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6 Sleeping Beauty 8 Bohemian Parody 11Cinderel-lah 14 Listen To Olivia 21iLight Marina Bay 24 suitCASES
Dear Readers, Welcome to a brand new academic year in NTU! With a new starting, it’s time for a new team to take over. I’m your new editor-in-chief, Victor. The previous publications team have done a good job, and we will continue to produce more interesting articles for your reading pleasure. Within the short span of two months since school started, I often found myself wishing there was more time in a day. There are a host of many issues that demand our attention, ranging from co-curriculum activities, to relationships and studies. With so much going on, it is common to feel frustrated and stressed. You could vent your frustrations through our Post Secret Project (learn more about it on page 25), while remaining anonymous the whole time! Features on performances by famous singers such as Olivia Ong and Sylvia Ratonel are included in this issue. We were also given the privilege to highlight Asia’s first sustainable light art festival, which I believe will take your breath away. I hope that you all will enjoy reading this issue as much as our team has had fun doing it. Best Regards, Victor
Editor-In-Chief Victor Tan Yian Liang Editor Ho Seok Kian Agnes Designer George James Parel Liaison Officer Kelly Lau Cover Illustration by Jill Ng. www.jillanthropy.carbonmade.com
Printer Xpress Print Pte Ltd Tel: 6880 2881
Writers Ang Ke Qin Adele Neo Ping May Christabel Reena David Koh Hui Fang Sham Yan Yuet Vivien Shreya Gopi Tay Qiao Wei Victoria Chang Kai Ling Photographers Eugene Soh George James Parel Tong Xiao Wei
Issue 23 MICA (P) 102/11/2010 This is a Publication of Nanyang Technological University Cultural Activities Club. To advertise with us or list your events in ART JAM, email us at cac_publication@ntu.edu.sg Download the softcopy of ARTJAM at www.ntucac.com/ARTJAM
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6 Previews SLO 20th Anniversary Concert Sleeping Beauty Bohemian Parody Cinderel-lah!
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Personality Listen To Olivia Sylvia Ratonel - Our Female Idol
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peratic music has been long mistaken as ‘only for the rich and elite’. As Singapore Lyric Orchestra (SLO) marks its 20 year milestone with the Anniversary Gala Concert ‘20 Years of Grand Opera’, opera music is getting on the ‘let’s go broad-based’ bandwagon as well.
SLO 20th Anniversary Concert For the first time, 11 local and foreign vocal artistes will come together for a combined showcase of 27 arias.
of the song. With their individual interpretation, they will create a whole new breathtaking moment of every performance night.
As much as SLO hopes to promote an appreciation of Opera and establish Opera as an integral part of cultural landscape of Singapore, the cost of showcasing all performances prominently on stage All the best-loved arias and excerpts proves to be a challenge. This is as it runs a gamut from astonishingly from 20 operas that SLO has expensive to barely reasonable produced in the last 20 years are where funds are raised to tap on encapsulated in one night, where all-rounded elements such as you get to indulge in the most brilliant and mesmerising renditions professional actors, singers, sets, props and costumes. of works of Puccini, Lehar, Verdi, Mozart, Rossini, Bizet and Having experiences in performing many more. at various locations like Singapore Botanic Gardens in June 2010 and Also, for the first time, 11 local and foreign vocal artistes will come Kallang Theatre in 2005, SLO has finally settled down comfortably together for a combined showcase in the Esplanade Theatre, with of 27 arias from the well-received operas that SLO has produced over its favourable geographical location and acoustically good the past two decades. sound system. Kicking off the concert is Mozart’s In a collaboration to demystify Die Zauberflöte: concluding it Opera, SLO has crafted outreach is Verdi’s Rigoletto: Bella figlia programmes designed to provide a dell’amore. Opera fans will get to platform for opera fans to sing their hear much loved Nessun Dorma from Turandot made famous by the favourite tunes such as Opera Cafe. Also, it desires to reach out to the late Luciano Pavarotti; Love young and passionate, by creating Unspoken from The Merry Widow, opportunities through the estaband opera choruses like Anvil lishment of SLO Children’s Choir, Chorus, March of the Toreador, hoping to aspire the ‘fresh blood’ Humming Chorus. and gain greater appreciation of All four members of the SLO family, Opera music. the Singapore Lyric Opera Orchestra, “My lifelong dream is to witness the Opera Chorus, Youth Choir and success of 4-6 opera performances Children’s Choir, will complement in a year if it’s possible. From what the concert. I see now, Singapore definitely owns great potential in cultivating With 6 months of conceptualisasuch a niche art-form, if it continues tion, these professionally trained and seasoned musicians are bound progressing this way” said Mr Toh Weng Cheong, Chairman of SLO, to captivate you with their with conviction. remarkable repertoires, as they bring you through a sensational Catch ’20 Years of Operatic journey of phenomenal classics. Excellence’ at Esplanade Theatre SLO is presenting to you these on the 26th November at 7.30pm. well-known repertoires in a new light, as singers manoeuvre through Tickets available at SISTIC. the fixed composition and lyrics by Ang Ke Qin Photos: Courtesy
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by Christabel Reena David / Photos: Courtesy
