alliance wishes to thank Prof. from 2016 to 2020. We look back on Mohd. Anis Md. Nor for his service as decades of international events bringing the Secretary General of our global organisation global dance community closer together.

At the launch of the book Beyond the Apsara: Celebrating Dance in Cambodia, at the International Conference on Dance Research and the Annual General Meeting of World Dance Alliance Asia Pacific in New Delhi, India, in November 2009. L-R: Mohd. Anis Md. Nor, Mohd. Anis Md. Nor with Karan Singh, Stephanie Julie Dyson in Angers, Burridge, Kapila France, in 2013, in Vatsyayan, Fred Frumberg preparation for the WDA and Adrienne Kaeppler. Annual General Meeting Photo: Benil Biswas in 2014.

In Taipei for the Dance in The World Dance Alliance Proximity World Dance Executive meeting in Alliance Asia Pacific Paris in 2013. L-R: Mohd. Conference and Annual Anis Md. Nor, Julie General Meeting, in Dyson, Cheryl Stock, November 2017. L-R Hazel Franco, Mary Jane Urmimala Sarkar, Sal Warner, Yunyu Wang and Murgiyanto, Julie Dyson, Jin-Wen Yu. and Mohd. Anis. Md. Nor.

Mohd. Anis Md. Nor (front row, 6th from left) with his team from Nusantara Performing Arts Research Centre, as well as WDAAP Executive Board members and conference performers, at the Dance in Proximity World Dance The World Dance Alliance Alliance Asia Pacific Executive meeting Conference and Annual with the team from the General Meeting at Taipei National Centre for National University of the , Arts, Taiwan, in November Angers, in France in 2013. 2017. Photo: TNUA

4 Asia – Pacific Channels | December 2020 December 2020 | Asia – Pacific Channels 5 The Education and Training Network provides a forum for professional exchange to improve dance curriculum content and delivery, and opportunities for sharing information and resources.

The Creation and Presentation Network provides opportunities for choreographic development, presentation, networking About the networks and cultural exchange. It includes choreographers, dancers, designers, The Research and Documentation composers, filmmakers and other Network supports and initiates projects that collaborators. Network reports engage contemporary insights into dance as a vibrant part of diverse scholarly and The Support and Development Network artistic conversations. The network regularly focuses on dance-based activities in terms The World Dance Alliance works through publishes journals, books and conference of management, promotion, distribution, four Networks, based on specific areas proceedings and encourages members to advocacy, policy and funding, through of interest and embracing the mandate participate in writing, editing and reviewing members who practice in these areas. It of the organisation. Each network has a for these publications. It also encourages equally encompasses members who are chairperson and co-chair who coordinate publications in differing formats and concerned with the social and physical activities to advance the issues raised by languages whilst maintaining English as the well being of dance such as health these special interest groups. Network lingua franca for communication. Individual professionals, somatic practitioners, Chairs initiate and drive the work of special projects proposed by members addressing community facilitators and legal advisors. In interest groups within the WDAAP and the heritage and future of dance, to include all these aspects communication networks— Un-form by T.H.E. Dance Company, Singapore. provide two reports annually on their ideas for implementation, are encouraged professional and social—are an important Photo: Bernie Ng activities for Asia–Pacific Channels. and supported through this network. driver for dance sustainability.

6 Asia – Pacific Channels | December 2020 December 2020 | Asia – Pacific Channels 7 Education & Training Network report By Ralph Buck

Preamble UNESCO has established a global initiative careers, communities, families will all be • Recognising that the interplay to reimagine how knowledge and learning diverse, and for us as a humanity to survive between education, society and can shape the future of humanity and the (and for our planet to survive) we must work will be much more fluid, that is, planet. This project is titled: Futures of cherish, accept, love, foster, protect and learners will be in and out of formal Education: Learning to Become. The final understand diversity. education systems throughout their life report will be released at the 41st General As we seek a peaceful co-existence span; that informal education outside Conference of UNESCO November 2021. inclusive of diverse political systems and of regulated systems will increasingly Details can be found at https://en.unesco. nation states we argue that culture and provide core education experience org/futuresofeducation/ dance education are integral and sustainable • Critiquing and researching cultural The World Alliance for Arts Education assets. The arts can in the next generation practices and dance education with (WAAE) of which WDA is an Executive serve us in protecting ourselves and the a view for fostering inclusion and member, was asked to provide input. Sarah planet much better than we do now. How? tolerance of others world views and Knox, WDAAP Education Network Chair practices and Ralph Buck WDA representative on the • Championing dance education • Maximising participation in quality WAAE, contributed the comment below. pedagogies that value inclusion, dance education in formal and informal participation, agency, experience and education contexts Dance Education and Futures of dialogue • Making education concrete and real Atamira Dance Company Education • Ensuring that dance education is through tangible arts experiences of Aotearoa New Humans need meaning and community. relevant to learners, their communities, where in the learner has ownership Zealand performing We have always valued myths, stories, their aspirations and agency in a safe learning Ngā Wai. Dancer and choreographer Sean rituals, performance, and dance as a way • Respecting that at the heart of environment MacDonald. Photo: Toaki to explain and understand our self and the education be it in the studio or on-line • Integrating dance education across Okano people we exist with. is the relationship between teachers other disciplines of knowing and When we as dance educators and artists and learners. It is rooted in a humanity researching consider our present global and local of relationships • Seeing the arts as a ‘technology’ for contexts and the future of education we • Welcoming and celebrating the archiving, documenting, facilitating must consider the integral, if not central, interplay between dance educators knowledge creation role the arts play in enabling us to make and artists • Celebrating dance education as a sense of now and plan for the future. As • Championing the methodologies and means for initiating and interrupting we make meaning, we make culture and re- practices in which dance education social revolution, and that such make it through history. Importantly diverse helps children express their ideas, alternative ideas come from a freedom communities make diverse cultures and they fears, concerns, solutions and to explore and express oneself. are equal, though history persistently reveals aspirations inequities, colonization and destruction of • Championing dance educators as Here, we advocate for the transformative such diversity. assets that can enable future policy role and power that dance education has As we look forward, we do this development that seek solutions to and can enable. This rests on valuing dance championing diversity in every eco-system, global concerns re climate change, education as being a requisite part of all knowing that there is no universal truth and moral degradation, nationalism, socio- people’s education in the year 2050. no universal model for education. That is economic inequities, gender inequity teachers, learners, curriculum, contexts, and bio-diversity

8 Asia – Pacific Channels | December 2020 December 2020 | Asia – Pacific Channels 9 Research & Documentation Network report

