An Uninitiated’s Take On “We’re Gonna Go Dancing!!” #2

(We’re Gonna Go Dancing is Japan Contemporary Dance Network (JCDN)’s project to promote Japanese contemporary dance and and will tour five cities in four countries -Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Bangkok (Thailand), Manila (the Philippines), Solo and Jakarta (Indonesia). The performance described was performed in The Actors Studio, in Kuala Lumpur on the 10 August 2007.)

Dance 4: Masako Yasumoto - "NAHANAHA"

source: http://www.jcdn.org/

After the intermission, Masako Yasumoto burst upon the stage. Impish, mercurial, she floated and whirled across the stage in effortless grace. She seemed to defy gravity and danced like a playful spirit. What a delight to watch! My eyes were reverted on her and followed her every movement as she took control of the stage.

source: http://picasaweb.google.com/patravaditheatre

Her first dance with the doll was mesmerizing as she looked like a doll herself. And when she took over the role of the doll come to life, the illusion was complete. The effectiveness was as much due to her look as her dance. I hesitate to say it for worry of being branded but to me she was absolutely ravishing. And her dance was erotic without being suggestive.

source: http://picasaweb.google.com/patravaditheatre

She can make every small movement interesting like the gradual chopping of one arm with the other hand from the fingers to the shoulder which by itself is not terribly interesting. But when she did it, it was as if she had executed flawless exquisite moves.

She seized your attention, held it captive and just would not let go until she disappeared from the stage.

source: http://picasaweb.google.com/patravaditheatre

Her second act started with a video of two daisies floating on the water languidly and ended up fighting (for want of a better word). Then once again the atmosphere became magically charged as she flitted in with two large flowers for eyes. Once again, we are treated to a powerful, energetic, highly skilled performance. It ended with a video showing a flower that somehow grew among the protruding roots of a tree. She appeared on all four on a lease. She surveyed the flower with interest. Then grabbed it with her mouth and chomped it down. Flowers have lost their innocence or are no longer protected by it.

source: http://picasaweb.google.com/patravaditheatre

Dance 5: Ko&Edge Co. - "DEAD 1+"

For all the impressive dances we had seen thus far, the one that affected me the most was the last act of the night by Ko&Edge Co. And the greatest impact was the first 15 minutes of the dance where ironically, there was no dancing. In fact, there was no movement at all. When the spotlight shone on the three silver painted figures, their back was to the audience. They were inverted, legs facing the ceiling and the whole body rested on the shoulder with the head somehow tucked away. They looked exactly liked headless corpses.

Source: http://www.kakiseni.com/

The figures stood motionless, just like that, on their shoulders for 15 minutes while loud Jimi Hendrix music blared away. I was not so sure whether that or a more eerie music piece would serve to create a greater effect. But if the idea is to show a contrast between the music and the dance, then that is an excellent choice. The strain must have been tremendous to maintain that position but the corpses stood their ground. It was amazing that a motionless dance (what contradiction!) could be so interesting and captivating.

source: http://picasaweb.google.com/patravaditheatre

It was equally absorbing when the figures started to slowly move as they bended their knees and lowered their hands in exquisitely slow incremental moves. You can see the fluttering and quivering of the muscles as they strained against the unnatural moves. As the legs were lowered over the hidden heads, the curved backs looked like grotesque alien creatures.

source: http://picasaweb.google.com/patravaditheatre

When these creatures tried to get to their feet, they stumbled and crashed, backward and forward full length on the floor. Struggled poignantly to their feet only to stumble and violently crashed again. They are like full grown new born (I know – contradictions!) trying to stand on their feet for the first time. I have never seen a dance so original and so contradictory. A dance that is not a dance if going by traditional classification. How can it even be a dance if there is no movement? But I had not seen a performance so beautiful for such a long time. I salute you, Ko Murobushi-san for your daring creativity that showed me something I have never seen or even thought existed.

source: http://picasaweb.google.com/patravaditheatre

All the way on the long drive back, we could speak of nothing but the dances. It was a night we will never forget.

Happy Merdeka!!

Happy Merdeka!!

To all readers! To all Malaysians!

