Forward Shift is a new platform focused on new creations by Asian dancemakers who are pushing dance forward in their respective forms or communities. Each choreographer will perform a complete scene from a work they are currently creating, which aims to eventually become a full-length production in the future. As an audience member you will be able to watch these performances which are fresh from the rehearsal studio, and experience a range of artistic practices and ideas from the strongest dance artists in our region in one evening, as well as offer support or feedback.What She SaidRaka Maitra and Dharma20mins This is the premiere pairing of Raka Maitra, a choreographer bridging classical Indian and contemporary dance, and Dharma, an experimental musician from the band The Observatory. This dialogue of movement and sound is based on the classical Tamil poetry from the book The Interior Landscape by AK Ramanujan and examines the fundamental distinction between the intense interior subjectivity of the soul and the vast visible exterior objectivity of nature. Performed by Sandhya Suresh and Dharma.The Intervention of Loneliness Ming Poon30minsThe work is a response to the loneliness and human disconnection we are experiencing today. Developed from the work Dance with Me where Ming Poon travelled around the world asking strangers on the streets to slow dance with him, this new stage work is a collaborative piece that invites the audience to enter into a serendipitous moment of intimacy with each other. In this work, Ming explores the potential of vulnerability and intimacy as tools of empowerment. Dancing becomes a shared act between two bodies as they reach out, make contact, listen to and hold each other. And from it, a spontaneous choreography emerges.No. 60 Pichet Klunchun30minsThe impulse of Pichet Klunchun’s choreographic practice is searching and negotiating freedom from the regime of tradition. In the new duet No. 60, Pichet astutely examines and illuminates upon the classic Thai dance canon of Theppanom which consists of 59 core poses and movements that all Thai dancers need to master. Pichet speculates on what could come after: not a tangible dance movement or physical routine but a set of new philosophy and principles that undergird the classical dance system. Such a critical toolbox enables every ordinary dancer the liberty of thought and body to create his/her own individual movements. Accompanied by live music from DJ Rory from Australia, Pichet and dancer Kornkarn bring us on an exuberant journey that hails the moving body freed of ideological impositions and reveals its corporeal passage from court culture to folk vernacular, and the global present.

There is no space and time before movement. The body does not move into space and time—it creates space and time.Our bodies are constantly in motion, reaching out towards something and creating different relationships with everything around us. In a way, they constantly seek to reinvent themselves and become something else. This potentiality appears every time language exceeds its syntax, every time another exceeds our reach, every time we sense more than we comprehend.The Lost Wax Project explores the potentiality of space and its interrelations with the human body. The title is a metaphor from the sculpting process, in which wax moulds are used to cast metallic sculptures. When the sculpture takes its final shape, the wax that fills the mould is “lost”.“You are seeing something tangible, but [what] made it tangible is no longer there,” says choreographer Preethi Athreya, comparing the casting process to the function of the body in space. In this work, she crafts a circular stage around which the audience sits, inviting them into an intimate experience of the negative space between human bodies.Preethi AthreyaChennai-based contemporary dancer and choreographer Preethi Athreya was trained in bharatnatyam under the Dhananjayans. She went on to attain a post-graduate degree in Dance Studies from the Labon Centre, London, and has been working with the eminent choreographer Padmini Chettur since 1999.

Street dance is storming onto the Centrestage of da:ns festival! Watch out for this epic showcase of mind-blowing street dance from some of the best crews from Japan, Taiwan and more, coming to you from slaying the stages of World of Dance and Hip Hop International. With various street dance styles and unique choreography, they prove that age, gender, location and language are no barriers to the power of dance.Featured crews include s**t kingz, GRV, IP LOCKERS, Nelson Ewande, Fabulous Sisters as well as our very own Singapore crews from this year’s Sixteen da:ns Challenge, an annual street dance mentorship and showcase programme for local street dancers. Stay tuned as other exciting artists will be announced!