Thanks to Stephanie Burridge greater profile and connectivity for dance that the deadline needed to be extended Journal of Emerging Dance by Anja Ali-Haapala, co-chair research and practice in the Asia Pacific and for submissions as a part of organising the Scholarship (JEDS) 2020 Editorial beyond. conference. After a series of lockdowns, Team In this Channels, we are announcing that We also would like to acknowledge the conference has been shifted, with by A.P. Rajaram Stephanie Burridge has officially stepped Stephanie’s considered approach to suggestions from WDA board members, to down as Research & Documentation transitioning the network into new 26-27 December 2020. It involved a lot of The R&D Network is happy to introduce our (R&D) Network Co-Chair. We thank and leadership. Since 2018, this has been effort and mentorship from Prof. Yunyu Wang new guest editorial team for the Journal of acknowledge Stephanie’s 14 years of service a gentle process of onboarding where to change the schedule. Emerging Dance Scholarship (JEDS) who and leadership in the R&D Network. Since Stephanie has taken on the role of mentor as The conference focuses on navigating are actively working on the 2020 issue. joining Urmimala Sarkar Munsi as Co-Chair we navigated our new roles in the WDAAP locations and negotiating identities in Discussions about putting together a team in 2006, Stephanie has proposed ambitious network. This slow transition has given us a the context of various dance forms in the started during the Ocean Dance Festival projects. Most significantly, the Celebrating solid foundation from which we will leap into world. The academic papers that were in 2019. This editorial team consists of Dance in Asia and the Pacific Routledge the next phase of the R&D Network. selected this time include research on four scholars: Dr. Priyanka Basu, Dr. Ilana book series has raised the profile of dance dance practices, choreographic analysis, Morgan, Dr. Julie Mulvihill, and Dr. A.P. scholarship and practice across our region. Navigating Location, Negotiating ritual practices, performance practices of Rajaram (as the coordinator of submissions). This series is also significant as an early Identity: 2020 Conference various geographical localities, pedagogical Dr. Priyanka Basu is a Project Curator at Two example of foregrounding the artist voice by A.P. Rajaram understanding or dance, histories and Centuries of Indian Print at the British Library alongside academics and presenting multiple ethnographies. We have worked to confirm and a Visiting Scholar at SOAS South Asia perspectives from diverse communities. This year, The R&D network has collaborated selections of sixty-three papers which Institute, both in London. Dr. Ilana Morgan is Seven titles have been published to date, with the TDRS (Taiwan) conference include scholarly presentations, panel an Assistant Professor at the Department of focusing on Australia, Cambodia, India, committee mentored by Prof. Yunyu Wang presentations and lecture demonstrations. Dance and Director of the Community Dance Malaysia, Singapore, the South Pacific and and her wonderful team to conduct planning Along with academic papers, there are about Centre at Texas Women’s University, USA. Taiwan. More recently, Stephanie co-edited for the scholarly presentations for the twenty-one dance works for the showcase Dr. Julie Mulvihill was trained and taught Perspectives on Dance, Young People and conference ‘Navigating Location, Negotiating and sixteen master classes conducted by with Birmingham in Birmingham, Change, a project that was jointly supported Identity 2020’, being held in Kaohsiung, international dance exponents. Alabama, and is a regular member of the by WDA and daCi. Stephanie's work on this Taiwan. Even though the conference’s After the imposition of strict travel summer faculty, teaching at the Academy of anthology supported several Asia-Pacific specific focus was discussed after the restrictions due to Covid-19 in the host Dance Arts in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. R&D members to contribute chapters. WDAAP and daCi conference in Adelaide, country, and its regulations and advice from Dr. A. P. Rajaram is an Assistant Professor, Behind the scenes, Stephanie has Australia, the active participation of R&D’s the government officials, the committee Performing Arts Department, Presidency been a key contributor to the coordination team in assisting and discussing started members from both WDA and TDRS University, in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. #Yes or No, of scholarly presentations at WDAAP only after December 2019, right after the decided that the international scholars can The team is meeting virtually on a regular choreographed conferences, often undertaking the Ocean Dance Festival in November 2019 at record and send a film clip of their academic basis and working on publishing JEDS Vol. by Bulareyaung significant task of facilitating the peer Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh. The discussions paper presentations. This idea was well 8 digitally as early as December 2020 and, Pagarlava, performed by Bulareyaung Dance review process. Additionally, Stephanie has were regular in finalizing the deadlines and received by the international scholars, and as usual, this issue will present a variety of Company of Taiwan. been a strong supporter of initiatives for organising the received abstracts for the those who cannot make it to the conference interesting topics. Photo: Lin Chun-yung emerging researchers exemplified through academic papers. The original conference are sending their clips. These film clips are her championing of the Emerging Scholars dates were fixed for 8-9 August 2020. planned to be showcased along with the session at the 2015 WDAAP conference in When the Covid-19 pandemic broke out presentations by those presenters who are Singapore. Her sustained work within the affecting multiple nations from March 2020, already there in Taiwan. R&D Network has led to new collaborations, it was decided by the conference committee

10 Asia – Pacific Channels | December 2020 December 2020 | Asia – Pacific Channels 11 A dance in the Cangget ritual procession performed by Sanggar Cangget Budaya Lampung on 30 October 2020, in the Cangget Bara Festival (part of Indonesiana Lampung) in Sumatra, Indonesia. Note the face shields worn as Covid-19 protection. Photo: Ghalib Muhammad

Chapter reports Chapters Countries or defined geographical areas within a regional centre may become Chapter members, providing information and coordinating the dance activities Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, within their boundaries. They are important points in regional and global Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand. communication and networking. These Chapters propose and implement projects that address not only the general goals of WDA and WDA Asia Pacific, but also Countries with representatives but no formalised Chapters: East Timor and Papua the specific needs of the local dance community. New Guinea.

12 Asia – Pacific Channels | December 2020 December 2020 | Asia – Pacific Channels 13 Aotearoa New Zealand Auckland, University of Otago – have all to move their entire festival to the digital New choreographer Rose ended this most challenging of years on a platform and have presented an inspiring Philpott. Both works high note with their respective Graduation menu of live and pre-recorded dance works Zealand are paired with Seasons. New Zealand School of Dance throughout the year. report powerful original is presenting There & Then / Here & Now, Aside from all of the major productions and by Sheryl Lowe sound scores showcasing the depth of student talent companies returning to the stage, it has also by New Zealand and the School’s creative diversity. The been a great relief for the hundreds of dance sonic artists Jesse Unitec Dance SHOWCASE 2020 similarly studios throughout the country to be able to Austin-Stewart and celebrated diversity featuring three new welcome their students back – now happily Eden Mulholland works by choreographers Chrissy Kokiri enjoying regular classes again. respectively. of The New Zealand Dance Company, We are most fortunate to be in this Atamira Dance Charlene Tedrow, Artistic Director of Ura position in Aotearoa New Zealand to have Company has also Tabu Pacific Dance Company, and Yiling almost full access again to all that dance returned to the Chen, who worked remotely with students offers and fervently hope that other countries theatre with brand from Unitec’s shared programme with will soon enjoy a similar return to former Bjorn Aslund and new work Ngā Wai. Beijing Dance Academy, to develop a dance levels of creative engagement across the Sacha Copland of Java Dance Theatre in The Choreographed by film reflective of their unique collaborative entire dance spectrum. Metamorphosis Trail. Sean MacDonald relationship. Photo: Paul Taylor and supported by Many of those who had to cancel their a multidiscipline live performances due to Covid-19 found In this latter part of 2020, we have been design team, the creation of Ngā Wai is inventive ways to keep creating and fortunate in Aotearoa New Zealand to see a celebration of some of Aotearoa’s most presenting work. DANZ was proud to the lowering of Covid-19 alert levels across creative performance artists and the wealth support the launch and presentation of the country and the consequential lifting of stories that are held by Māori. an experimental project from Java Dance of restrictions on live performances and Black Grace is yet another company Theatre, which highlighted the / gatherings. It has been both a pleasure returning to theatres and debuting new process between dancers and musicians and relief to see our dancers and dance work with the premiere of 3 . in creating new works under difficult times. companies finally taking to the stage again Choreographed by Founding Artistic Inspired by 101 duets during lockdown, after so much disappointment and financial Director Neil Ieremia, these poetic works of Java Dance Theatre brought 26 dancers loss earlier in the year. New Zealand unrelenting physical power aim to inspire and musicians together in Wellington to audiences have enthusiastically swarmed with themes of resistance and resilience. experiment, progressing to a live-streamed back to theatres and other venues, with After its inaugural success in 2019, showing in Wellington and a performance many seasons quickly selling out. Experimental Dance Week Aotearoa, at Hawkes Bay Arts Festival. Tempo Dance With the return of live dance performances curated by Alexa Wilson, is excited to Festival made the decision early in the year artists have also embraced the opportunity present another live festival this year in to collaborate across art forms once more. December. After many re-programmings The natural connection between dance and and re-schedulings in the Covid-19 climate, music in particular has been fully exploited they will be bringing cutting-edge live as artists have emerged from the constraints dance, workshops and talks to audiences, of lockdown to the joy of creating and enabling the power of art and performance performing live together in front of audiences to speak to and connect people in these as before. transformative times. The Royal New Zealand Ballet fittingly 2020 marks the 11th year that the opened their luminous end of year Pacific Dance Choreographic Lab has production of The Sleeping Beauty on World been presented in New Zealand. It seeks Ballet Day 29 October, having cancelled two to foster creativity, ingenuity, risk-taking, seasons earlier in the year as a result of the discovery and collaboration which impacts pandemic. Live orchestral accompaniment the future of dance for our Pacific artists, Above: Amber Liberté, APOCALYPTIC POLITIC to the ballet made its welcome return to the not just in Aotearoa but globally. Selected // WE FLOAT, in theatre at the same time and this traditional choreographers for 2020 Ankaramy Experimental Dance pairing of two art forms is providing Fepuleai, Lomina-Meteri Araitia and Albert Week Aotearoa 2020. heightened enjoyment to dancers, musicians Latailakepa presented thrilling narrative- Photo: Jocelyn Janon Photography and audiences alike as the show traverses based dance pieces to an appreciative Below: Pacific Dance New the country on national tour. audience at Auckland Art Gallery as part of Zealand in the Pacific Contemporary dance company Footnote Auckland Art Week’s Late Night Art event in Dance Choreographic Lab New Zealand Dance is just wrapping up October. Showing at Auckland Art its national tour of Undercurrent – two Our leading tertiary dance education Gallery, part of Auckland Art Week’s Late Night Art absorbing new dance works created providers – the New Zealand School in October 2020. Photo: by Japanese artist Kota Yamazaki and of Dance, Unitec Dance, University of David St George