I was happy to witness this joyous occasion recently when PPB Bhd brought the senior citizens of two homes to FFM to celebrate Malaysia’s 50^th Anniversary. After a short tour of the factory, they tried their hands out at making some buns. Then they were treated to a sumptuous lunch. Look at their happy faces and the enthusiasm with which they waved the flags. They still remember their country so their country must not forget them.

We must not forget them.

"We must not forget those whose who are coming to the end of their journey – for they pave the path on which we now walk.”

- Ghostwise

An Uninitiated’s Take On “We’re Gonna Go Dancing!!” (Japanese Contemporary Dancing).

(We’re Gonna Go Dancing is Japan Contemporary Dance Network (JCDN)’s project to promote Japanese contemporary dance and and will tour five cities in four countries -Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Bangkok (Thailand), Manila (the Philippines), Solo and Jakarta (Indonesia). The performance described was performed in The Actors Studio, in Kuala Lumpur on the 10 August 2007.)


Dance 1: Ho Ho-Do - "How to Move Forward to the North-northeast!"

Some of the better journeys are taken within. I know nothing about contemporary dancing, Japanese or otherwise. Which was why I was keen to explore it. There was my concern that I may find it boring but I considered that to be adequately balanced by my upcoming education. So I convinced a couple of friends to join me for “We’re Gonna Go Dancing!!”

source: http://www.jcdn.org/

I always liked the Actors Studio because of its close proximity with the performers enabling me to clearly see facial expressions. This, I feel heighten the appreciation especially of the first performance – where facial expression played a big role in bringing out the interaction between the two dancers and connections with the audience. And what interactions they were – seamless, playful, passionate expressing many variations of acceptance and rejection, indifference and love. They expressed to me most, the innocence of two children in play.

source: http://picasaweb.google.com/patravaditheatre

I’ve no understanding of the subtleties of dance movement or the messages they were trying to convey. Nor will I pretend to. From the first dance, I’ve decided to just feel the dance as it spoke to me even if that is the ‘wrong’ or unintended message by the dancers. I just want to lose myself in the beauty of the movement and passion. Ho Ho-Do danced as if there were no audience, just the two of them frolicking on stage. They were convincing.

source: http://picasaweb.google.com/patravaditheatre

It is said “their work (Mira Arashiki and Mari Fukutome) is created through their delicate sensitivities and impulses they feel in everyday life. They adapt not only ordinary dance techniques but also small trivial gestures from daily life as motifs of movement to create pieces showing their poetic world-view.” That is a mouthful and what I read in the synopsis before the show. I didn’t remember any of that when the show started or did I tried to. I did not see dance techniques or trivial gestures, together or combined because I’m an uninitiated. What I did see was running, skipping, jumping, pulling, pushing, dancing, parallel and synchronized movement, separate and individual movement that recombined, playful and joyous movement, imitation movement from one to another creating new movement for imitation coming all together into one seamless, poetic whole. What I saw were children in play, constantly evolving through affection, pretended indifference, imitation, exploration, adventure, discovery and growth.

source: http://picasaweb.google.com/patravaditheatre

My take was probably wrong. I told myself – forget trying to be right, just soak it in and enjoy. Any interpretation should be spontaneous and natural. As long as I’m touched, the dancers have done their part. With this attitude, this unabashed neophyte absorbed the rest of the show and enjoyed himself tremendously.

Dance 2: Amy Len - "WALL"


The next act was disturbing. It was choreographed by Malaysian Amy Len, artistic director of Youth Studio of Dance and Kwang Tung Dance Troupe and performed by Amy, Tan Bee Hung and Foong Siew Ching. In the stage interview at the end of all dances, Amy said she drew her inspiration for this dance from the pleasure of rolling comfortably, leisurely on her bed! Oh-oh, I thought. How could her inspiration of leisure comfort contrast so much with my impression of hell on stage. That is revealing. I would love to ask her that question but never got the chance.

Source: http://www.kakiseni.com/

It was a very powerful piece. Right from the start when a naked leg first protruded into the spotlight shot against the wall with the rest of the stage pitch dark. Then a contorted female shape with long hairs and black pajama shirt twisted and rolled in slow motion along the wall. Followed by another. They seemed to be in agony, desperately trying to find an escape but hopelessly trapped. And as the tempo increased, their struggle became more frenzied till they were literally throwing their body against the barrier that hemmed them in. It was horrible. It was good. I thought I had the interpretation all stitched up until the interview at the end. I will stick to my interpretation. That was hell. And any wall that constricts our freedom is hell.