As the body disintegrates, where do thoughts and emotions reside? When thoughts and emotions disintegrate, where does your trace reside? And when all is gone from the known, where does your love reside?Inter_rupted explores the human body—its fragility, disintegration, resilience, vulnerability, inevitability and renewal. It asks of the audience to celebrate the body and its existence, the way it lives and breathes as something that is transient, flowing, and yet interrupted.Dance maverick Aditi Mangaldas returns to Kalaa Utsavam for the fourth time, bringing her signature blend of the classical kathak tradition, contemporary dance elements and theatre design. The choreography will feature musicians as part of the set—diverging from the classical Indian dance tradition of placing the seated ensemble at the side of the stage. Inter_rupted was awarded the Best Other Contemporary Work at the Seeing Dance annual awards in 2016.“This piece wasn't easy to make, as I had to face the very “moment” that the work talks about. In this piece that is all I have done – tried to not capture anything…just to face it, if possible,” says Aditi.Aditi MangaldasA leading dancer and choreographer in the classical Indian dance form of kathak, Aditi Mangaldas received training from gurus Shrimati Kumudini Lakhia and Pandit Birju Maharaj. She is known for consistently breaking new ground, by using kathak as a springboard to evolve a contemporary dance vocabulary that is infused with the spirit of the classical. 

An enchanting lake. A spell-binding romance with the Swan Queen, Odette. A tragic betrayal by the alluring Black Swan, Odile. Swan Lake is a sensational timeless classic that beckons you into a realm of secrecy and seduction. Captivating you from the moment the curtains are lifted, this is a bewitching story of undying love, a cruel twist of fate, and the promise of devotion.The ballet opens with Prince Siegfried taking aim at a white swan, which magically transforms into a beautiful woman named Odette. She tells the prince that she is indeed a princess who has come under a spell – swan by night, woman by day, and it can only be broken if a nobel prince swears eternal fidelity to her. Prince Siegfried falls madly in love with Odette. However, in a series of tragic events, the Prince accidentally proposes to the evil sorcerer’s daughter, Odile, thinking that she is Odette. Princess Odette witnesses Siegfried declaring his love for Odile and feels doomed. The prince returns to seek forgiveness from Odette at the lakeside, and he defeats the evil sorcerer in a battle which releases Odette and all the swan maidens from the spell.Staged by Janek Schergen after Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, Swan Lake will be performed to the brilliant live Tchaikovsky music played by the Metropolitan Festival Orchestra. Singapore Dance Theatre’s Swan Lake was first staged in December 2007, and has since been restaged in 2009, 2012, and 2015.

Introduction to Lengger DanceConducted by Otniel Dance (Indonesia)Join the dancers from Otniel Dance as they share their knowledge on the graceful costumes and intricate movements of Lengger, a dance form originating from Banyumas. In the past, Lengger functioned as a harvest ritual as entertainment for farming communities. Today, Lengger is a popular entertainment form in Central Java, amalgamating dance, calung music and vocals. Prior experience in learning dance and/or movement would be advantageous, but not necessary.Introduction to Nora DanceConducted by Nora Thummanit Thaksin University Group (Thailand)Come learn the ancient graceful ritual dance of Nora by Nora Thummanit Nikomrat, one of the leading masters of the genre. Rarely performed outside of Southern Thailand and Northern Malaysia, Nora is an archaic dance-drama whose origins are steeped in legend and prominent around the Songkhla Lake where it has thrived for centuries. The dance has its own music traditions and its movement techniques have an undeniably magical character, drawing on influences from as far away as India and Sri Lanka. This workshop is suitable for people with no dance experience.