14 Asia – Pacific Channels | December 2020 December 2020 | Asia – Pacific Channels 15 Australia a plethora of parliamentary inquiries into Covid-19 environment. Studio teachers have report the impact of the pandemic on the arts and been particularly impacted by the pandemic related industries. The latest, a Parliamentary lock-downs, and Ausdance offices in each by Julie Dyson Inquiry into Australia’s Creative and Cultural State and Territory have worked with them Industries and Institutions, called for to clarify rules around practice, Covid-safe submissions in September, so Ausdance plans and re-opening. National made a comprehensive submission The Ausdance network has also about the breadth of dance practice in introduced Zoom programs such as the Australia, its impact on the lives of everyone Roundtable; a forum on from the very young to the aged, and the accessible dance education, training and financial and artistic issues now being faced practice; a discussion entitled ‘My Same, by dance companies, independent artists, Your Difference: Disability, Ability and the teachers and dance studios. All submissions Body’; ‘Holding Live Events, Productions & Promotional image for the Australian Dance can be read here. Performances’ and ‘Recreational Structured Awards 2020, featuring The Ausdance network has continued Partner Dancing’. Untitled 2019, with to make a powerful contribution to dance As some Ausdance offices are offering dancers Pol Andrés Thió dialogue this year, facilitating Zoom meetings free membership until the end of the year, and Libby-Rose Niederer, across all sectors of the dance industry numbers have soared, a wonderful way of Queensland Ballet, in 2020. Photo by David when so many small businesses, companies to connect with all sectors of the dance Kelly and freelance artists are suddenly isolated community across the country and to share from peers and reliable information about the information and support. While the Covid-19 pandemic continues, Jill’s citation states that: there has been some lifting of domestic travel restrictions for most Australians, and Jill Sykes has been writing about the arts, for events including live performances, dance in particular, since 1960 when sporting events and family gatherings. she began working as a cadet journalist International travel – both in and out in Adelaide with The Advertiser. She of Australia – is still banned except for has been freelancing since 1979 and is returning residents and emergency medical respected as a dance writer and critic situations. for the breadth of her outlook, which Ausdance National elected a new board at encompasses all forms of dance; for its Annual General Meeting earlier this year, the honesty of her approach; and for and it was decided to revive the Australian the inspiration her reviews and articles Dance Awards which had been discontinued generate for her readers. in 2019 due to limited resources. The board felt that work produced in 2018 and 2019 The Ausdance network will actively should be acknowledged, and nominations participate in the Awards presentation were called for both years back in May. ceremony by organising watch parties and With nominations now completed and the presentation of trophies to those who short lists announced in twelve categories reside in their States or Territories. for both years by an expert panel, In other news, Ausdance National has preparations are being made to live-stream established a dance education advisory the Awards ceremony on 8 December. group to work with the National Advocates The two Lifetime Achievement Awards for Arts Education reps Jeff Meiners and have been announced in advance, going to Sue Fox. The group met for the first time Janet Karin OAM for 2020 and Jill Sykes in November and agreed to formalise the AM for 2019, with citations provided by arrangement for future consultation. Its dance historian and writer Dr Michelle Potter. first task is to assist in the review of The Janet’s citation reads in part: Australian Curriculum: The Arts (Dance) being undertaken by ACARA, the Australian For over 60 years Janet Karin has been a Curriculum, Assessment & Reporting significant force in the world of Australian Authority. Similar advisory groups are being dance. She has been respected as formed by the other four art forms included a dancer, teacher, artistic director, in the curriculum: drama, music, visual arts mentor, researcher and academic and in and media arts. These are all now given Janet Karin (above) each of those roles has shown a deep equal space in a curriculum that emphasises and Jill Sykes (below), commitment to dance and an intelligent equal opportunity and entitlement for all recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Awards at and searching approach to the growth of students from Kindergarten to Year 10. the Australian Dance the art form. In this year of Covid-19 there has been Awards 2020.

16 Asia – Pacific Channels | December 2020 December 2020 | Asia – Pacific Channels 17 Bangladesh Council. Dhriti Nartanalaya, headed by report Manipuri dance exponent Warda Rihab, has presented dance drama ‘Shaktrurupen’ on an by Zuairiyah online event organized by Kalhar (USA), and Mouli many more. On the other hand, promising young dancers Sudeshna Swayamprabha, Moumita Jaya and Hasan Ishtiaque Imran have presented solo Manipuri and Kathak dance recitals in prestigious virtual festivals in India. The dancers have admitted that the online screens cannot provide half of the excitement and involvement that stage performance does but ‘the show must go on!’ 2 Gaudia dance exponent In addition, national television channels Rachel Priyanka have started recording dance shows performing Gaudia dance, while maintaining safety measures. Many school said, “The struggle it takes to figure choreographed by Prof. Mahua Mukherjee, young independent dancers are sharing out every moment of footwork as well as in the virtual dance creative content via their Youtube channels hand gestures through the screen while festival ‘Dance Synergy and Facebook while the number of online learning something new is far more mentally Danceathon’ organized festivals and competitions is increasing day exhausting than it is to physically do real- by Sujata Banerjee Dance Company, UK. by day. time classes for longer hours. I remember Photo: Mehedi Rahman Though some studios have started their the times we arrived at classes early and Ehab physical classes on a limited basis, most had detailed discussions on what we had dance schools are conducting classes learnt so far as well as reminding each other online as the government has not withdrawn of the forgotten parts from the newly learnt 2021 is approaching and people are getting Ahmed has launched a Facebook webcast, the lockdown on schools yet. One positive piece which eventually cleared up a lot of used to this new normal. The dance industry ‘Nritter Nepothe’ (Behind the Dance), where side of these online classes is students confusion and mistakes. I miss those fun of Bangladesh has made a noticeable shift in legendary dance artists of Bangladesh are from remote districts, who earlier could not times.” the last few months. Dancers are making the sharing their journey of dance. Following come to the city to join dance class, are now Teachers are trying their best to overcome best use of the resources available to create the lead of the seniors, Tahnun Ahmedy, a getting the opportunity to have good training communication barriers and make online and communicate. promising young contemporary dancer and in dance through online classes. classes more interesting. And everyone is Nirtyajog, the WDA (Asia Pacific)- choreographer of Bangladesh, has started But both students and teachers feel that waiting for this pandemic to be over, to go Bangladesh chapter, has emphasized a live webcast on Facebook interviewing online dance classes are more stressful back to studios and stages as they are tired inspiring young choreographers and renowned international dance artists, while than physical classes. Madhurima Roy, of watching dance and meeting each other performers to think, read and write about dancer and organizer Shohag Mahabub a young student from Kolpotoru dance through the rectangular screen. dance more, along with performing. Several Hasan from Bogura is also conducting initiatives have been taken by various online interview sessions of dance artists 1 organizations. Since June 2020, Shadhona and organizers from around the country. Cultural Centre, headed by Lubna Marium, These webinars and webcasts are motivating has started a series of online workshops on the dancers to gain knowledge about dance safeguarding, inventorying and conducting and dancers around the world and to explore critical research on the intangible cultural other aspects of dance as well. heritage (ICH) of Bangladesh. Initiatives Dancers are not only confined to webinars have been taken to build a national, online, but also share their creativity and passion for community-led, ICH-pedia collaborating with dance on national and international online 13 other cultural institutions. dance platforms. Manipuri dance exponent Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy has Sweety Das Chowdhury’s , been arranging a series of webinars on ‘Porakrom Manobi’, a dance piece exploring dance research and dance styles of Bengal the power of women, has been presented in 1. An online workshop since July 2020. Nrityanandan, headed by Dakshaja, a six-day long virtual festival on the on safeguarding and leading Manipuri dance exponent Sharmila multifarious forms and aspects of Goddess inventorying intangible cultural heritage, Banerjee, has been organizing an interesting Durga, organized by Maitree Pahari, director conducted by Lubna online event on Facebook, ‘Nritto Upolobdhi’ of Lok Chanda in New Delhi. Marium, Artistic Director, (Realization of Dance), where each episode Gaudiya dance exponent Rachel Priyanaka Shadhona Cultural is based on a specific dance style; prominent received accolades by performing in the Centre local and international dancers then share Dance Synergy Danceathon organized by 2. Kolpotoru Dance Studio in Dhaka, Bangladesh, their experience with that style. Sujata Banerjee Dance Company (UK), in conducting online dance Eminent Kathak dance exponent Munmun Women of the World, a festival by British classes.