Dance 3: Shintai Hyogen Circle - "To Norichan"

I did not know how to react to the next performance. Yutaka Joraku and Masato Takeuchi made a powerful entry in their Japanese loin cloths. What an impact naked bodies have. And it is nothing remotely erotic. They bring out sincerity of movement when there were no clothes to hide the rippling of muscles. This was especially evident in the last act of the night (will come to that later).

source: http://www.jcdn.org/

While Ho Ho-Do added to their dances with expressive yet indifference faces, Shintai Hyogen Circle cemented theirs with their blank, stoic masks. Movements are strong, solid and physical and the dancers responded powerfully to each other. So powerful it made me winced and go silently “ouch! That must have hurt.” When the first open palmed blow by Joraku smacked on Takeuchi’s shaved head, it was funny and I almost gave away a laugh which I stifled immediately. It felt natural but are we supposed to laugh at contemporary dancing? Wouldn’t we be insulting the dancers? Or are we insulting the dancers by not laughing? Oh boy, don’t know the protocol. A few funny painful smacks later, one brave or better informed or less sensitive soul laughed. After that, everyone laughed at each funny painful smack. I learned something that night – you are meant to laugh when it is funny even it is a serious dance performance.

source: http://picasaweb.google.com/patravaditheatre

I paid tributes to these two performers for the sacrifices they made for their art. For the blows were real, you can hear them and see their marks left on their pale bodies. It is a bit troubling that we enjoyed, found it funny when two bodies are whacking each other. How very Asian. How very human.

When Joraku was asked, “What were the messages you were trying to convey?” He answered, “There was no message. It was enough that the audience enjoyed the act. That was the reason for the performance.” I loved that.

When the lights came up for the intermissions and people were standing up and moving, I remained seated as I was still absorbing the performances. Then I remembered I got to out for a release.

To be continued.....

Dirty Duck - Innocence At Play.

(This post is an extension of the Dirty Duck post to be found in Ghost Food, please click on the link under “My Other Blogs”. Check that out first).


Such a beautiful and peaceful surrounding encouraged playful spirits. I was lucky to catch these two girls enjoying themselves. Words are superfluous here so I’ll just let the pictures tell the story.

(I was shooting this series with my zoom lens so they are totally unaware of me).

View From A German Castle Window.

I was in one of the upper rooms of the Holstentor (“Holstein Gate”), the famous landmark of the ancient town of Lubeck, Germany. My eyes wandered casually over the various contraptions used to torture human being at a ‘less enlightened time’. In today’s more enlightened time, we no longer rely on such crudity. We used more sophisticated methods that are no less cruel or brutal.

Something caught my eyes and I fished out my camera hoping that it is up to the task with its 10X optical zoom. I need its full zooming power and a steady hand to capture the shot. Alas, the more I tried to keep my hands steady, the more they shook. So I made use of the board which was used to pull people apart to rest my camera. So far it had not been jinxed.

Below are the shots which amused me.

A girl tired out by all the walking took a rest.

Disregarding the people passing her by.

And was joined by a small child in red.

Is she just weary or sad?

In this modern world you never know when you are being observed, spied on, appreciated or captured even if it is in an ancient city several hundred years old.

Lulur Mandi - The Nourishment of Body & Soul.

(Lulur Mandi is a luxurious form of ritual massage and bath said to be handed down from the Royal Palaces of Jogyakarta in Central Java. This ancient tradition is used to prepare the skin of a bride for 40 days! prior to the wedding ceremony. This is now adopted as a body polishing and exfoliating treatment so that mortals like us can enjoy it too).

We caught a cab in front of our hotel in Jimbaran and the heavyset driver asked us where we are heading.

We told him – “To Ubud”.

He said “Rp400,000”.

We said no.

“Rp300,000”.