Push your boundaries and turn your dance routines up a notch by joining in these masterclasses with the dancers and choreographers from FULL OUT!Yaobai (IP LOCKERS)His name is Hsiao Yu-chang, but everybody calls him Yaobai. Since 1996, street dance has been one of the most important parts of his life since 1996. For the past 20 years, it has allowed him to experience different cultures as he shared his passion for street dance with people around the world. His championship titles include Floor of Love (Singapore), WIAB Locking Battle (South Korea), Dance@Live Freestyle Battle (Taiwan/Japan), BOTY Locking Battle (Germany) and RF Jam Crew Battle (Singapore). IP LOCKERS defines who Yaobai is today.Nelson EwandeNelson is a French artist regarded as one of the best popping dancers and choreographers of his generation, with a passion for mixing influences from hip hop, footwork and Afro Latin dance into his popping technique. Since he became a professional dancer, Nelson has emerged champion in numerous dance contests. He pursues and shares his passion through creating choreography for showcases and commercials, conducting masterclasses and judging dance battles around the world.David Lim (GRV)David started dancing at the age of 18 and went on to create GRV dance crew in 2007. In 2012, Lim founded Gravy Babies, a junior dance team under the GRV family.  In addition to directing these crews, Lim is an internationally renowned choreographer, traveling all around the world teaching workshops and judging competitions in Russia, Japan, China, Sweden, Canada, Brazil and many more. He has also choreographed music videos for K-pop sensation BTS and has worked with them on various TV shows in the US. His priority in dance is to inspire, encourage, and educate the next generation.s**t kingzs**t kingz is a four-man pioneering performance team well-loved for their strong footwork and comedic story-telling. They took the dance world by storm as the first Asian crew to win the Body Rock (USA) dance contest in 2010, and again in 2011. They now produce their own original full-length dance dramas, the largest of which attracted over 25,000 audiences in their 2018 Japan tour.

Don’t miss this opportunity to immerse yourself in the energetic and lively culture of Cuba through this masterclass led by Cuban dancer Yasser Dominguez from the critically acclaimed dance company Acosta Danza. This masterclass will incorporate movement stemming from the AfroCuban modern technique and focus on increasing your awareness of your body in space and moving each limb independently whilst retaining a rhythmic flow.Yasser Dominguez has been a dancer with Acosta Danza since 2015. He has performed in pieces by Carlos Acosta (Carmen), Goyo Montero (Alrededor no hay nada), Alexis Fernández (Maca and De punta a cabo), Jorge Crecis (Twelve), Christopher Bruce (Rooster) and Pontus Lidberg (Paysage, Soudain, la nuit).

 “It’s hard to conceive of anyone - of any age - not loving Echoa. French company Arcosm has so much talent in its midst that we’re almost bowled over by it. [...] Rarely is contemporary dance so accessible and fun, eliciting peels of giggling laughter from young mouths alongside adult guffaws.” - The ScotsmanHow does a percussionist dance? What is the sound of a dancer? An international success in over 25 countries with more than 930 performances, Echoa is a wonderfully entertaining and accessible music and movement experience for the whole family.Two percussionists and two dancers meet onstage. Will they be able to understand each other? Their friendly competition and jubilant play make delightful use of both expected and unexpected instruments, while dance emerges in moments of comedy, non-verbal conversation and tenderness. Echoa will make you tap your feet, hold your breath and then laugh along as you see dancing with new ears.Performing for the first time in Singapore, award-winning French dance company Arcosm specialises in theatrical experiences for young audiences. This performance is the perfect programme for the entire family, appealing to children as young as seven to their grandparents.About the artists Founded in 2001 by Thomas Guerry and Camille Rocailleux, Arcosm has been solely directed by Thomas Guerry since 2016. Created with the mission of reinventing the theatre experience for young audiences, Arcosm brings together multi-talented performers trained in music, dance, physical theatre, mime, and singing. The company’s creations are a potent combination of the surprising and unexpected. Burlesque humour is tempered with moments of reflection on the human condition. Dreamlike theatre meets danced reverie in a compelling universe that will enchant audiences both young and old.Arcosm has toured to La Maison de la Danse (Lyon), Sadler’s Wells Theatre (UK), MOMIX Festival (Kingersheim), Fil Festival (Brazil), Festival KinderKinder (Germany), Les Coups de Théâtre (Canada), Panoptikum Festival (Germany), Traffo Festival (Luxembourg), Edinburgh International Children’s Festival (Scotland), BIBU BIENNAL (Sweden), ASK Festival (China). Arcosm is subsidised by the Culture and Communications Ministry / DRAC Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes as a “Company of National and International Outreach”, in recognition of their work in dance for young audiences. 