18 Asia – Pacific Channels | December 2020 December 2020 | Asia – Pacific Channels 19 Hong Kong report by Sophie Lau

Left: Daniel Yeung, winner of the Distinguished Achievement Award at the 22nd Hong Kong Dance Awards. Photo: Cheung Chi Wai @ Moon Outstanding Large 9 Image Venue Production at the 22nd Hong Kong Dance Below: Shirley Loong, Awards awarded to City Chairperson of the Hong Contemporary Dance Kong Dance Alliance Company for Winterreise during the livestreaming · The Rite of Spring. of the 22nd Hong Kong Photo: Cheung Chi Wai Dance Awards. Photo: Ziv @ Moon 9 Image Chun

The performing arts scene in Hong Kong Dance Education and Outstanding Services and multimedia as well as other disciplines the adverse effect of COVID-19 to the continues to face hurdles and uncertainty to Dance. of art forms. local dance scene. These findings were amidst the pandemic. Due to the third wave In embracing the ‘new normal’, artists In August, the Hong Kong Dance Alliance summarized and had been submitted to the of COVID-19 cases spiking from July, social and dance companies premiered their conducted focus group meetings with related government departments and parties. distancing measures were tightened and works through online platform and initiated dance practitioners including producers, This is to advocate for further support from hence all performance venues were closed cross-disciplinary collaborations between dancers from small and medium dance government and raise public concern on the again until early October. dance and digital media. For example, R & T companies and independent choreographers adverse effect by the pandemic on the local Nonetheless, the pandemic did not deter (Rhythm & Tempo) redesigned its 2.0 version to understand better their challenges and dance scene. The Alliance will continue to the Hong Kong Alliance from hosting the of Jazz It Up, a performance difficulties under the pandemic situation. uphold the responsive actions and strive to annual celebration of the outstanding which was cancelled in February, to be Questionnaires were also distributed bring the dance community together through achievements of the local dance scene. The broadcast online in June. Ghost and John to stakeholders to collect the impact of this tough time. 22nd Hong Kong Dance Awards changed presented their multimedia ensemble work cancellation of dance performances and from a physical ceremony to an online Meniscus Going Online in July. It presented presentation on social media Facebook and a collision of online gaming experience YouTube on 18 July 2020. The results were and visual culture in the form of dance announced via the livestream, including performance and spoken text. In September, the prestigious Distinguished Achievement City Contemporary Dance Company Award. It was presented to Daniel Yeung, (CCDC) opened their Digital Dance Season a veteran dance artist, choreographer, with the Jumping Frames International Dance curator, mentor and critic, for his immense Video Festival “Local Focus”, an online contribution to dance development in Hong streaming that lined up a series of dance Kong. films directed and produced by local artists. Amongst the total 16 awards in 14 Despite the closure of theatres and categories, the lion’s share of the awards performance venues, the pandemic situation went to City Contemporary Dance inspired artists and arts administrators in Company who received 6 awards, including seeking alternative ways to make works and Outstanding Large Venue Production, present them. With the utilization of internet, Outstanding Ensemble Performance, audiences of theatres across the globe Outstanding Medium Venue Production, can be reached beyond the geographical Outstanding Performance by a Female boundary. It encouraged acceptance and Dancer, as well as awards for Outstanding cultivated more cross-over between dance

20 Asia – Pacific Channels | December 2020 December 2020 | Asia – Pacific Channels 21 India report 1 by Srabasti Ghosh, Sumedha Bhattacharya and Urmimala Sarkar 1. Screen-dance film Animal Kingdom made by undergraduate students at Ashoka University in 2020, facilitated and video essay edited by Screenshot from Sumedha Bhattacharya Presidency College (participatory project by Alumni Association Numeridanse TV, Akram presentation Khan Dance Company). Duhshamoyer Individual submissions Atmodorshon about and final global pandemic times. participatory project Performer and photo: are available online. Srabasti Ghosh Screenshot: Sumedha Bhattacharya

A promise to dance on of lockdown in India saw our bodies ‘extend’ AGM, to be held in Taiwan on 26- 27 She trained young bodies and minds for towards an unprecedented mediation of December 2020, where they plan to present fifty years, and her students have made technology, with a desire to be seen and a pre-filmed panel with Sashar Zariff as the their distinctive place in and Dancing the present remembered. Dance educators started moderator/discussant. The presentation is abroad. She will be remembered for creating While the pandemic has created a certain adapting to the online class settings, being edited in a documentary format by a pedagogy along with her pause in the performance spectrum, justifying their practice and presence in Sumedha Bhattacharya. husband Uday Shankar. it has opened up many possibilities of the form. Practitioners started to explore There is an explosion of dance online, Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan (1928 - 2020), the experimentation that expand negotiations the idea of an extended practice / teaching with huge number of dancers from India President of Dance Alliance (India) passed between space, body and movement / performing to make a living as well. The constantly posting on social media. We away recently in Delhi, bringing an end to forms. In India, it has also created a painful rectangular box was no longer a limitation, dancers are now multi-tasking with dance an era of planning and building of cultural 2 distinction between those who can afford and started to be seen as a chance of theatre, screen-dance and dance therapy, institutions and bodies in India – in the form or access the new media platforms that possibilities, with an upsurge of online trying to be there for each other in economic of the three Akademis, centralised museums, come at a certain price as well as privilege, festivals like Anita Ratnam’s Boxed Festival, and other kinds of distress and even art galleries, drama school, film school, crafts and those who are deprived of such Arts Forward India and Pickle Factory’s Arts designing dance for camera for others – on centres and research bodies. One of the privileges due to geographical, economic Alone Together and many more. the online platform. earliest and best recognized dance scholars or other reasons. For the dancers who can from South Asia, Dr. Vatsyayan published afford a smart phone at least, the camera Dancing/screen dancing: towards the End of an Era: The Passing of Amala pioneering research on performing arts and has become the central part of a dance future Shankar and Dr. Kapila Vasyayan aesthetics. Her absence is a great loss to performance, a conduit, an assistant at Some of the young Indian, Taiwanese and Amala Shankar (27 June 1919 – 24 July the large community of dancers and dance times, and a controller at others. As there is Bangladeshi dancers who participated 2020), the famous dancer, choreographer scholars. 3 no direct interaction or exchange happening in the 15-day Choreolab in Cox’s Bazar, and teacher, passed away peacefully at the between performer and spectator, a whole Bangladesh, last year with choreographer age of 101. Dance had happened to her 2. Smt. Amala Shankar. new possibility of dancing for self is getting Sashar Zariff from Canada as their mentor, at the age of eleven years, and since then 4 Photo: Urmimala Sarkar discovered. Due to the inaccessibility of have continued to work together online. Amala Shankar dreamt, talked and lived Munsi performance spaces, festivals, and social Their work together has given shape to a dance till the last day of her life. She joined 3. Amala Shankar and ritual gatherings where many community post-performance presentation based on the world renowned dancer Uday Shankar’s pictured in the program for a production by the dances survive and which revitalise us as the experience of Chaand, the performance school in Almora in 1940 and married him impresario Sol Hurok, humans, an unending vacuum is created in that was staged as a work-in-progress at the in 1942. She continued to be his principle in 1952. place of vital corporeal connectivities. Ocean Dance Festival in November 2019. dancer while becoming a successful 4. Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan At the onset of the pandemic with the The continuity of workshopping across choreographer herself. Amala was a teacher at the opening session of the Annual General Covid-19 lockdown and social distancing, borders is possible only because of our par excellence. At her institution Uday Meeting of World many of us who know, make, and create digital proximity. This embodied conversation Shankar India Culture Centre in Kolkata Dance Alliance Asia dance were restricted to the indoor has also pushed us to create a presentation she taught children and adults for 50 years, Pacific 2009 in Delhi, rectangular frame of the outdoor online by three Indian choreolab participants – from 1965 till 2015. She always insisted India, with Dr Karan world. The frustration of uncertainty and Tanushree Chatterjee, Srabasti Ghosh that a good dancer is a keen observer and Singh, Dr. Mohd. Anis Md. Nor, and Dr. powerlessness forced us to reconsider our and Durga Madhar – to be a part of the the student who does well in dance also Adrienne Kaeppler. relationship with the camera. The extension International Dance Festival and WDAAP achieves excellence in her academics. Photo: Benil Biswas