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his December, The Singapore Dance Theatre is proud to present yet another promising performance, titled Sleeping Beauty. This classical ballet performance promises dynamic and opulent choreographed stagecraft that is set to recapture the beauty of the well-known fairytale and invigorate the audience’s senses. The plot of the ballet follows the conventional storyline of the popular classic “Sleeping Beauty”, where fairies from far and wide attend the christening ball of a princess. However, a wicked fairy is not invited to the ball and upon hearing of it, is enraged. She casts a spell on the princess, positing that upon reaching adulthood, she would prick her finger on a spindle and die. A good fairy, however, manages to alleviate the severity of the curse by putting the princess to sleep for a hundred years, only to be awaken by her true love’s kiss. Sleeping beauty boasts a strong and large cast of dancers and is directed by renowned artistic director, Janek Shergen who already has an extensive repertoire of successful performances, such as Ballet Under The Stars, Swan Lake and Giselle. To explore the inspiration and artistic style behind this promising performance, ArtJam goes behind the scenes to speak to Janek. DETAILS: Title: Sleeping Beauty Date: 16 to 19 December 2010 Venue: Esplanade Theatre Ticket Prices: $50, $70, $90 Time: 16 to 19 December, 8pm 18 & 19 December, 1pm and 7pm Tickets are available at: All SISTIC outlets; SISTIC Hotline: 6348-5555 and SISTIC website: www.sistic.com.sg. *SISTIC booking fees apply
ArtJam: The tale of Sleeping Beauty is definitely a well-known and familiar one amongst most people, what inspired you to choose this tale out of several other equally well-known classics as a basis for this performance? Janek: I was fortunate to be a student on stage during performances of Sleeping Beauty danced by wellknown stars like Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev, and to see them was magic. Since then, I have danced in and staged it as a ballet several times. Why Sleeping Beauty above all else? Because it is the ultimate ballet experience. ArtJam: The plot of the dance seems to follow quite closely the conventional storyline of the popular tale, what would you say is/ are the highlight(s) of this performance then? Janek: It is a much more complex tale than usually viewed on the surface. I’m especially fond of the prologue, in which the elements of the story are established, and Act III, with all the grandeur of the classical divertissements leading to the wedding pas de deux. ArtJam: Directing a performance of any sort is never easy, what were some of the problems you faced putting this classical item together? Janek: This is a new production, so all the choreography must be taught and coached to perfection. Plus with new sets of stage scenery and costumes, the details are considerable. There are 4 complete stage sets and 148 costumes to be organised. Sleeping Beauty is the largest ballet in the classical repertoire, so as you can see, it’s quite a logistics challenge! ArtJam: You have directed several amazing performances, some of the most memorable being Ballet Under The Stars and Swan Lake, what can the audience expect from Sleeping Beauty?
Tickets will be available from 21 October onwards
Janek: Sleeping Beauty is a massive spectacle with a large cast, beautiful choreography, and the genius of Tchaikovsky’s music. I hope for an audience it will live on in their memory beyond the actual moments of performance.
We apologise that we are unable to admit infants in arms and children below 6 years old. Children 6 years old and above will require a ticket for entry.
With the promise of opulent stage dynamics, explosive choreography and talented dancers, all under masterful artistic direction, Sleeping Beauty looks set to hit the stage with a bang.
And SDT office at 6338-0611 or ticketing@singaporedancetheatre.com
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Always, my dream has been the world. I want to give my country’s culture to the world. This is my first purpose.”
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Dressed in cargo pants and a t-shirt, and sporting long hair that he soon ties up, Kim Jae-Duk and his laid-back and sincere manner soon puts his rather overwhelmed interviewers at ease. He is eager to share his experiences and often speaks animatedly, using hand gestures to emphasise his words, such as when he explains his daily schedule. “Crazy!” He succinctly puts it, as he raises his hands in mock despair. Although he sometimes has slight difficulties conveying his passion for dancing to us in English, his earnest gaze and enthusiastic tone are clear indicators. His determination to speak to us in English as far as possible makes him a very memorable artiste. Jae-Duk, a remarkable avant-garde choreographer, was a relatively late-bloomer. He only started dancing at 17, then studied at the Korean National University of the Arts and Sungkyunkwan University. But his induction into the world of music may have started much earlier. A peek at Jae-Duk’s family reveals an eclectic mix of talents. He relates how he grew up immersed in music
as his mother was continuously singing songs and playing the piano. His father was a Kungfu master, and some of the angularity and energy of martial arts is reflected in his dances. His grandfather, on the other hand, was a singer, doctor and violinist all rolled into one! Jae-Duk continues this artistic legacy, establishing his own company, Modern Table. Based on interdisciplinary performance that attempts to transgress the borders between traditional genres of dance and music, Modern Table gives a contemporary form to Korean themes. Do not be fooled by his rumpled pink T-shirt and casual demeanour, this young man has very mature thoughts about choreography. Regarding contemporary choreography, Jae-Duk says that choreographers should understand the “identity of creativity”. He asserts, “ Most artistes nowadays are only concerned with two things; money and fame. We have to think about where we find the ‘creative’. Why should we create something? What do we want to create? These are essential questions that many artistes overlook.”
