BALLET IN A GLOBAL CITY Francis Yeoh finds out about Singapore Dance Theatre

Singapore Dance Theatre in Don Quixote.

Professor Koh explained: “If it is our ambition to be a leading city of the world, then we must have the cultural life which a leading city affords its citizens, residents and visitors.” The necessary “hardware” for promoting dance performances was organised with typical Singaporean alacrity. One fine example is the hen assessing the history of ballet The idea that the enhancement of Esplanade, a performing arts centre in Singapore, it’s impossible Singapore’s cultural life would generate that was opened in October 2002. It W to avoid being confronted greater happiness and encourage has state-of-the-art facilities, including with the profound realisation that creativity was seriously mooted, and a theatre with a seating capacity of the art form was solely sustained by the formation of the Singapore National 2,000 that can accommodate major dedicated performers, teachers and Arts Council in 1991 was a major companies, such as The Royal Ballet, choreographers who have worked outcome of this new enlightenment. who performed Swan Lake there tirelessly to ensure it retains its place Professor Tommy Koh, founding in June 2005. The theatre has also on the cultural scene. In the past, chairman of the National Arts Council hosted performances by such artists commentators were only too happy to (1991–1996), stated that government as Sylvie Guillem, Akram Khan and dub Singapore as a “cultural desert”. In subvention is vital to ensuring that Israel Galván. I have visited the the mid-1960s, during the early years “the standard of their performances Esplanade on many occasions, and of the independent nation, political will make them the best in the region, am astounded by the vibrancy of the leaders concentrated on pragmatic so that people will fly in not only to complex, as its wonderfully expansive projects such as economic development, catch an imported performance but concourse and foyer is always filled political stability and nurturing a to see Singapore performances.” with throngs of enthusiastic visitors. better-educated workforce. Singapore The ambition to develop Singapore Dance has always been popular has spectacularly developed beyond as a cultural beacon for the region with Singapore’s multicultural expectations and is now one of the rapidly gained momentum. The population, and the launching of world’s busiest ports, as well as a service Renaissance City Report – Culture and the Singapore Dance Theatre (SDT) as centre for international companies, a Arts in Renaissance Singapore, published the city’s first professional dance major oil refiner, and a manufacturer by the Ministry of Information, company in 1988 was enthusiastically of sophisticated high-tech products. Communication and the Arts in welcomed; its continuing growth is Happily, this success has prompted March 2000, heralded the ambition to testament to its popularity. SDT was policy makers to widen their “gaze” promote Singapore as a “world-class launched with only seven dancers, and focus their attention on the arts. city” with a “vibrant” cultural scene. but it has grown into a flagship ➣

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Singapore Dance Theatre in Kinsun Chan’s Sticks and Stones.

company that currently employs 32 performers. It’s impossible to gauge this amazing progress without looking into the past so as to ensure a keener appreciation of the journey taken.

n the 1950s and 1960s there was I no scope for a professional career in dance in Singapore, but the pioneering work of Vernon Martinus, a choreographer, radio presenter and one of them had to travel to Europe and the recruitment of dancers not only television producer, was significant, the US in order to extend their careers. from Singapore and Malaysia, but as he had the vision in 1958 to form The creation of SDT as Singapore’s also from China, Japan, Australia and Singapore Ballet, a company made up first professional dance company was Philippines. However, the odds were of dedicated amateurs and advanced therefore an important milestone. stacked against the company as disaster students of the Singapore Ballet The responsibilities of directing were struck with the deaths of Choo San Academy. Martinus co-directed the exciting, but they also imposed a huge Goh in 1987 and co-artistic director, Academy with his wife, Frances burden on the founding directors. Anthony Then in 1995. Soo Khim Poh, who had trained with Marjorie The initial repertoire was enhanced Goh was nevertheless determined to Middleton in Edinburgh and Andrew by the works of Choo San Goh, who shoulder the responsibility of retaining Hardie in London, and Soo Nee Goh, had established his reputation as a the company’s place in the cultural who had studied at the Legat and Royal choreographer throughout Europe life of Singapore. Experienced ballet Ballet Schools. Florrie Sinclair, who and the US after he became resident masters and mistresses were imported, also trained with Marjorie Middleton choreographer and assistant director and more ambitious programmes and was later appointed an examiner of Washington Ballet in 1976. His were introduced. The repertoire for the Royal Academy of Dance, was achievements were recognised when was further enriched by such works a member of the teaching faculty. he was featured on the cover of as Coppélia, George Balanchine’s Although Singapore Ballet received Dance Magazine in July 1980 and his Rubies, Michael Corder’s Rhyme nor no government subsidy, regular seasons reputation was further enhanced in Reason, Graham Lustig’s Cinderella were staged and the company provided 1981 when he created Configurations and André Prokovsky’s La Traviata opportunities to perform the classics for Mikhail Baryshnikov at American and Anna Karenina. In 1999, Chan and newly created works by Martinus. Ballet Theatre. Goh’s major works Hon Goh, a principal with National Act II of Swan Lake was staged in 1961, include Romeo and Juliet (1984) for Ballet of Canada, performed Jean- followed by Les Sylphides in 1962 and Boston Ballet and Skiftende Billeder Paul Comelin’s Giselle, and in 2003 an abridged version of The Sleeping (1986) for the Royal Danish Ballet. the company added Stanton Welch’s Beauty in 1963. This excellent “nursery” Beginnings, a work to music by Lennox Madame Butterfly to the repertoire. helped produce talents such as the Berkeley created for Joffrey Ballet II Perhaps the most important event in choreographer Choo San Goh, Soo in 1983, was performed during SDT’s the annals of SDT was the Singapore Khim Goh and Anthony Then, founding debut season and 11 of his other pieces Season presented by the National directors of SDT, and Patricia Hon, who have since entered its repertoire. Arts Council in London in 2005 to is professor of dance at the Cornish SDT’s body of work grew and its showcase the “new creative face of Institute, based in Seattle. However, each ranks were further strengthened by Singapore”. The company performed ➣