Meet the next generation of dance talents in Singapore from LASALLE College of the Arts, as they present dances by local and international choreographers. The programme reflects LASALLE’s cosmopolitan and cutting-edge approach that produces performers who expand and challenge the boundaries of dance both physically and conceptually.This performance celebrates the flaws, abilities and subtleties of the body. It questions and challenges our habitual ways of moving, through the works of international artists such as Rachel Lopez de la Nieta (UK), Eisa Jocson (Philippines) and Ery Mefri (Indonesia).The performance features the Diploma in Dance students of LASALLE College of the Arts with a special guest performance by Alumni.Humans, Slugs and other creatures is part of da:ns festival’s Next Generation, which allows young dancers from arts colleges in Singapore to hone their performance skills, and work with international and local choreographers invited by their schools to learn different approaches to dance creation.

Celebrate the talents and diversity of Singapore’s dance landscape in this showcase by pre-professional dance students from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA).In The Third Space, post-colonial culture academic Homi Bhabha’s theory on hybrid identities is used metaphorically to describe Singapore’s increasingly complex cultural landscape. Drawing on their diverse backgrounds, NAFA choreographers including Aditep Buanoi (Thailand), Gillian Tan (Singapore), Hwa Wei-An (Malaysia) and Richard Chappell (UK) position their work at the “inter”— defined by Bhabha as the cutting edge of translation and negotiation.The Third Space is part of da:ns festival’s Next Generation, which allows young dancers from arts colleges in Singapore to hone their performance skills. Students work with international and local choreographers invited by their schools to learn different approaches to dance creation.

From electrifying to soulful works, Passages Contemporary Season is set to grip you with its captivating line-up and leave you at the edge of your seats. Come and be inspired by these compelling and moving masterpieces.The annual Passages Contemporary Season will present four diverse and riveting works, including a world premiere by Lucas Jervies, Australian choreographer and former dancer of The Australian Ballet, who recently created Spartacus for The Australian Ballet which received an overwhelming response. The premiere will be accompanied by Natalie Weir’s sensational and passionate Bittersweet, Val Caniparoli’s rhythmic and precise Swipe, and Toru Shimazaki’s distinctive emotive and stirring work, Blue Snow.This season is acquired through SDT’s Ambassador’s Circle 2019.

 “Hoghe moves with economy and care, lightly yet fiercely; every gesture is pristine, flooded with dramatic import. Ueno is supple, gentle, able to leap with abandon one moment and to describe delicate patterns with his hands the next.”  - The New YorkerRaimund Hoghe is regarded as one of the pioneers of dance dramaturgy and as an artist, is a true vanguard of contemporary dance in Europe, challenging conventional notions of the body and beauty in dance and society through works which are “concentrated examinations of humanity”. His decade-long partnership with Pina Bausch is often referenced as a pivotal collaboration between a choreographer and a dance dramaturg, and one which had a significant impact on dance-making today.For Hoghe, going onstage is taking up film maker Pasolini’s words to “throw the body into the fight”. Revealing and performing with his own unusual frame, Hoghe masterfully disrupts our problematic standards of body perfection which he believes equate humans to the status of design objects. Beyond this statement of visibility, the bodies in his work are not only physical and personal, but unfold to become complex spaces that reflect on history and culture.In Pas de Deux, Hoghe is joined onstage by one of his regular collaborators, the Japanese dancer Takashi Ueno. With subtlety, humour and an eclectic profusion of jazz, classical music and poetry, Hoghe structures a series of delicate interactions around quintessentially everyday objects of Japanese culture, imbuing them with layers of meaning. Fragile and gentle movements, marked by ritual and deep human connection, expand into a cathartic resonance of time and beauty.Bearing a title that alludes to balletic virtuosity, this minimalist duet is instead a meditative dialogue of movement between two contrasting physical bodies, and a thought-provoking conversation between these different sites of memory and history. This performance marks a rare and first appearance of Hoghe in Singapore.About Raimund HogheRaimund Hoghe was born in Wuppertal and began his career by writing portraits of outsiders and celebrities for the German weekly newspaper Die Zeit. These were later compiled in several books. From 1980 to 1990 he worked as dramaturg for Pina Bausch's Tanztheater Wuppertal, which also became the subject matter for two more books. Since 1989 he has been working on his own theatre pieces for various dancers and actors. In 1992 he started his collaboration with the artist Luca Giacomo Schulte, who is still his artistic collaborator. In 1994 he produced his first solo for himself, Meinwärts, which together with the subsequent Chambre séparée (1997) and Another Dream (2000) made up a trilogy on the 20th century.Hoghe frequently works for television on projects such as Lebensträume (1994) and Der Buckel, his 1997 hour-long self portrait for WDR (West German Radio and Television). His books have been translated into several languages and he has presented his performances all over Europe, as well as in North and South America, Asia and Australia. He lives in Düsseldorf and has been awarded several prizes including the Deutscher Produzentenpreis für Choreografie in 2001, the French Prix de la Critique in 2006 for Swan Lake, 4 Acts (in the category "Best Foreign Piece"). Critics from the magazine ballet-tanz awarded him "Dancer of the Year" for 2008. Books about his theatre works were published in France, Germany, Great Britain and the United States.http://www.raimundhoghe.com/