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In the recent Korean movie “Bimong (Sad Dream)” by director Kim Ki-duk, Jae-Duk was the composer and singer of the main theme song, “I Don’t Wanna Fall In Love”. While many others are only able to edit music, he has the advantage of composing music that goes hand in hand with his choreography. He believes that this talent gives him an edge over other choreographers.
end of it. However, at the meeting with fans after the performance, Jae-Duk was pleasantly surprised by the effusive gushing of “Ah it was very impressive!” and other spontaneous responses, and explanations that although they had wanted to clap, the conservative norms of Japanese culture ruled that out. Jae-Duk’s choreographic process starts at home. Just why his mother calls him crazy is evident when he explains and gesticulates about how he has to multitask. Here is a scene brought to life by his actions: In front of him are two books lying side-by-side, one for music, and one for choreography. For Jae-Duk, the two go hand in hand, and he begins with “music composed with an image in mind”. These two books rest on top of his piano, where he composes, and beside him is his computer, where he records. Behind him is a window, where he watches his reflection when choreographing. All this done in the midst of his mother trying to sweep his room clean. Crazy indeed!
He pensively cups his hands and says that his dance is about his “life, environment, background.” Concerned with creating an identity for himself and his society through dance, Jae-Duk’s works have a decidedly Korean edge to them. In his latest production, “Bohemian Parody”, Jae-Duk criticises the authority of Korean politicians and portrays a society in which people believe that they are liberal-minded, when they are actually conservative. He is eager to see his work performed here in Singapore by dancers from T.H.E Dance Company, and although he is not sure what to expect from it himself, all he hopes from his audience is simply that they enjoy it, and understand the society he wishes to depict. Coming from such a unique individual, Bohemian Parody promises to be extraordinary. Jae-Duk tells us, However, it is important to note Jae-Duk’s broad, after a long pause, that he likes dancing because it is international outlook. He is influenced by international the “most primitive instinct”, and that without dance, artistes and has visited several countries including he would not be able to express himself, his emotions England and Japan. Enthusiastically, he declares that and ideas, to the world. Although he will be involved in he wishes to be invited to perform in “all countries!” performances, workshops, master classes and He is currently listening to music by Jason Derulo, technique classes during his time in Singapore, Jae-Duk among others, and says that he is not too fond of new says that he looks forward to the performance the Korean music (apart from his own, of course!) though most, as once he is on the stage, he feels “very cool!” he enjoys some older Korean songs. With a smile on his face, Jae-Duk shares, “Always. My dream has been. The world – I want to give my country’s culture to the world. This is my first purpose.” The world has certainly noticed Jae-Duk’s talent and his works have been performed worldwide to great acclaim. But different audiences have different ways of expressing their enthusiasm. Jae-Duk relates an anecdote of the time he was performing in Japan. He felt that the Japanese were very “bored” by him. Where there had been tumultuous applause in other countries, the Japanese audience remained expressionless during the performance, and remained seated at the
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Kim Jae-Duk’s “Bohemian Parody” will be showcased in Singapore, together with T.H.E. Dance Company, on the 17 & 18 of December 2010, at National University of Singapore, University Cultural Centre Theatre. The interview with Jae-Duk was conducted at Hotel Re. $40 / $25 (*Savings package available through SISTIC) Website: http://www.the-contact.org. by Shreya Gopi & Sham Yan Yuet Vivien Photos: Courtesy
by Adele Neo Ping May & Koh Hui Fang
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n show at the Esplanade from 25th November to 11th December, Cinderel-lah!, is one of four plays W!LD RICE is re-staging to celebrate its tenth anniversary, in what W!LD RICE founder Ivan Heng calls a “smash hits season�.
Cinderel-lah! is a pantomime which is inspired from the classic fairy-tale Cinderella. Its strong local flavour, a signature style of W!LD RICE, is bound to keep both adults and children entertained. ArtJam had the privilege of interviewing director and founder of W!LD RICE, Ivan Heng, and cast Emma Yong, Chua En Lai, and Darius Tan who play the three sisters. Amidst playful banter, they share with us their theatrical experience, as well as details about the play.
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ARTJAM: For starters, who is your favourite fairytale character of all time? Darius Tan: Snow White. And the villains, whom I find interesting. Chua En Lai: Ursula in Little Mermaid. Emma Yong: Prince Charming. Ivan Heng: Cinderella. Cinderella is an interesting story, a fable that has existed since the seventeenth century, and it plays itself across every culture. It is inspiring and hopeful: whatever your station in life, you have an opportunity to make something good.
