With the German-Belgian-Cambodian dance show 'Crack', the Singapore Arts Festival proves its worth once more. Apart from presenting works already staged elsewhere to acclaim, the festival - just ending - also commissions new pieces from across Southeast Asia.
In the contemporary dance "Crack", German choreographer Arco Renz and his Brussels-based troupe Kobalt Works collaborated with six classically trained dancers from Phnom Penh's Amrita Performing Arts.
On pathways defined by low lights, three women moved slowly downstage and back. Almost in the same line, they seemed aware of one another's positions. Their movements were similar, highly contemporary with classic traits, yet closer examination revealed vast differences.
This same structure was later repeated by their male counterparts, followed by solo and group parts.
Through individual and collective physical expression - and amid unique music and sound by Kobalt's Marc Appart and Khmer rap artist Phanna Nam - "Crack" showed that much of Cambodia's socioeconomic struggle is universal, far beyond the parameters of traditional-versus-modern cultural conflict.
It was an intercultural collaboration that worked - and that's rare these days.
This is probably due to the respect the artists have for one another's backgrounds. I've watched many of these Cambodian dancers in more classical works, and it's delightful to see them step into another realm without once forgetting their roots.
I'm sure the experience they gained will help them develop their own work in the years to come. Much credit is due to the Goethe Institut Southeast Asia, through its increasingly active tanzconnexions support project.
Renz explained how he set up the performers' collaboration.
"First I asked them to talk about themselves. I met everybody individually, with the interpreter. When we got together in a group I asked them to show me what they've been doing, as dancers and choreographers.
"Second, I improvised with them on a very physical level. I introduced very simple physical principles they could apply in relation to different subjects. I didn't want them to be limited in style - I tried to challenge them to develop their own language and movement based on the internal principle.
"Third, I was testing how they'd react to the language that came from outside. I brought in a very short extract of movements that I made up especially for them before going to Phnom Penh.
"One important aspect of our work was that there's always a frame, and how one gets freedom inside of the frame. They had to define their own ground in between the frames. I tried to keep my frame simple - I tried to define some kind of architecture of movement. Maybe the most difficult thing onstage is how to stand and to walk, rather than doing 15 pirouettes."
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