“A master in embodying the affects of an entertainer’s daily grind, the sexualised, the fetishized, the underbelly of a migratory trajectory not often talked about in the open but lurking in the shadows.”  - TQW MagazineThe Disney empire created its own brand of happiness with smiling and waving princesses in theme parks across the globe, and Snow White represents the essence of the “Happy Girl”.Choreographer Eisa Jocson, who lives in Manila, observes this apparently universal performance of happiness from a particular perspective: Disneyland Hong Kong is a significant employer of Filipino dancers in the region, but because of the colour of their skin they are only cast in nameless subsidiary roles. The character of Snow White is also a domestic female role, where she tidies the house and takes care of the Seven Dwarfs – drawing ironic parallels to the many Filipinas who work as domestic workers around the world.Jocson, together with performance artist Russ Ligtas, hijacks the physicality and speech of Snow White and creates a playing field of identities. Using strategies of mimicry and reproduction they overwrite the entertainment system’s pre-programmed narratives, corrupting this closed world with their foreign bodies. Princess transposes the Filipino body from the supporting position in the margins to the main role at the centre.In Princess, Jocson continues to investigate the entanglement of affective labour, embodiment, mobility and the construction of racial and gendered identities that she has started with her internationally acclaimed solo works Death of the Pole Dancer and Macho Dancer.Jocson is a contemporary choreographer and dancer from the Philippines, trained as a visual artist, with a background in ballet and pole dance. She exposes body politics in the service and entertainment industry as seen through the unique socioeconomic lens of the Philippines. Her artistic practice involves embodying personae from pole and macho dancer, to Japanese hostess and Disney princess, studying how the body moves and what conditions make it move – be it social mobility or movement out of Philippines through migrant work.Esplanade first presented Jocson in da:ns festival 2014 in Alpha, a collaborative work, and subsequently presented her solo works, Macho Dancer and Corponomy, in 2017.Artistic Direction: Eisa JocsonCreated and performed by: Eisa Jocson, Russ LigtasMusic: Marc AppartCreative Presence: Arco Renz, Tang Fu KuenDramaturgical support: Anna WagnerLight design: Florian BachCoaching: Rasa AlksnyteProduction management: Anne KleinerAssistance: Marcus P. TeschTechnical management: Yap Seok Hui (Artfactory)Sound engineer: Fernando CastroProduction: Eisa Jocson, Künstlerhaus Mousonturm (Frankfurt)Co-production: Frankfurter Positionen, Münchner Kammerspiele, tanzhaus nrw (Dusseldorf)Funding: The Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media within the framework of the Alliance of International Production HousesSupport: Pianofabriek (Brussels), Para Site (Hong Kong)Commissioned within the framework of Frankfurter Positionen 2017, an initiative of the BHF-BANK Foundation.