Emily of Emerald Hill, been chosen? Ivan Heng: These plays represent the best of W!ld Rice. It’s a smash hits season of plays we’re particularly proud of. They all represent an area W!ld Rice specializes in. Boeing Boeing and Animal Farm are world classics, seen through a Singaporean lens, a Singaporean point-of-view. Cinderel-lah! Is the first of our series of pantomimes, an all-new, made-in-Singapore musical. It has become a classic tradition, of a mustsee Christmas holiday show that the whole family can enjoy. Emily of Emerald Hill is the first show we started with. It represents a Singaporean classic, and ARTJAM: What drew you to theatre and what keeps you is a presentation of our very own canon of works. It is a passionate now? play that stands the test of time, hence our attempt to Darius Tan: The fact that it is live; it’s like a chemical bring it out after ten years. experience where you connect with people you don’t know. It’s magical. ARTJAM: We understand that the upcoming CinderelChua En Lai: It’s live, so whatever happens then for lah! has been “’revamped and upsized especially for the audience happens only once. You can’t replay the Esp-LAH-nade”. What are some of the new eleit but it stays in the memory. It grows with you, and ments the audience can expect? that’s exciting. As a performer you get only one chance Emma Yong: The cast is fresh, with a lot of new people to perform. There are changes from beginning to end, in it. There is new chemistry. The space is also very but we still keep it fresh for each performance, as if we different. Esplanade is huge. Everything is going to be are doing it for the first time. fabulous, more magic, more action, more magic, more Ivan Heng: It’s the human scale of theatre. So many action. There will also be new musical arrangements, things like film takes place on a scale that’s blown-up, sets and costumes. and projected on screens, but in theatre you actually Ivan Heng: Fairygod Makcik (played by Najip Ali) is see human beings, hear human voices; a reflection of going to fly! yourself, live onstage. In a situation with a super Also, Selena Tan, Elaine Chan and I have re-looked talented cast like in Cinderel-lah!, it is a wonderful and reworked the script to make it tighter. It is an thing to behold and experience; you see them act, and opportunity to look at it a bit. We’re practically our you go through a journey with them. It is immediate, strongest critics. Cinderel-lah! has a great deal more you learn, and you experience what it is to be alive. audience interaction than the last two pantomimes, so we are returning it to the very form of pantomime. ARTJAM: Complete the following senARTJAM: How challenging was it to craft and present tence: If I weren’t content that entertains both children and adults? working in theatre, I Emma Yong: It is not difficult actually. It is something would be... that happens in real life, with double entendres and Darius Tan: An inteall. It depends on the person listening, so it’s not that rior designer, which hard. was what I studied Ivan Heng: It is an interesting thing when adults laugh for, or an oil painter. at one joke, and children laugh at another. We all enjoy Ivan Heng: I would being naughty, and Cinderel-lah! is a good chance be bored. I think we for adults and children to be naughty together. After are all very lucky; it’s watching this play, we get families going out as famia wonderful privilege lies - it is an inter-generational thing. Just the other that our job is our day I met a taxi driver who saw the play seven years passion. ago, and now he’s bringing his children to watch. So we have a generation of children who grew up watching ARTJAM: Cinderel-lah! Cinderel-lah! is part of a series of Darius Tan: Incidentally, we have performers like plays to celebrate Gurmit Singh whose kids will also be performing in the W!LD RICE’s 10th show. anniversary. Why have these particular ARTJAM: Describe your character in your character’s plays, namely Boeing ‘voice’. Boeing, Animal Farm, Darius Tan: I’m beautiful. I’m the more beautiful of the Cinderel-lah! and two [stepsisters].
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Emma Yong: Cindy is very loving, hardworking, and loyal. Chua En Lai: Precious is the only princess is the whole wide world. ARTJAM: How did you prepare for your roles? Emma Yong: I’ve played Cindy before. It’s nice to go back, revisit the role, and see different things in it after having gone through new things in between. Mostly preparation is about learning the music and the lines. Cinderel-lah! is a pantomime, and we’re all familiar with the fairytale. We know what values we want to communicate and we discover little magical moments.
Ivan Heng: We laugh a lot at rehearsals. It’s great. I have worked with Emma, Darius and En Lai a lot, and I admire what they do, so I cast them. We also have actors like Gurmit Singh and Najip Ali who spent their formative years in theatre. They remind you just how good they are in that theatrical space. A television set is so small, but when you see them live, it’s enjoyable and impressive.