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Singapore Dance Theatre in The Sleeping Beauty.

Canning Park with new programmes to ensure greater access and awareness of a programme of works at the Peacock Singapore is a gargantuan task. The the company’s repertoire; introduced Theatre that included Maninyas by recruitment of dancers is an arduous One@the Ballet, a monthly lunch-time Stanton Welch, Choo San Goh’s Birds endeavour, and although there are open in-studio programme; and a of Paradise and The Lost Space by Boi ballet schools that provide part-time Ballet Associates Course and a pre- Sakti. The following year, Johnny training, Singapore does not have an professional Scholar’s Programme Eliasen staged August Bournonville’s equivalent dance conservatoire like that provided master classes for La Sylphide for the company. The Royal Ballet School in London, advanced ballet students, thus creating Soo Khim Goh decided to retire in the School of American Ballet in New a “bridge” between vocational dance 2007 after being at the helm for nearly York, or the Vaganova Academy in training and professional work. Also two decades. The Board – after a global St Petersburg. Vocational training significant was SDT Choreographic search – appointed Janek Schergen as is sustained by established teachers Workshop, an annual programme that her successor, and it has been Schergen such as Sylvia McCully, a graduate aims to grow aspiring choreographers who has been responsible for the from The Royal Ballet School’s three- that was launched in 2010. preservation of Choo San Goh’s legacy year teacher training programme, The vital role SDT plays as a national of works. His special relationship with who has been teaching part-time institution is now secure, and the the choreographer began when he students up to advanced level for achievements of Soo Khim Goh, was persuaded by Goh to undertake more than four decades. In addition, Anthony Then and Janek Schergen the role of ballet master and teacher there is Jeffrey Tan, a protégé of are commendable. During a visit with Washington Ballet in 1981. More Anthony Then, who later became in late 2015, I was able to attend a important, his extensive professional principal of Singapore Ballet Academy performance by the Choreographic experiences in Europe and the US as after a successful career with SDT Workshop, as well as a rehearsal of dancer, ballet master and artistic director as principal dancer and resident Swan Lake, and was confronted by the are necessary prerequisites for the role. choreographer; and Mei Sing Cheah, a tangible evidence of the huge progress Schergen added The Sleeping Beauty, former dancer with SDT who became the company has made. A lengthy and Swan Lake to the repertoire, and head of Dance at Singapore School of interview with Janek Schergen also invited Cynthia Harvey to stage Don Arts, which provides a pre-tertiary convinced me that the path ahead for Quixote in 2014. He also strengthened six-year programme of integrated SDT will be pursued with the object the company’s contemporary vocational and academic training. of achieving excellence that is de works by acquiring ballets by Nils Realising the value of education, rigueur in the Singapore psyche. n Christe and Edwaard Liang. Schergen began to extend the scope of projects undertaken by SDT. He For more information about he need to sustain a company supplemented the enormously popular Singapore Dance Theatre, visit T that can truly represent the new annual Ballet Under the Stars at Fort singaporedancetheatre.com.

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