Back by popular demand, GOLD 905’s Rock of Ages Night is set to rock the house down on Friday, 18 October at Hard Rock Café, Cuscaden Road!Hosted by the GOLD 905 DJs, we promise you a night of awesome classic rock hits covers performed by Jive Talking, hosted by Rock of Ages frontman, Mr X.  Their powerhouse renditions of U2, Guns ‘N Roses, Aerosmith, Red Hot Chili Peppers, AC/DC, Def Leppard and more will have you rocking the night away!Come dressed in your best rock outfit to win shopping sprees!Rock lives on at GOLD 905’s Rock Of Ages Night!MORE EVENT DETAILSAge Limit18 years and aboveTICKET PRICE (EXCLUDE BOOKING FEE)$68 (includes free flow house pours, beer, soft drinks and finger food from 8pm – 10pm)

Admission Nation LLC is committed to showcasing world-class flamenco artist that might not be seen elsewhere. Flamenco is a source of inspiration, and it is a vital part of our culture that should be shared broadly and often. Selene Muñoz performances are a fascinating fusion of musicality, costume design, and artistic collaborations across cultures and styles.  From the moment Selene and impeccable cast step into the stage, they offer one of the most flawless performances of the season. Selene is not just a beautiful and virtuoso dancer whose shoulders can move in the wildest geometric patterns, but she has also an unforgettable magnificent thundering footwork as a machine gun vault against the floor. Selene Muñoz is a Danish/Spanish award-winning dancer and choreographer.  She was born in Spain and started dance training when she was 4 years old.  Selene created her first dance production at 9 years of age.  At 14, she moved to Madrid to attend the renowned Flamenco Academy Amor de Dios. She then attended the Real Conservatorio Profesional de Danza (Royal Conservatory of Dance), where she graduated in 2009. Most recently, Selene receives the first title as ‘Member of Honor’ from The Spanish House in Denmark, together with the Ambassador of the Spanish Embassy in Denmark, and also nominated as ‘Best Dancer of The Year’ in CPH Culture.(C) Copyright: Selene Muñoz      Costume: By Luna      Photo: F. Gernyx

About liTHE 2019"liTHE 2019" is the 8th edition of the annual platform featuring the young, talented artists of T.H.E Second Company - the youth wing of leading Singaporean contemporary dance group, T.H.E Dance Company. Under the guidance of Associate Artistic Director Silvia Yong, its members, aged 17 - 35, range from students in dance CCAs, and local dance institutions, to career professionals who train and rehearse with T.H.E Dance Company regularly."liTHE 2019" is the last of a 3-year incubation (2017 - 2019) of three emerging Singaporean choreographers Anthea Seah, Goh Shou-Yi and Marcus Foo, offering freedom, space and resources to realise their creative vision, take risks, and completely immerse the Second Company dancers into their style, over the course of 3 years. In 2019, they will work with the following collaborators to produce their most mature, fully realised concepts and performance: for Goh Shou Yi, Rei Poh (Dramaturg) and Ng Jing (Sound Designer); for Anthea Seah, Jevon Chandra (Music Composer & Dramaturg); for Marcus Foo, Venetia Lim (Music Composer); for all three pieces, Liu Yong Huay is the Lighting Designer.