ARTJAM: W!LD RICE has been making dedicated efforts to discover local talent in theatre, through initiating the Singapore Theatre Festival and FIRST STAGE!, just to name a few. Tell us more about the roles of the FIRST STAGE! actors in Cinderel-lah! and the experiARTJAM: Hi En Lai, could you tell us what you feel ence of working with them. about having played Prince Char Mee in 2003, and Ivan Heng: They will be singing and dancing. Right playing one of the Stepsisters, Precious now? now for rehearsals we will be taking them through the Emma Yong: He would rather beat me up than kiss me. scenes. They get to see how professionals work. They (laughs) get to be onstage with us, warm up with us, and they Chua En Lai: Precious is really fun out of the whole see the actors take their craft seriously. Any notion pantomime genre. Now I am listening to the songs of the little princess or beauty contests, which some again after seven years. The words I have spoken, and of these children take part in, disappears as they the songs I have sung, it is bizarre to see how someone understand that theatre is demanding. They also have else will interpret it. In my role as Precious, there will a great time and laugh with us. It is a rare opportunity be more running around, more hair, more make-up, for the children to share a stage with professionals. less clothes and so on. Darius and I have a history as These are lessons that cannot be replicated, they are triplets in last year’s Beauty and the Beast. We work great gifts to be received, and there are also great well as sisters, especially the torturing part. (laughs) scoldings. (laughs) They learn about discipline and teamwork. It takes a great deal when you are around ARTJAM: There are so many elements in Cinderel-lah! five or six years old to stand in front of the audience. How has the creative process, in terms of collaboraThe children may eventually forget what they learn in tion, been like? school but they will never forget what it feels like to Emma Yong: Rehearsal itself is a collaboration perform on stage for the first time, as a pumpkin and between everyone. Mostly we discuss things together. so on. Ivan Heng: Theatre is the most collaborative art form, even more so in the case of a musical. Take for example ARTJAM: Lastly, what is your hope or vision for W!LD RICE, and the local theatre scene in general, in the Fairygod Makcik’s entrance. There is the script, the years to come? smoke and pyrotechnics, the people who have to fly Ivan Heng: I hope that there could be a more her thirty feet above ground, and so on. So much supportive, more optimistic and free collaborative effort goes into that one moment. environment in which artists could make Darius Tan: It takes a whole village to create a show. their work. There could be more respect for (laughs) the works of artists. For artists and all who Ivan Heng: It is very satisfying if we can get it right. work in theatre to be able to achieve their potential and earn respectable wages ARTJAM: How do you stay attuned to local concerns and a decent living. This is what and local humour, and weave them thematically into W!ld Rice has been pursuing the play? for artists and the Ivan Heng: We read the Straits Times, listen to the crew, the sounds, see the sights, and observe. production team Emma Yong: Being locals, when we tell story from and staff, because our hearts, we cannot help but offer a Singaporean theatre really is viewpoint. necessary for a nation’s happiness. ARTJAM: Has anything interesting happened during rehearsals? Emma Yong: Come and see the show. (laughs) Darius Tan: We discover talents of our actors, we learn things from each other, in terms of what we can do as characters. Photos: Courtesy
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Listen To
Olivia by Victoria Chang Kai Ling
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There are not enough positive songs in the world.“ It was an unusual Monday on 20th September 2010. The Lee Kong Chian Theatre in Nanyang Technological University (NTU) was filled with an excited crowd, not for anything, but the semester’s campus concert – featuring local jazz star, Olivia Ong. She was at home on stage, opening the concert with a relaxed and sultry rendition of “Ain’t No Sunshine” that kept the audience on their toes for more.
Photos: Tong Xiao Wei
With her sweet yet powerful voice, Olivia had charmed the audience with her effortless singing. The ballad “Have I Told You Lately” proved to be sincere and touching, while upbeat numbers like “I Feel the Earth Move” had caused several members of the audience to spontaneously get up on their feet. With its solemn tenderness and depth, Olivia’s cover of Suzanne Vega’s hit, “My Name is Luka”, gave the audience a pleasant surprise. “如燕”(Ruyan),however, proved to be the most wellreceived hit of the night, with it being familiar to local students as the theme song for popular local Channel 8 drama “Little Nonya”. Fellow label-mate Liu Yi Yang had graced the stage as a special guest star, joining Olivia in a quirky cover of the song “我愿 意”(Wo yuan yi). At the end of the concert, students were given the opportunity to purchase her latest album, “Live” (now available in stores!), with her autograph as well. Indeed, Olivia has immense talent as a singer. But what makes her even more special is her life-long passion for music. At the age of sixteen, she was active in the music industry as a member of Japanese Pop group, Mirai, before the release of her bestselling solo debut, “A Girl Meets Bossa Nova” when she was nineteen. “This life suits me,” she said cheerfully with a grin. “There are not enough positive songs in the world! This is why my latest album has different music arrangements to make it sound more fun and youthful. Language doesn’t matter, as long as I can connect to the music.” In spite of initial misgivings, her father eventually encouraged her to stay determined in the pursuit of her passion. “He told me not to be afraid once I’ve set my mind to it. So now, I just do my best, believing that things will be better in the future,” she said. “For now, I just want to be where all the energy is and keep going!” Olivia adores her fans as well, citing them as reasons for her desire to persevere in the music industry. “I believe in being sincere. I learnt that from my fans. I’m really impressed with their dedication!” she said. Olivia credits her record label for helping her all this while too. “No artist is a one-man island. I’ve been learning from so many people as I go along!” “You really need to have the passion and drive – it’s not for the fame. You must like new experiences!”
by Victoria Chang Kai Ling
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s Sylvia Ratonel emerged from backstage, decked out in a sophisticated black jumpsuit, with a chic up-do and sparkly earrings for an exclusive listening session with the media, we knew we were in for a good time.
For someone who had never had any professional experience prior to her Singapore Idol days, Sylvia has come a long way. Today she stands before us – confident, relaxed and enthusiastic in showcasing new songs from her upcoming self-titled debut album, “Sylvia Ratonel.” Her passion for the R&B and pop genre is clearly shown in her debut. “I am really inspired by Alicia Keys. I would love to work with her, or just follow her around for a day and see what she does with her music!” she said. First up was an unplugged version of her hit single, “Fly” – a Top 10 hit on the 98.7FM charts for several weeks now. “This song is especially for the girls who feel that they lack the confidence to feel beautiful. It’s a girl power song!” she said. The second song, “It’s Raining”, contrasted sad lyrics with cheerful beats. Sylvia wanted the song to convey to her audience that although couples may have quarrels along the way, they would still “want to work it out and be together”.