22 Asia – Pacific Channels | December 2020 December 2020 | Asia – Pacific Channels 23 Indonesia Tayub ritual show held in Wonosobo, Central report Java, which proceeded live. To support the performance, Endang Setyaningsih, a dancer by Galih from Klaten, went to Wonosobo to perform Prakasiwi Tayub on 14 October 2020. The reason for the Tayub ritual is because people in the Klowoh village of Wonosobo believe that Tayub brings fertility and bountiful crops. For the performance to proceed safely, they emphasized their safety methods. They isolated the village from people outside while the ritual was held. In the previous year, people from all over came to watch the performance, but not this year. Live performance of the Other events combine live and virtual Tayub ritual, featuring performance. People cannot get permission Endang Setyaningsih, to hold an event gathering many audiences attended by 60 participants from different Rajapala performed in Klowoh, Wonosobo, by I Putu Bagus Bang Central Java, 14 October physically. To minimizing the risk of Covid professions, backgrounds, and religion. spread, organizers combine live and Each participant created their own short Sada dan Renata Astria, 2020. Photo: Nanang choreographed by I Setiawan virtual performance to reach more people. performance, and Eun Me arranged the Putu Bagus Bang Sada. Kotabumi Art Festival used this method. dramaturgy. Other programs in IDF included Videoed in Bali, it was Second Semester in the Pandemic film mode, and live streaming. One using Kebudayaan Lampung Utara’s YouTube Kampana, a platform for young Indonesian streamed online for Year: Rising Up Mode documentation mode was by Jayadipuran channel streamed this festival on 30 October choreographers who performed virtually Kotabumi Art Festival (part of Indonesiana Culture & Art (JCA), a festival organized 2020, with the live performance attended by via the IDF YouTube Channel, as well as Lampung Utara) 2020. “YouTube link or URL will be sent by email.” by Centre for the Preservation of Cultural selected people such as local government the main performances. One of the main Virtual photo: Arya This sentence is a common one at Values in the Special Region of Yogyakarta members of Lampung Utara district. The performances was Li Tu Tu by Ayu Permata the moment. The new normal amid the (BPNB D.I. Yogyakarta), and aired via its seven performances consist of both dance Sari. The performance showed in two modes coronavirus outbreak has become a semi- YouTube channel from 12-16 October 2020. and music. – live performance and virtual performance normal condition in Indonesia, where from Ten dance groups based in Yogyakarta Lastly, the Indonesian Dance Festival (IDF) – performed by Ayu Permata Sari on two July to November more events have been participated in this event, choosing classical was held by combining all of these methods. different days. held than in the first semester. During this or contemporary dance, with all the shooting From 7 until 14 November 2020, IDF had In the last few months, Indonesian pandemic, the performers and the organizers taking place in one take in a single day. several activities including discussions dance performance has combined several have seen several opportunities to stage Two live streaming mode models exist; and performances. This event is the first methods. Though virtual performance is not events in various modes, such as 1) fully first, live broadcasting what is on stage, year for the organizer to hold the festival a new practice, in my opinion, this model virtual performance, 2) live performance, and and second, an edited video broadcast by and its preparation in virtual mode. Eun Me accelerates technological innovation. This 3) virtual and live performance combination. streaming. For example, the Bedhaya Sapta Ahn, a Korean choreographer, presented method can become a new tradition, thanks One of the Kampana The platform showing fully virtual dance performance on 19 October 2020 her work 1’59 in the opening ceremony. to the dynamic aesthetic of every dance Trajectory programs performed by Gege performance is usually social media; this was posted through live-streaming from a She started this project with a workshop technique. Diaz (Flores, Indonesia) mode involves no audience engagement performance on stage, broadcast via Kraton held once a week for six weeks and for IDF 2020.zip, aired in the video-making process. Only a few Jogja’s YouTube channel. The spectators via Indonesian Dance people are involved in video production could see whatever movements the camera Festival YouTube Channel and enter the same physical area. I found was shooting; while they missed seeing from 8 November 2020. Photo screenshot: Erwin that there are three modes of fully virtual other movements, they were able to see the Octavianto performances: documentation mode, dance part in the shot in detail. The recorded live-streaming is the second model, for example the work of Ari Ersandi in Jaring Laba-Laba di Beranda Angka, part of the program Jagongan Wagen organized by Padepokan Seni Bagong Kussudiardja. Due to the pandemic, Ari’s work transformed into Bongkel Gunungsari a virtual performance. Ari discussed with the performed by Endang video team how the camera becomes the Setyaningsih, Galih Prakasiwi, Elan Fitra eyes of the audience, and he controlled the Dianto and Paimin in angle of the camera to enhance the concept Jayadipuran Art & Culture of the work. 2020. Choreographed Supporting virtual performance requires by Supriyadi PW, filmed at Dalem Jayadipuran many tools and internet access. However, Yogyakarta on 9 October some Indonesian people cannot access 2020. Photo: Nanang the internet well. One such case was the Setiawan

24 Asia – Pacific Channels | December 2020 December 2020 | Asia – Pacific Channels 25 Malaysia Beh Chin briefly relaunched the teaching launched Merentas Awan, a series of original report of dance to a group of refugee students dance films and photos, on topics from from the Chin community in Myanmar. We Loneliness to Love. Sutra Foundation and by Bilqis Hijjas accepted two dance students from Sultan Masakini Theatre Company organised Gerak Idris Education University as interns, working Angin, an online festival of Malaysian art, on archiving plus their own projects. Plus, supported by the Ministry of Tourism and our online publication Langkah is currently Culture. It offers sumptuously filmed dance producing its 2020 edition, with 7 articles in items including established players The the editorial process. Performing Arts of Todern and Dua Space We look forward to our organisational Dance Theatre. Dancer Hii Ing Fung and grant from CENDANA, the Cultural theatre director Loh Kok Man organised Development Agency of Malaysia, being Dancing Forward: A Roundtable Marathon extended to mid-2021. In line with our aims for Dance: two days of discussions on key for that grant, we hope to hold a MyDance dance issues (MyDance president JS Wong Festival early next year. appeared on the panel on "bad dance"). 1. Chan Kar Kah teaching Expanding our organisation's scope, JS Finally, ASK Dance Company launched a group of teenagers Wong spearheaded a proposal for a host of Forging Tradition: Beyond Borders, taking from the Chin refugee 'Jué', choreographed community, as part by Chan Kar Kah and dance activities to be held at Petaling Jaya its popular series of traditional Malay dance of the Teaching Art performed by Marrow Performing Arts Centre, a new private venue classes online. for Refugees project Collective, in Dancebox which will start operations in the popular The Malaysian government recently organised by MyDance on 22-23 August 2020, at 1Utama Shopping Centre next year. announced MYR 15 million (USD 3.6 committee member Lau Kuala Lumpur Performing Beh Chin. Arts Centre. Photo: Mohd Outside MyDance, the rest of the million) to support the arts and culture 2. MyDance Alliance's Nor Azmil Malaysian dance community is prioritising community affected by Covid restrictions, new president JS Wong its pivot to digital. Among prominent to be disbursed by CENDANA in 2021. If giving feedback during a preview session of developments, Kwang Tung Dance Company this funding goes where it is needed most, the Dance on Camera When we wrote our last report, Malaysia was activities. Teachers suggested methods the Malaysian dance project. in Covid lockdown. We are now back to to gain the confidence of parents to 1 community may 3. Krithika Ramachandran lockdown – albeit a more limited one – bring their children back to class after the emerge relatively and Zhen-Zhu Chandrasekaran in probably until the end of the year. Once lockdown. Other teachers discussed how unscathed from 'Madhava Vandhanam again, theatres and dance studios are to engage students over Zoom. Some our current state & Madhava Kauthvam', closed, and university dance departments teachers mentioned they had been able of somewhat choreographed by Usha are teaching online. to deepen their students' experience of suspended Dorai, in Dancebox However, MyDance Alliance tries to dance – including lots of video-watching animation. We look on 22-23 August 2020, at Kuala Lumpur continue our activities as much as possible. and discussion – in the online context. Their forward to a brighter Performing Arts Centre. We had some respite from restrictions comments and suggestions showed the stronger future. Photo: Mohd Nor Azmil during the middle of the year, from mid-June perseverance and creativity of Malaysian to mid-October, and managed to make good dance teachers during this time of existential 3 progress in that time. crisis. In early September, we held our Annual In August, MyDance held a very successful General Meeting, where we welcomed edition of our performance platform dancer, choreographer and dance educator Dancebox, with three shows instead of Wong Jyh Shyong (known as JS Wong) as the usual one to counteract the restriction 2 our new President, ushering in a new era in seats. Both performers and audiences and direction for our organisation. Bilqis were extremely enthusiastic and responsive, Hijjas, who had been president for 10 showing how much we have missed live years, thanked the MyDance members who theatre. MyDance is proud to continue had given her so much support during her working with Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts tenure. In his welcoming speech, JS Wong Centre, especially at a time when private envisioned the potential to pursue multi-year theatre venues are suffering more than projects that build from year to year, so that anyone in our arts community. the organisation becomes more impactful JS Wong and Faillul Adam also conducted and sustainable in the long term. We also Dance on Camera, an online project welcomed new committee member Kyson mentoring 18 Malaysian artists to create new Teoh. short dance films. The online project involved The AGM attendees launched a spirited 2 workshops and 6 previews providing discussion about how Covid restrictions critical feedback. Now we await a lifting of have affected the teaching of dance – in restrictions, for a live launch celebration of primary, secondary and tertiary education, the new dance film works. in private studios and through informal In other projects, committee member Lau