Nominated for an Olivier Award 2018 for Best New Dance Production and for Outstanding Production in the Bessies 2018. Won a 2019 Dora Award for Outstanding Touring Performance and nominated for Best Dance Production in the 2019 Helpmann Awards.Internationally celebrated choreographer Hofesh Shechter’s latest work for Hofesh Shechter Company, Grand Finale, is a spectacularly bold and ambitious piece featuring 10 dancers and a live band of musicians. This work makes its Asian premiere in Singapore, with the company’s first appearance here since 2010. Grand Finale is at once comic, bleak and beautiful, evoking a world at odds with itself, full of anarchic energy and violent comedy. Filtering this irrepressible spirit, Shechter creates a vision of a world in freefall—part gig, part dance, part theatre, and wholly original.It would be impossible to miss the fact that Grand Finale reflects the uncertainty and confusion of the troubled times we are living in. Shechter captures a sense of helplessness and a macabre mood of crisis, but also the regenerative promise of chaos. The 10 dancers are a vision of a post-apocalyptic society. They pulse through kaleidoscopic formations as one body, one tribe, separating briefly for moments of fervent celebration, individual anguish, tenderness, and rag-doll collapse.This portrait of the struggle of the human spirit against apocalypse is intensely cathartic. Shechter leads us ultimately past despair to euphoric release, and a collective sense of having undertaken a monumental journey together.Shechter is recognised as one of the most exciting artists working today, renowned for composing atmospheric musical scores to complement the unique physicality of his movement. Based in the UK, but playing on major stages throughout the world, Hofesh Shechter Company is a boundary-breaking dance company that produces exceptional work created by Hofesh Shechter, with at their core a diverse tribe of extraordinary international dancers.Produced by Hofesh Shechter Company and commissioned by Georgia Rosengarten.Hofesh Shechter Company’s Commissioning Partners are Sadler's Wells, Théâtre de la Ville-Paris / La Villette-Paris and Brighton Dome and Festival. Co-commissioned by Colours International Dance Festival Stuttgart, Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg, Romaeuropa Festival, Theatre Royal Plymouth and Marche Teatro / Inteatro Festival together with Danse Danse Montréal, HELLERAU-European Center for the Arts Dresden in cooperation with Dresdner Musikfestspiele, Dansens Hus Oslo, Athens and Epidaurus Festival, HOME Manchester and Scène Nationale d’Albi.Grand Finale is generously supported by the International Music and Art Foundation.

Everybody loves a good story. Stories can be told in a myriad of ways: through the strokes of a brush, the rhythm of music, the movement of bodies. MILIEU 2019, presented by Frontier Danceland, brings together two exciting choreographers, Marioenrico D'Angelo (Italy) and Sita Ostheimer (Germany), to share their new stories in a mesmerizing double-bill. 

Following an exceptional career, acclaimed international ballet superstar Carlos Acosta brings his company Acosta Danza to da:ns festival for its first performance in Singapore.Raised in an impoverished district of Havana, Acosta’s talent and drive fuelled a meteoric rise that saw him become the first Cuban principal dancer of London’s Royal Ballet and one of the most celebrated dancers in the world. This international mixed bill includes works which pay tribute to Acosta’s Cuba and presents the exceptional talent from his beloved country. Dancers from the company combine both classical and contemporary dance effortlessly, imbibed with Cuba’s rich musical and dance influences.In the programme are two enchanting duets on mythical creatures by the renowned choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, with Mermaid featuring a rare guest appearance by Acosta. Like a fish out of water trying to walk on dry land, or a stranger in unknown territory, the mermaid looks for help and guidance. With fluid virtuosity, she slithers like a human wave around Acosta’s deft partnering. The second duet, Faun, is inspired by the 1912 ballet by Vaslav Nijinsky, L’après midi d’un faune, set to Debussy’s original score with additional music from Nitin Sawhney. The reprised dance of desire between a faun and a forest nymph takes on a new lithe, loose-limbed strangeness. The original Debussy score has been framed in a multi-layered soundscape with electronic and South Asian undertones by Sawhney.In Paysage, Soudain, La Nuit (Landscape, Suddenly, The Night) Swedish choreographer Pontus Lidberg connects to the soul of Cuba. The light and lively piece is set in a field at twilight, its playful choreography pulsing with the rhythms of the Cuban rumba as dancers spin and leap in through buoyant ensembles and duets. The programme is rounded off with the energetic Alrededor No Hay Nada (There is nothing around) by Spanish choreographer Goyo Montero. The ensemble moves through a series of dramatic tableaux coloured with jumps and acrobatic lifts, sliding and leaping in and out of light and darkness to spoken poems and jazz songs by Joaquin Sabina and Vinicius de Morais. The work is a reflection on human relationships and the Latino-American reality, speaking of the need to live fully in the present as tomorrow may not come.With the support of Sadler’s Wells in London and Valid Productions, Acosta Danza is driven by Acosta’s vision to give the next generation of Cuban dancers world-class opportunities. The company has received international ovations as an exciting new force in dance.Produced by Sadler’s Wells and Valid Productions.