At a time when concepts of space and movement have been deeply altered and redefined for our own safety, how does a dance festival—or indeed any arts festival—keep moving? Would it be able to provide a plausible direction for us to look deeper within ourselves for comfort or inspiration during these trying times?

With these questions on our minds, we at Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay have consciously anchored our da:ns festival programmes to be introspective and inquisitive, so as to create meaningful and thought provoking digital programmes. We invited Ming Poon to revisit one of his works in The Intervention of Loneliness (Lockdown Edition), which looks at vulnerability and intimacy when we are apart. The legendary street dance quartet, s**t kingz, returns with The Escape Game, a specially commissioned work which traces a thrilling journey of escape and imagination. Pichet Klunchun ponders and reflects in the mini documentary, The Intermission of No. 60, as the recently premiered No. 60—a work which crystalised his research on the future possibilities of classical Thai dance, khon—was forced to enter an “intermission” during this pandemic.

The festival team has also been determined to provide meaningful ways to galvanise Singapore dance professionals to continue creating. In Open Call, we present seven works by Singapore-based artists. Living Archive – A Creative Workshop with Studio Wayne McGregor, seeks to offer an avenue for local dancemakers to create with the technological stimulus of an A.I.

www.esplanade.com/dansfestival

When: 12 - 31 Oct 2020,

By: Esplanade