Photos: Courtesy
OUR FEMALE IDOL Also featured in her album is a cheerful and contemporary Malay song, “Mari Bersamaku” (Be With Me), which showcased her versatility. Having been impressed with Amin for composing “Mata Hari” for Sezairi Sezali, the Singapore Idol 2009 winner, Sylvia was “happy to have him as a composer in this album”. She is enthusiastic about showing her audience that she can sing Malay songs as well. An English version of the song, “Come Run Away With Me” will also be released in the album. Included in the album is a cover of American pop rock band Bangles’ “Manic Monday”. Don Richmond’s new arrangement incorporated an interesting acappella chorus, giving the song a light-hearted and fun touch. Other songs like “Get Up Everybody” and “Give Me What You’ve Got” are “clubbing songs to get everybody dancing.” Indeed, the fast, strong and catchy beats in “Get Up Everybody” is addictive enough to give Kesha a run for her money. We can definitely keep a look out for these songs in the clubs upon the release of her debut album. Certainly, this is an album which gives you fun and tugs at your heartstrings all at once. “The making of this album just felt like fun, not work!” Sylvia said. An artiste like Sylvia makes us proud of our local talents – this album is not to be missed by fans of Sylvia, or those of R&B! *“Sylvia Ratonel” will be available in stores from 27th October 2010.
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by Koh Hui Fang / Photos: Courtesy
our young choreographers, Adeline Ee, Daniel Roberts, Kelvin Koh, and Kiran Kumar, went under the guidance of Singapore Dance Theatre (SDT)’s Artistic Director Janek Schergen to produce dance creations best suited for the black box theatre space. Each presented a 15-minute piece, featuring SDT’s professional dancers, during the one-night-only Passages Choreographic Workshop Showcase at the National Museum of Singapore on 3rd November 2010. Janek Schergen started the night off. Being disarmingly charming, the audience had warmed to him immediately. When the first piece was over, he unexpectedly started picking up ropes strewn over the stage, joking that everyone has to do their job. His humour helped to create a warm and inclusive atmosphere. His spontaneity also affirms his point about the event being a “showing” of experimental works-in-progress, rather than a performance of polished works. Having discovered these talents mainly as a judge for SPROUTS, a National Arts Council (NAC) programme
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for budding choreographers to debut their works, Janek called Passages the next step from SPROUTS, in developing local talent in dance by allowing artistic exploration without commercial pressure. The choreographers are not allowed to name their pieces, lest they get tied down to concepts. Janek then commented that these choreographers have succeeded in expressing their artistic visions – their personalities show through, stressing the event’s importance for their development. They need dancers to execute their vision, and an audience to present their works to. Adeline’s piece, which explores animalistic movements, had a lot of raw energy. Dancers crawled on the floor– primitive, wild, and even a little dangerous. There was innovative use of rope tied around one dancer’s waist. He tries to move but is always pulled back. His struggle to break free is especially poignant. Her piece, about cruelty toward animals, was inspired by a video about dancing bears, with nose rings which their trainers tug at to keep them dancing. For her, dancing can be a platform to raise ethical issues.
Kelvin presented a graceful piece, which was accentuated by the dancers’ sweeping movements. The beautiful music enhances its ethereal quality. The piece focused on the dancers’ connections with one another: the male dancers supported the female dancers tenderly; the female dancers shrank into coital positions, preciously vulnerable in the embrace of a loved one. Inspired by family, Kelvin gave the personal and bittersweet example of how that day was both his father’s birthday and his grandfather’s death anniversary. Despite his background in Indian Dance, Kiran had decided to incorporate elements of yoga which emphasizes body movements. Kiran had used his technological expertise to create a multi-media experience: a self-made video was shown on a screen, between two armchairs facing each other at two ends of the stage. Words are set against a background of abstract images of wispy clouds, and bare trees with forlorn branches. He had creatively rearranged snippets from T.S. Eliot’s Four Quartets, a collection of poems about man’s relationship with time, the universe, and the divine, into his own poignant narrative. Once the
stage descends into complete darkness, the lines “As, in a theatre, / The lights are extinguished, for the scene to be changed” are shown. Kiran explained how the video emphasizes the irony of the audience’s passivity in observing the dancers move. A professional dancer with SDT himself, Daniel defied Janek’s rule about not naming the pieces. The title “Hold the Fourth” is cheekily ambiguous, which reflects his mischievous personality. Fittingly for a finale, it was epic, in terms of the group dynamics among the dancers, the largest group that night, and the bold movements executed with much flair. Direct spotlights on the dancers add to the drama. The piece had brought out the best in each dancer. Deviating from telling stories, Daniel kept this piece open to interpretation: the movements could have meanings or not. The event was an eye-opening experience. It gathered choreographers of different backgrounds, offering a diversity of styles, exemplifying the magnificent possibilities of the body in expressing itself through dance.