We insisted on the meter. He said no. We got out of the taxi. He said yes. We told ourselves not to get upset and let this spoiled our day. Throughout the journey the driver lamented that he would not be able to get another fare back to Kuta and asked us to let him wait for us. We refused to commit. The fare was Rp200,000+. We offered him half that amount if he will wait for our bath and dirty duck. He happily agreed. So that is how we found ourselves with anticipation in front of Zen Bali Spa.

The following description is from what I had written for another blogging site: eatery2u.com (check that out) -

Sorry for the delay but I was waiting for other members but since none stepped up in the meantime, guess I’ll have another go. But wait, you said – where is your dirty duck? Like any good Hollywood movie, there is a prequel and a sequel. This is the prequel to dirty duck and it is about food, food for the body and soul and someone no less than Sir Winston Churchill said we got to nourish both to live “a good life”.

source: www.zenbalispa.com

What can you cook with sandalwood, turmeric, groundnuts, rice, yoghurt and flower petals? We traveled one hour from Jimbaran beach to the padi field of Ubud to find out. We arrived at “Zen” and were led to our private room. To prepare us for our feast, they took off our clothing and kneaded us with essential oil from head to foot. One blissful hour floating in a zone between dreaming and waking steeped in ethereal music.

A paste of sandalwood, turmeric, groundnuts and rice was made and gentle hands forcefully rubbed us with it till our whole body was coated orangy yellow. Liquid yoghurt was poured over us and our body shivered to the introduction of a new sensation. It was used to clean and exfoliate our skin. A hot shower followed after which we luxuriously soaked ourselves in a fragrant flower bath nibbling on yoghurt sweetened fruits and imbibing ginger tea. As sunlight filtered through the gap in the roof, I wanted to sleep among the flowers but the minutes in heaven were ticking away and were forced to reluctantly return to earth. We emerged totally refreshed having built up a ravenous hunger. Our body had eaten. Now our stomachs are ready to do “Bebek Bengil” – the famous Dirty Duck of Ubud justice.

(The 1 hour 45 minutes treatment cost Rp115,000 or approximately less than USD12.00. In the hotel where we stayed, it would cost us between USD50.00 to USD100. Please check out www.zenbalispa.com for more information. Please also check my Ghost Food blog for my further adventure with the Dirty Duck).

iHaruman

The world was created in seven days.

I was created, in eight.

By my Creator known as "The Second"

Though my brothers may come later,

The first will always be me.

I was not molded of clay.

But chipped from harder stuff.

Out of the jungle where trees ruled,

Where only land were older,

Brought by many hands, to his.

He looked at his creations, past

As taught through time.

Found them incomplete.

A time to break with tradition,

Proud I was to be it.

To be born by his loving hands

In eight days, complete.

My Master took a path, not his.

Where waves yielded to shifting sand,

Our eyes meet.

As was in our destiny, I

Was passed from my Creator’s hands, into his.

A Walk Along Lake Aussenalster

The boats are docked for the evening. Across the calm water, the Atlantic Hotel stands majectically on the other shore.

I saw these ducks swimming in formation. How unafraid they are. Where I came from, they have good reasons to be fearful. But it is difficult to blame the hungry. This however is ideal, there is no reason to fear and there is no reason to hunt. Do the lucky inhabitants of this land know how much this peaceful scene means to some?


We have no leisurely dusk. From a hot afternoon to the rapidly approaching night, there is hardly anything in between. From a searing sun to a pitch dark night that brings out the feeding mosquitoes, are just fleeting minutes that drown faster than a sinking ship. A walk for us is almost always in sweat. I love my land because I was born there and I love its imperfection too but at times I wish my land was different. Like the leisure of a creeping dusk and a walk in cool crisp air.

It was after nine p.m. There is still light. It was summer. It was still cool. You know, this is very difficult to explain to my country men if they had never been up North.

Swans on a lake. Our most romantic vision. Our dreams of beauty and grace. Can't think of our equivalent. The peacock? Too showy.

When swans go to sleep, what is their dreams?

In many ways Lake Aussenalter seems like a dream for someone like me. Yet, I know I don't belong or can be happy here for long. But I was happy to be there. And happy to take it back with me. I will probably never be back there again. That's okay for I never leave. I never leave any beautiful places I had been.

(Please check out Ghost Food for food of Hamburg)