My first time watching an AJ Dance performance...
Seems weird that I've never sat as an audience to watch an AJ dance concert. Then again, over the past 10 years, I was either performing or helping backstage for the concerts. Felt kinda weird sitting at the opposite side of the stage. Whole time round, my fellow dancers (or rather ex-dancers.. sob sob) were tugging each other, blady envious of those young dancers on stage. Choreography after choreography, costumes after costumes, music, lighting, effects and all seemed to be better than the ones we had..This is the first time they used multimedia and lots of hanging frames in a concert. grrrr... so not fair... perhaps we are just jealous. Jealous that we are not the ones performing. We were even making comparisons that we could do better than them.. cos we had danced to those signature "Silvia" style before. Hence, we would be able to execute the moves with ease and fluidity... HAHA sour 'old' grapes..
Then again, I'm just amazed how far this dance group has evolved. Silvia (our dance instructor) played a big part with her vision and superb choreography. To think that after the concert, she shed a tear and kept telling us (the old foggies/old time dancers) that it wasn't good enough.. and it is her fault.. didn't train them enough.. etc...
I was under two different instructors (inevitably.. since I was there for like a DECADE!). Both have their strengths but personally I prefer Silvia's. More modern, more intense, and more challenging.. Sadly, she is going to leave for Spain to pursue her dance career with her also dancer husband.. (how romantic..)
Would that be the end of AJ dance? That's what we thought when Ye Lao Shi left us too. Let's hope the "legacy" continues. Grrrrr... I so want to dance at VT again!!! Ok, that's beside the point.
Anyway, here's my take on the concert held at Victoria Theatre 29/4/2006 (the one that I didn't perform in!!!)
Silent Vocals V - Kaleidoscope
The performance is not just a dance, but a dance drama, in which all the dances are connected and they tell a story... A story about a girl's perception of life (the lead dancer looking through a frame), the vibrancy of life, the sights and sounds of life, the uncertainties and anticipations of life, the different stages of life, the hopes and dreams one has about life, the different emotions of life and the journey........... the journey of one's life.
It's kinda difficult to imagine. Somewhat abstract but you really need to see it to be able to understand it. Then again, what the dances depict is something that we are all so familar with. Read on and you'll see.....
1) The Child In Me
In this dance, we see different "adults" in all sort of clothes, whether they are shopaholics or secretaries, tour guides, even a pirated VCD vendor trying to make her ends meet. One thing is obvious.. they are ALL BUSY!!! As the dance unfolds, you'll see that they all have this hidden child in them which was momentary unleashed in this dance. The "adults" started to play "scissors paper stone", they piggybacked and they do all sorts of antics, freeing their innocent souls for a little while. And all these shown creatively through the dance's choreography.
The cheerful music plus the silly movements, coupled together to create a dance which depicts a child-like quality. The dance is essentially about one's childishness, one's untold and hidden innocence which is suppressed to face the hectic activities of everyday life. It's a sort of innocent bliss I guess, which everyone once possessed ........... Hmmm, have I lost mine?
2) Free My Soul
This is my 2nd favourite. .. So unique, so full of energy. In this dance, one sees the girl's perception of nature, using peacock as a representative. Hmmm.. but what's the link between peacocks and the title? Perhaps it's about freeing one's soul to touch and embrace nature? Essentially, the movements are sharp, swift, unpredictable and very distinct, VERY SILVIA..... very challenging.
3) Learning About Letting Go (Solo piece)
A very simple idea put through to the audience in a unique dance. This dance is about a girl's desperate stubborness to do something. In this case, her stubbornness to draw a portrait. This desperation is also reflected on stage by a pirated cd ah ma vendor trying to run away from the pursuit of a police woman (cleverly done through the use of multimedia). The police woman is desperately trying to catch the ah ma and the ah ma is desperately trying to run away from the police woman.
In the midst of the chase which takes place at center stage, we have the girl (lead dancer) sitting at the side, trying to draw a portrait. As the dance goes along, the girl grew frustrated and started tearing off the page, crumpling it before starting a new one. At that moment, the ah ma and the police woman both 'fell' and then 'rise' to continue the chase, to indicate a beginning of a new sketch. This cycle goes on a few more rounds before the girl grows frustrated and stopped drawing, hence ending the pursuit. Then, she started her solo dance piece, seemingly frustrated and as though she's trying to control the movements of her limbs or perhaps herself.... lots of angst and frustrations...before she let go of her stubborness and finally fell asleep.
Perhaps in letting go of that stubborness was she able to cope with losses, deal with disappointment and sadly, living with regrets. A scope of YOUR life perhaps? Definitely a scope of mine.
4) Castle (In My Dream)
In this dance, we see numourous girls, dressed in traditional Korean-like costumes, dancing with umbrellas. This dance is supposed to be a beautiful and graceful piece which will make one feeling floaty and high...But it sure makes one sleepy... or for me at least...keke.. I guess this dance is about the ideals, hopes and dreams of a young girl which everyone can long for, no matter who you are. Because no dream is too big and no ideal too far-fetched.
INTERVAL
5) Show Me The Way
This dance creatively made use of lightings to put a symbolism to it. By turning off the light, and then flashing mini torch lights and wearing glow-in-the-dark costume, the dancers represent stars twinkling, shining, and occasionally guiding. In the dark of the night, the only natural light which can guide you and literally 'show you the way' are the stars (and of course, the moon). Stars represents hope and so does this dance...... the hope of finding each and everyone's individual path in life.
6) Creatures of Emotions
(My Favourite!) Yes, humans are creatures of emotions. The heart tells a different things all the time and so does the mind. In keeping these thoughts in order, the emotions haunt us. This dance depicts one's dilemma, one's fear, one's frustration and one's worryings of one's decision, whether it's correct or wrong, whether it's ethical or heretic. The music is the source of tension. It's impactful, simply great. In this dance, one sees a lot of confusion, fear, worries and frustrations. (AGAIN VERY SILVIA) Very intense...... I WANT TO LEARN THIS DANCE!!!
7) Painting: Life (Finale)
The finale basically summarises the entire dance drama through the little excerpts taken from each of the earlier 6 dances. The numerous frames hanging mid-air from the top at different heights suggest the different aspects of life being merged together in one single painting as how the audience sees it. Nothing too different from a painting with the various strokes and colours. Like an artist paints it, we feel it with the pulse of our life. This is life. This is dance.
In all, Kaleidoscope is pretty much about the simplicity of life and its trials and tribulations. Except perhaps, this is a perception of life through a girl's point of view. Kaleidoscope - How apt...
I'm pretty impressed but I'm sure the techniques could be brushed up. (haha... this is the sour grape speaking)
posted by Master Cartwheeler @ 11:58 PM
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