26 Asia – Pacific Channels | December 2020 December 2020 | Asia – Pacific Channels 27 Philippines Fifth Wall Fest (FWF) was the Philippines’ and institutions. The small group led by report first online international dance film festival Rhosam Prudenciado Jr. was able to support founded and directed by Madge Reyes 200 displaced Filipino dance professionals, by Nicole which ran from 7 to 11 October 2020. They and has partnered with independent artists Primero advocated bringing further value to the for more initiatives. November marked the art of dance filmmaking, and challenging end of LikhaPH Online which launched experimentation between dance and film last July. Dance teachers were provided while exploring possibilities and boundaries a platform to teach free-for-all classes, in the genre. FWF hosted a competition, after which they were paid a fee for their with entries chosen for their excellence and services. Throughout the program’s duration, innovation in the craft. Notable international 107 teachers have participated. LikhaPH artists were invited as judges. “Dotted also held an online discussion night called Bodies” by Sagarika Debnath and Prakriti Kwentuhan which live-streamed every other Sharda from India won the Grand Jury Sunday of each month. Guests have been

Nicole Primero in Soup Prize, while Filipina Patricia Rivera’s “What invited to talk about current and upcoming of Grace, Episode Happened to You, Arna?” was awarded dance projects, dance education, and 1: Hakus (Embrace), the Japan Foundation Prize. The successful dance and working overseas, among other conceptualized by festival bridged the gap between local and topics. LikhaPH remained true to their three Herbert Alvarez and Elena international communities. pillars, which are create, collaborate and Laniog, filmed by Ruelo Zuendo, which premiered community. online on 3 Oct 2020. Maintaining Dance Communities While dance going digital may be a National Commission for Cultural and different experience, somehow the sense Dancers are flexible, literally and figuratively. CCPCS’s NeoFilipino: “The Man is Not the Arts (NCCA) provided a venue for the of awareness and accessibility were Filipinos are resourceful people used to Your Friend” was directed by Denisa Reyes. community to showcase their best recent heightened. Dance reached a large number finding creative means to earn income. This choreographers’ initiative has been works prior to and during the pandemic. and a wider scope of viewers online. Barely a few months into the mandatory archiving Philippine political realities since More than 50 dance groups from each of the Dancers would rather dance on screen lockdown, some studios and companies 2015. It illustrates the pulse of Filipinos by country’s major islands participated in Dance than not dance at all. Amazingly a lot of were already on the verge of shutting down telling collective stories through dance in Xchange on Air. Each group received PHP groups kept organizing projects focused on completely, yet it seemed only natural for collaboration with music, film, theater, and 25,000 (USD 515) as honoraria. About 10 nearly every advocacy. Initiatives covered Filipino dance artists to immediately find animation. Going virtual was an opportunity were featured every weekend the whole of fundraisers, creative visions, education, audacious ways to thrive. to look back at what has been done during October, making it a busy month for dance. and even a just balanced well-being. The its years of existence, as well as presenting The LikhaPH Sustainability Program strengthened sense of community is indeed Behind the Screens new pieces that are socially and politically began as a fundraiser to equip members of a blessing. Despite the clichéd “dance like The Cultural Center of the Philippines’ engaged. Team 1’s Adrienne Vergara, Sig the community. Launched nobody’s watching” as we are used to, in Mia Cabalfin in “The Man Choreographers Series (CCPCS) used Pecho and Stephen Viñas, Team 2’s Paw in April 2020, it reached a milestone by the near future we all wish to be able to is Not Your Friend”, which premiered online on 28- digital platforms to expand the reach of Castillo and Paul Morales, and Team 3’s successfully raising more than a million celebrate and dance because someone is 30 Oct 2020 in CCPCS's its programs to a critical mass of people Mia Cabalfin and Jose Olarte created pesos through the generosity of individuals finally watching. NeoFilipino. for the promotion of contemporary dance. collaborative works in response to the WifiBody directed by Myra Beltran, is a current situation. Three new works premiered competition for the solo-duet form, and from 28-30 October 2020, along with this year’s virtual edition focused on using revisited works from Erl Sorilla, Mia Cabalfin, the domestic space or lockdown site. This Myra Beltran and Denisa Reyes. “The Man stretched the possibilities and visions of is Not Your Friend” was a powerful weapon budding choreographers and questioned the beyond words and confinement. modes of production brought about by the Continuing the trend of creating films, pandemic. The competition streamed online Soup of Grace was a choreographic from 28-30 August 28, via online platforms. research project confronting the limits of Second place was a tie between Jasper creation. Conceptualized by Herbert Alvarez Narvaez’s “A Crowd of One” and Rose and Elena Laniog, it was designed to be a Panuelo’s “Distan(t)ce”. Cheenee Limuaco four-part series involving several artists from won first place for “Salom”. As described by across the globe. The first episode entitled judge Nes Jardin, “The piece won for its solid “Hakus” (Embrace) edited by filmmaker composition, and powerful cinematic imagery Ruelo Zuendo with music of Teresa based on a concept marked by simplicity Barrozo, premiered on 3 October 2020. and raw emotion. It is also outstanding for its The collaborative process included one-on- effective and dramatic use of limited space one sessions online between Laniog and and its innovative interplay of movements, the artists, exploring her “no touch-touch” light, and lilting guitar music.” concept.

28 Asia – Pacific Channels | December 2020 December 2020 | Asia – Pacific Channels 29 Singapore report by Filomar Cortezano Tariao

Pur(e) An Experimental Virtual Performance by T.H.E Dance Company, presented as part of M1 CONTACT Rewired. Photo: T.H.E Dance Company

