The NUS Dance Ensemble invites you to celebrate their 20th anniversary with The Next Wave 2012 – ObservAsian to be staged on 14 & 15 September! The Next Wave – ObservAsian will feature over 70 dancers, drawing on the ensemble’s recognised specialty of mixing contemporary techniques with ethnic flavors. Three of the company’s most critically acclaimed works choreographed by Mr. Zaini Mohd Tahir will also be performed; Samsara, 4 Short Stories about Boys and Girls and Human Behaviour. The ensemble’s first overseas guest choreographer, Mr. Alden Lugnasin of the world renowned Ballet Philippines along with established Alumni will also craft two new exclusive pieces for this landmark occasion. We now take a closer look at the main works of The Next Wave – ObservAsian.
Samsara is an award-winning Balinese-inspired epic which offers a unique take on Legong and Baris. It will explore the intricate nature of Balinese and Javanese music amidst a backdrop of lavish costumes and golden sets accompanied by haunting gamelan music. Audiences will also be able to enjoy the speed and flawless coordination expressed by the dancers as they skillfully evoke the epic’s themes of reincarnation and the cycle of life.
4 Short Stories about Boys and Girls is a mischievous tribute to the trials and tribulations of young, obsessive love. The joyful spirit of youth will be accentuated by a familiar medley of tunes which include Mel Tormé’s Comin’ Home Baby and Andy William’s Music to Watch Girls By. Audiences will surely be able to smell the teen spirit in the air as these energetic, jazzy numbers will send you snapping and bopping your heads to the beat.
Human Behaviour offsets the light, breezy feel of the previous piece with a dystopian commentary on corporate culture. The traits of uniformity, consistency, homogeneity and sameness will be given a more ominous slant through bold and intense industrial/urban forms. Human Behaviour made its debut at The Next Wave 2005: Quintessence and had moved one reviewer to exclaim, “Never before did youthful rebellion look so good.”
The Next Wave – ObservAsian is an event not to be missed. Marking a stunning conclusion to the Ensemble’s 2012 season, it will be performed at the University Cultural Centre Hall, NUS.