Sometimes I Think I Remember
by Tay Qiao Wei / Photos: Courtesy You enter a small, intimate theatre and you sit down, the stage mere metres away. In the darkness, a swing starts moving back and forth on the stage. Haunting laughter fills the theatre. A chill runs down your spine as you sit transfixed, on the edge of your seat. You have just taken a peek into the first scene from Sometimes I Think I Remember by Jeffrey Tan. This dance, together with Pellucid by Kuik Swee Boon, makes up ReDoubled, a double bill which premiered at the 2008 Esplanade Da:ns Festival. A recent restaging of ReDoubled, jointly presented by the Singapore Dance Theatre and the National Museum of Singapore, was held on 5 and 6 November 2010 at the National Museum Gallery Theatre.
Pellucid
Choreographer Jeffrey Tan took a theatrical approach with Sometimes I Think I Remember by complementing the dance with videos, narrations and several set pieces, namely a swing, sofa and ramp. The videos and narrations helped to put the dance into context by exposing the audience to the protagonist’s background. This piece consisted of both solo and group dances. For the solo dances, lead dancer William Wu conveyed the protagonist’s emotions and struggles not just through his skilWWlful dance moves, but also through his appearance in his underwear in many scenes, signifying a naked baring of his soul. The proximity between him and his audience was also used to his advantage, with emotions such as fear and confusion clearly visible on his face. In contrast, the group dances were less personal but more dynamic. The movement of piano keys was incorporated into the dance when the dancers took turns to move up and down on their toes, in sync with the piano music. Despite exploring negative themes such as loneliness, betrayal and broken dreams, there were still glimmers of new beginnings in the piece. A narration at the end of the work sums up its main message, which is to “keep walking” despite not having the answers we are longing for.
In the second piece, Pellucid, choreographer Kuik Swee Boon chose a minimalistic approach to lucidly convey the essence of life. The dancers’ fluid movements, especially those by the lead dancer Chihiro Uchida, were impressive. She appeared to be defying gravity as she performed on a stool, occasionally engaging the help of two male dancers. Furthermore, the agile dancers practically transformed dance into stunts when they performed vertical movements by stepping and running on walls. At one point, murmurs of shock could be heard from the audience when the dancers started peeling off tape from the stage floor, removing the canvas-like flooring. The use of part of the rolled up flooring as a prop for a dancer to sit on was ingenious. This, together with the aforementioned usage of the wall as a prop, showed Kuik’s knack for maximum use of simple resources. Another interesting aspect of this work was the use of a lamp as the main light source. In one of the segments, one dancer held the lamp while dancing, creating a sense of chaos as light flashed around the theatre. Hence the simple lamp became an essential and interactive part of the performance. Finally, although Pellucid was less literal than the previous piece, it was also more personal, since one could feel the dancers’ emotions simply through their dance moves. Also, this abstractness does work to its advantage by allowing the audience to input their personal interpretations and hence take home their personal Pellucid experience.
In summary, both dances were similar in terms of their reflective take on life. However, they were also different, with the first piece being more dramatic, while the second piece was more simplistic but personal. All in all, Redoubled lives up to its name by being not just doubly entertaining, but doubly thoughtprovoking as well.
by Ang Ke Qin / Photos: Eugene Soh, George James Parel Walk through a night of transformation; From a silently dark district to a lively, enchanted garden, brightly lit up by the beautiful art illustrations. Asia’s first sustainable light art festival, iLight Marina Bay, was hosted from 15 October to 7 November 2010. It was opened for free admission to the public from 7.30pm to 12midnight nightly. With over 20 dynamic light art installations and sculptures, the festival hoped to raise awareness towards energy consumption and long-term sustainability of the urban city. The building owners around Marina Bay and the Central Business District had also contributed their support in going green by adopting energy-saving initiatives throughout the festival period. This festival was presented by Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and organised by Smart Light Singapore. Local and international artists and designers had their artworks lined around Marina Bay waterfront promenade. Only energy-efficient lights and lighting techniques were used. Marina Bay had marked its milestone in 2010 with the opening of Marina Bay Sands in April, followed by the Youth Olympic Games in August. This is not forgetting the Kite Festival during September. Yet it never seemed quite enough. “Marina Bay will continue to grow not just physically, but also in dynamism and energy as we continue to roll out our future plans for the area. These include major new spaces for the public to enjoy, in particular the Gardens by the Bay, which will open towards the end of next year” said Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, as he launched the light art festival on 15th October 2010.
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Our local designers also proved well of their talents. One of which was named ‘Jellight’, designed by Pascal Petitjean and Aamer Taher. Viewers were captivated by the glowing jellyfish and its floating tentacles. It was designed to portray the consequences of polluted oceans, hoping people could ‘grab’ the jellyfish tentacles and keep them on Earth.
One key highlight of Light Walk was ‘My Public Garden’ by French light art group - TILT, which depicted a whimsical fantasy garden. It consisted of 29 light works that were powered by biodiesel fuel from used cooking oil. This initiative hoped to create awareness for better waste management and underscore how communities could positively impact the environment they operate in.