in November. They presented works by are conducted within enclosed spaces. NAFA freshmen Dance a multicultural and locally-based team And even if shows had to go on without the students in contemporary of international artists: Christina Chan, concomitant applause, dancers still found floor work assessment preparations. Photo: Muhammad Norisham Bin Osman, Son time to post their skills and works online to NAFA Yu Joung and Filomar Tariao. This year, their followers. the school has also allowed student Singapore, as an urban hub within the choreographers to showcase their works. region, depends on the constant flow of On 7 April, the Singapore government for the next school year. Fortunately, The LASALLE School of Dance and Theatre travelers and international stakeholders to declared a circuit breaker period which Human Expression’s (T.H.E.) M1 Dance resumed classes in September with sustain a robust economy. A global health restricted social interaction in the community, Festival workshops were moved online, recommended safety measures. It continued crisis curtailing the access of tourists, to minimize the spread of Covid-19. This and preprofessional dancers could join the with its annual collaboration, Piano Voyage, students and businesses into the city meant a significant loss of income for dance activities, allowing them to maintain form and with the School of Contemporary Music. For threatens the financial vigour of this island- teachers, studio owners and entertainment function as they awaited returning to school. this iteration, Polish contemporary dance state. Dance, as a social activity, will always venues and other artists. Some studios NAFA opened its doors to students at the maker Maria Stoklosa (via Zoom), together be affected. had to close permanently, while performing end of July, with strict guidelines, including with Frank Joseph de Meglio (Music) and However, this has not discouraged Piano Voyage, a Music arts schools had to move assessment 14-day quarantines for students returning Susan Yeung (Dance), mentored selected local practitioners but has inspired and and Dance Collaboration presentations online. The Singapore Youth from overseas, mask wearing and social interschool students to improvise, create and emboldened them to explore different Project of LASALLE, with Festival (SYF) 2020 moved online to keep distancing. Work from home and face-to- perform to the music of Chopin. means to create and connect anew, even Polish guest artist Maria the spirit of camaraderie of the festival alive, face schedules cycled on alternate days. Pas Independent artistes similarly struggled within this small island. After all, ours is a Stoklosa, led by music allowing digital video entries from students. des deux and contact partnering classes during this period. Former WDA Singapore calling of creativity, and creativity is what lecturer Frank Joseph De Meglio and dance The partial lockdown was eased by became non-contact and variation classes, Secretary Peter Gn met with scheduling and is exactly needed to survive during these lecturer Susan Yeung. mid-May. In the tertiary performing arts respectively. Intermingling of cohorts was venue setbacks for his doctoral research unprecedented times. Photo: Kuang JingKai institutions, Nanyang Academy of Fine discouraged and contextual work migrated work For Reasons Undisclosed. Undaunted, Arts (NAFA) and LASALLE, performances online. All these changes entailed meticulous the collaborative dance project pushed continued only online. Collaborative works, planning among the faculty, staff and through with musician Philip Tan and film which meant intermingling of different students. maker Jireh Koh providing the score and cohorts, were cancelled or postponed, to By August, dance studios in Singapore visuals for filming the piece, which premiered the frustration of the students. However, they started to reopen, although co-curricular to more than 600 students in Singapore on understood that, with the developing health activities in government schools were still 24 September. crisis, such constraints were unavoidable. on hold. The Ministry of Education (MOE) Performance venues, clubs and theatres Several Singaporean institutions host encouraged its dance teachers to enroll in were still not allowed to operate at this international learners; summer holidays in continuing education courses, including the time, so most productions streamed online. June usually mean that foreign students Safe Dance Practice workshop conducted Singapore Dance Theatre’s (SDT) yearly return to their home countries. Even as the in cooperation with the MOE, National Ballet Under the Stars was cancelled, circuit breaker was lifted and Singapore Arts Council (NAC) and NAFA. The course while Maya Dance Theatre moves some started reopening, the worsening infection focused on the fundamentals of dance of its offerings into the virtual arena. The across the world necessitated the closure anatomy and science as well as class government announced it might allow of ports. Students risked not being able to planning. Close to 400 teachers have taken theatres and performance venues limited finish their studies if they chose to return the course, with more than a thousand operation capacity by the end of the year. to their countries of origin. Staying, on awaiting their turn. For the first time after 6 months, Singapore the other hand, entailed added board and Third Space, the yearly collaboration reported no new community cases on 13 lodging costs. This became more worrisome, between NAFA and the Esplanade Dans October. Within dance schools, no infectious as the students were stuck in a limited Festival moved in-house to the academy’s incident was reported throughout the entire space without proper training to keep fit Studio Theatre, and was livestreamed period; a tremendous feat, as most classes

30 Asia – Pacific Channels | December 2020 December 2020 | Asia – Pacific Channels 31 Taiwan shared a personal tale of living with his father High School. The campus offers one middle report in the profoundly longing Wonderful. size professional theater and five dance WDAAP-Taiwan has fought to keep the studios (two in the newly-built Arts building). by Su-Ling Chou 2020 WDAAP-Taiwan International Dance Due to Taiwan’s border closures, the 2021 Conference alive. We are proud to work with International Young Choreographer Project Taiwan Dance Research Society (TDRS), (IYCP) hosted every other summer by the most distinguished dance scholarly WDAAP–Taiwan is still uncertain. We hope organization in Taiwan. All presenters who to make an announcement in February 2021 are in Taiwan will present their papers and to see if we can hold the event. performances in person, and those outside 2020 is a special year in the history of Taiwan will submit filmed versions. The event performing arts, as it is for everyone around includes 30 scholarly papers from WDAAP the world under the pandemic. But in Taiwan, and 30 from TDRS, 10 Masterclasses, and after June we have all returned to the theater, 24 live works and 10 filmed works in the and we are waiting to welcome those abroad #Yes or No, by Showcase category. The event will be held in to join us. We cannot wait to see all of our Bulareyaung Dance the official WDAAP- Taiwan office in Tsoying WDA friends again. Company, choreographed by Bulareyaung Pagarlava. Photo: Lin Chun-yung

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all exhibition Encounter in which sound artist performances in the first half year of 2020 Chi Po-hao explored sounds of everyday were sadly cancelled. Since March, Taiwan life in the streets of Fengshan, Kaohsiung, has been in a good condition, allowing and invited the audience to become the people to get together but with the artist. Encounter.Dance Film featured requirement of mask wearing and distanced short works including ‘TPE-886’ by Chang sitting. International and Taiwanese groups Ching-ju, Wu Jia-jing, Cheng Liam and Lee which postponed their programs in the first Yi-chi; ‘Siamoise’ by Hsu Hai-wen; ‘Fading half of the year are now returning to the Flower’ by Lai Maurice Yu-man; ‘Breaking stage, packing theaters with performances. Waves’ by William Lu; ‘Planting the Cycle The performing arts in the second half of the of Pure’ by Peng Hsiao-yin; ‘Like Grass’ Floating Flowers, year is blossoming like spring. by Huang Lo-ya; ‘The Gift’ by Cheng Aiko; choreographed by Po- Cheng Tsai, performed by The National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts ‘Swim Upstream’ by Chiu Ann; ‘Weiwuying B. DANCE. Photo: Chao- (NKCA) Weiwuying, a major performance International Partnership Project – Museum Sheng Ho site in south Taiwan, sponsored the biennial of Human E-motion’ by Lai Maurice Yu-man; Taiwan Dance Platform for the third time, and ‘Fox Trott’ by Nina Chalot and Romain ƒ See You, 6-9 November at Well Spring Theater 2 to 8 November 2020. The theme of this Delamart. WDA-AP Taiwan Members Activities, July - December 2020 ƒ 2020 Stray Birds Dance Platform, 11-13 December at year is ‘Encounter’, open for all in dance and Tainan Arts Festival, established in 2012, Experimental Theatre of Taiwan Traditional Theater Center related arts. NKCA has tried to enlarge the continued this year with performances, Tso’s Dance Association imagination related to dance performances, workshops and lectures with the theme ƒ 2020 Dance Collection of Senior High Schools’ Dance B. Dance by relocating theater performances into ‘Dance – Encounters with Legend’. The Divisions, 25-29 November, at Tsoying Dance Theater, 05 ƒ Floating Flowers, 6 November at Opera House of National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts-Weiwuying the environment of people’s daily life. They performances included Tainan in the Night, December at Performance Hall of Cultural Affairs Bureau of Kinmen County, 9 December at Tainan Cultural Center ƒ 2020 Taipei Music Festival – Hwang-Long Pan & announced that dancing is more than just an artistic crossover of Fevervine Dance Performance Hall, 11 December at Yuanlin Performance B.DANCE, 22-23 August at Metropolitan Hall of Taipei words but also physical action. The week- Theatre collaborating with video and Hall, 18-19 December at Kaohsiung City Da Dong Art City, 30 August at Grand Theater of National Taichung long festival presented performances, electronic music, Deluge by Lin Ting-Syu Center Theater workshops and films exhibitions; people of Studio, and View Hunting by Ku & Dancer. Horse all ages joined with high energy. The National Taichung Theater in central 2020 WDAAP TDRS ƒ International Dance Conference @ Taiwan, 26-27 ƒ We Island Dance Festival: Shulin Jump In dance performances, Weiwuying Taiwan presented the Fall for Great Souls December at Tsoying Senior High School ƒ Solo On The Go, 9-20 November at Shulin District presented B. DANCE performing Floating series from 26 September to 27 December, ƒ My Turn, 21 November at Performance Hall of Shulin Flowers, Bulareyaung Dance Company with the theme ‘Being, Soul and Core’. Chang Dance Theater Arts Center ƒ BOUT, 30 October at https://www.youtube.com/channel/ ƒ I Am My Body, 22 November at Performance Hall of in #Yes or No, and a triple bill of Tjimur In ‘Being’, Lin Lee-chen answered the Shulin Arts Ceneter Dance Theater’s ‘Varhung – Heart to Heart’, deepest calling in her Heaven, Earth and UCu0fKJ8qucVoYwOPmp PhqPg Resident Island Dance Theatre’s ‘Ice Age’, Man Trilogy. For ‘Soul’, Cheng Tsung-lung, SunShier Dance Theatre Scarecrow Contemporary Dance Company and Dua Shin Te Production’s ‘A Piece of Cloud Gate Dance Theatre’s new Artistic ƒ Lost and Found, 23-25 October at Well Spring Theatre, 7 ƒ Hide Out, 21-22 November at Taikang Cultural Center Cake.’ Director, was inspired by Dipamkara (lamp- November at Black Box of National Taichung Theater Theater, 5-6 December at Well Spring Theater In film, Weiwuying presented Weiwuying bearer), Buddha’s evocative Chinese name, Hung Dance Kaohsiung City Ballet ONE Minute VR Stage which included to create Sounding Light, exploring the ƒ No. Me, 18-20 September at Experimental Theater of ƒ Dance to Kid's Dreams, 7-8 November at Jhihshan Hall of filmed your own dance with an app to essence of body and sound. For ‘Core’, National Theater & Concert Hall, 13-14 November at Black Bureau of Cultural Affairs Kaohsiung City Gorvernment create dance videos, and the interactive Daniel Wang, NTT’s first artist in residence, Box of National Taichung Theater Tso’s Dance Association

32 Asia – Pacific Channels | December 2020 December 2020 | Asia – Pacific Channels 33 2020 WDA Events About the World Dance Alliance reported by Yunyu Wang Asia Pacific

Our Mission Membership WDA serves as a primary voice for dance and dancers Open to any organisation or individual interested in throughout the world, and encourages the exchange of furthering the objectives of the society. ideas and the awareness of dance in all its forms. World Dance Alliance operates via its regional centres Membership benefits with an overarching Global Executive Committee, and ƒ Biannual newsletter Channels a Secretary General, bringing the regions together ƒ Annual regional assemblies 2020 WDAAP/TDRS in matters of policy and global projects. The current ƒ Triennial global assemblies Conference and AGM regional centres are ƒ Participation in the WDA Asia Pacific Networks ƒ WDA Americas ƒ Discounts to certain member events 26-27 December 2020 ƒ WDA Asia Pacific ƒ Privileged access to WDA Americas services and Kaohsiung, Taiwan ƒ WDA Europe (being re-formed) activities WDA also has partnerships with other international ƒ Networking opportunities “Navigating Location, Negotiating Identity” organisations such as WAAE (World Alliance for Arts Education), International Dance Committee of The conference is confirmed to be held in International Theater Institute ITI /UNESCO (ITI), Types of membership and annual Taiwan from 26 to 27 December this year, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and subscription fees (subject to change) co-sponsored by WDAAP and the Taiwan Cultural Organization), and daCi (dance and the Child ƒ Chapter / Organisational US$ 200 Dance Research Society. Since no travel international). ƒ Associate Organisational (to be advised) is allowed during the pandemic time, ƒ Associate Individual US$ 20 the conference is honoring all selected Our Goals presenters from abroad through video ƒ To promote the recognition, development and presentations as well as local presenters mutual understanding of all forms of dance. To join live on site in Kaohsiung, the second largest ƒ To facilitate communication and exchange Contact your Chapter Head (contact list on back of this city in Taiwan. There will be around 200 among dance individuals, institutions and issue) for details on how to join the local chapter. participants from Taiwan, while 19 paper “inter” points to the need in dance studies organisations interested in dance. presenters will be placed side by side to reexamine the issues of identity and ƒ To provide a forum for discussion Visit our websites with the local scholars in the same panel. geopolitics across lands and waters as of matters relating to dance. www.worlddancealliance.org In addition, eight selected dances will be well as across the global and regional; it ƒ To encourage and support the research, education, www.wda-ap.org displayed in the Showcase Film Program celebrates and interrogates the connecting, criticism, creation and performance of dance. www.facebook.com/WorldDanceAlliance/ with pre-recorded video submissions from mediating and negotiating power of dance, ƒ To liaise, co-ordinate and participate in activities India, Bangladesh, Singapore, Malaysia, the as well as the shifting relationships and with other dance organisations in the world. Philippines and the United States. pedagogies in the development of diverse At this conference, we explore dance dance histories. Our Founder and its relations to identity with its many The pandemic could not take away the Carl Wolz ramifications, focusing on the currents passion for dance from professionals, and flows involved in navigating location students and scholars. Taiwan is fortunate Our Background in and outside of relation to the nation and to be able to hold an onsite conference. This independent, non-profit, non-political organisation to the global. We investigate how “dance” Although we wish we could have our entire began as the Asia-Pacific Dance Alliance in Hong Kong provocatively (re)interrogates and (re) WDA family joining us so that we could in 1988. In 1990, the global body, World Dance Alliance conceptualizes fundamental questions connect with each other, the conference will (WDA), was founded at the Hong Kong International about region, nation, and location, as well keep the dancing spirit alive. Dance Conference. In 1993, the name of the Asia- as their representations. This includes the Pacific Center was changed to WDA Asia Pacific to rich dynamics between intraregional and Refer to this website for the conference reflect its relationship to the global body. international studies of dance practices and agenda, biographies of presenters, and WDA Asia Pacific is one of the regional centres theorization. The dialectic potential between other information: https://dancerchris.wixsite. that make up WDA. The other is WDA Americas “inner” and “outer” as well as “intra” and com/2020wdaaptdrs .

34 Asia – Pacific Channels | December 2020 December 2020 | Asia – Pacific Channels 35 World Dance Alliance key contacts

WDA Presidents Asia – Pacific Network Chairs East Timor representative Papua New Guinea Colleen Coy representative WDA Asia Pacific President Education & Training Dili Wellness Naomi Faik-Simet Urmimala Sarkar Munsi Sarah Knox T +670-7824-1931 Institute of Papua New Guinea School of Arts & Aesthetics [email protected] [email protected] Studies Jawaharlal Nehru University Box 1432, Boroko 111, NCD, Research & Documentation Hong Kong New Delhi 110067, India Papua New Guinea A. P. Rajaram (India) Tobie Chan [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Hong Kong Dance Alliance WDA Americas President Anja Ali-Haapala (Australia) 7/F, 26-28 Tai Yau Street Philippines Cristina Goletti [email protected] San Po Kong Basilio Esteban Villaruz Dept of Theatre & Dance Kowloon, Hong Kong. College of Music Creation & Presentation Fox Fine Arts Center - D371 T +852 22676663 University of the Philippines Shiu-chin Yu (Taiwan) University of Texas at El Paso [email protected] Diliman, Quezon City 1101 [email protected] El Paso, Texas, 79968-0549, USA Philippines Joelle Jacinto (Philippines) India [email protected] T +63 2 428 7772 [email protected] (Interim contact) [email protected] Urmimala Sarkar Munsi Asia – Pacific Executive Asia – Pacific Chapters [email protected] Singapore Filomar Tariao President Indonesia Aotearoa New Zealand [email protected] Urmimala Sarkar Munsi (India) Michael Raditya Sheryl Lowe www.wdasg.com [email protected] Secretary Dance Aotearoa New Zealand WDA Indonesia Taiwan Immediate Past President (DANZ) [email protected] Su-ling Chou Yunyu Wang (Taiwan) PO Box 9885 Dance Division, Tsoying High School [email protected] Wellington New Zealand Korea #55 Hai-Kung Road T +64-4-8019885 Kim Geung-Soo Vice President Tsoying, Kaohsiung, Taiwan 81326 F +64-4-8019883 Chung Ang University Stella Lau (Hong Kong) T/F +886 7 585 3083 [email protected] 72-1 Nae-Ri, Daeduk-Myun, [email protected] [email protected] www.danz.org.nz Anseong City, Gyeong-Gi Do Secretary Republic of Korea Thailand Australia Julie Dyson (Australia) [email protected] Prof. Sanchai Uaesilapa Julie Dyson [email protected] Dean of the Faculty of Music and Ausdance National Malaysia Performing Arts Treasurer [email protected] Wong Jyh Shyong Burapha University Jefferson Chieh-hua Hsieh (Taiwan) www.ausdance.org.au MyDance Alliance Chonburi, Thailand [email protected] P.O. Box 12409, 50776 Bangladesh [email protected] Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Vice President South East Asia Lubna Marium T +6012 327 3029 Bilqis Hijjas (Malaysia) General Secretary, Shadhona [email protected] [email protected] A Center for Advancement of www.mydancealliance.org Southasian Dance & Music Vice President East Asia House 69, Road 5, DOHS (old), Nepal Hong Jo Jun (South Korea) Dhaka 1213 Rajendra Shrestha [email protected] T +88029889426 Nritya Sahakarya Nepal Vice President Pacific M +8801713040814 (Nepal Dance Alliance). Sheryl Lowe (New Zealand) [email protected] Home No. 98 Kopundol, [email protected] Lalitpur-10, Nepal T +97 98 4133 7147 Vice President South Asia [email protected] Lubna Marium (Bangladesh) [email protected]

36 Asia – Pacific Channels | December 2020