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suitCASES
In order to truly love a land, one must first unearth the beauty beyond its sorrows. by Koh Hui Fang suitCASES is a multi-disciplinary performance which attempts to unravel the secrets of our land through an experimental and self-reflective approach.” Offering no definitive meaning, the essence of suitCASES is in the intricacies of each sequence. In the Prologue, the travellers, white shadowy figures in raincoats, build the city bit by bit in ritualistic and mechanical motions. Their anonymity marks them as invisible hands silently contributing to the city. When they see their suitcases in the ‘Settling Down’ segment of the Prologue, however, they grab them earnestly in a very human way, scurrying off in frenetic motions. Removing their raincoats cautiously, almost painfully, the travellers reveal themselves, one at a time. The first traveller, in 归属篇, The Chapter of Sense of Belonging, has a childlike and innocent demeanor, but passionate desires, which she posits onto red balloons. The red balloon is a child’s plaything, and a person’s face, which the traveller kisses. The balloons’ buoyancy is creatively used to create graceful momentum. The traveller’s dance with the red balloon is sensual in its exploration of raw desire. Her desire eventually became too violent – the balloon exploded into scraps, which she gathers sorrowfully before donning her raincoat and becoming anonymous again. In 演化篇, The Chapter of Evolution, the second traveller, a brash and physical character, best exemplifies a mime character which their makeup are all based on. The pun on the title - 演， acting in other words – parallels the traveller’s attention-seeking tendency. Her attempts to impress were met with snubs, humorously expressed by unexpected use of dialect by the other travellers, presumably detached and impersonal in their raincoats. In despair, the traveller rolls up her shirt to reveal a face-like outgrowth on her belly, in strange greenish hues and with the texture of scar tissue. This face narrates a story of creation theory with mystical qualities, using puppetry to express the beginning of Being, its propagation, and its hubristic development which led to self-destruction – Being explodes into particles, waiting to be assembled again. This tale echoes the current situation of global warming, but the play refrains from preaching by making it a mere passing reference. For her story, the traveller earns the companionship of the puppet of the original Being.
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Strong design elements explore the possibilities of theatre to communicate its uniqueness as an art form. The evocative and expressive soundtrack creates atmosphere to connect different parts of the story. The scaffolding represents a city always in construction and ingeniously frames simultaneous actions without prioritizing any, giving the audiences’ eyes freedom to roam across the stage. This audience engagement interacts with the theme of becoming aware, and breaking out of the a city-dweller’s repetitive and meaningless life routine in the third traveller’s sequence 变革篇, or The Chapter of Revolutionary Change. She transforms from an eager-to-please and compliant citizen, to a dissenting voice who doubts the purpose in living a life of routine – work, entertainment, eat and sleep. Her resounding 为什么？ (Why?) is both a challenge to the authorities and a wake-up call to the audience. The metal-wielding travellers morph from being teacher-like to police-like figures with batons who, in typical carrot-and-stick style, force her into submission. This confrontation culminates in a puppet,magnificently scary with a face that is half safety dummy and half fleshy mess of eyeballs, rising from the traveller’s suitcase to cane her for her socially deviant behavior. It is expressed abstractly, and beautifully, in a light-and-shadow sequence. The villain-like puppet’s tail-end, made of ping-pong balls, conveys violence and chaos when shaken and projected against the wall. The fourth traveller, in 隐疾篇, or The Chapter of Hidden Ailments, is marginalized. The others brutally clean her up to a mishmash of news sound clips. Failing to remove what they perceive as her body odour, they stuff her into her suitcase, hinting for her to go back where she came from. The traveller breaks down. Despaired, she bares a scar on her chest reminiscent of the second traveller’s. The other travellers, out of their raincoats, are drawn to the sight, and reveal their own ugly outgrowths to one another, thus establishing bonds. Eventually, they ceremoniously hang up their raincoats and stand under the cleansing rain. For more puppetry action and reflective art, look out for the Finger Players’ upcoming Community Festival – A.I.D. (Angels in Disguise) – in December.
We encourage all NTU students to write their ‘secrets’ on a postcard size card. Seal your postsecrets in an envelope! (Don’t worry! These are anonymous and no one will know your identity!) Please pass these postsecrets to any CAC executive committee member. Or, you could e-mail it to cac_publication@ntu.edu.sg. This will be a great opportunity for students to express how they feel. This allows for a time of sharing amongst the NTU students and better understanding of our fellow peers. You’ll be surprised to find out how many people actually have the same feelings or thoughts as you! So pick up a postcard and start designing (at the back of the postcard) your own post secrets now! For those who are going overseas, do keep a look out for any interesting postcards and send it in. Remember, be creative! (Please refrain from any vulgarities or sexual content). THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! See some of the samples below or at www.artjampostsecret.com!
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If you have the passion for the art scene in Singapore and love to write, come join us in our dynamic CAC publications team. Our team will be creating a yearbook for the 21 member clubs and other special projects; hence we are looking for more editors, designers, writers and photographers! Alternatively, if you have any interesting articles that would like to be published in artjam, please do send to cac_publication@ntu.edu.sg with your name and contact number. Anyone can be part of this great team! So hurry! We look forward to hearing from you!
ArtJam can be found in: All Junior Colleges All Polytechnics NAFA NTU NIE SMU SIM
Alliance Francaise AGF Theatre DBS Arts Centre Esplanade Theatres on the Bay *scape Youth Centre The ARTrium The Substation
Victoria Concert Hall Victorian Theatre New Urban Male Flesh Imp 77th Street Studio Wu Attitude Dance Studio
Aspire CafĂŠ The Butter Factory Virtuoso Arts Home Club library@esplanade National Musuem The Garden Slug
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