Singapore, South Korea celebrate 50 years of ties through contemporary dance
As Singapore and South Korea mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year, the Singapore Embassy in Seoul, in collaboration with Singapore’s Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) and the National Arts Council has turned to the arts to underscore the two countries' enduring ties.
On April 24, Singapore’s leading contemporary dance company, T.H.E Dance Company, will bring its groundbreaking production “Infinitely Closer” to Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, offering an immersive experience that blurs the lines between performer and audience.
Unlike traditional performances, "Infinitely Closer" places the audience on stage. Within this immersive setting, movement, light, multimedia and sound merge into an ever-shifting landscape where athletic, intricate choreography interacts with ephemeral holographic projections and immersive three-dimensional soundscapes.
“At its core, ‘Infinitely Closer’ is an exploration of freedom -- what it means to be truly unbound, and whether such a state exists at all,” said director and choreographer Kuik Swee Boon, the founding artistic director of T.H.E Dance Company.
“In a world where our choices are shaped by invisible structures -- societal, digital, even algorithmic -- we find ourselves constantly negotiating between the illusion of agency and the forces that guide us. We invite audiences to step into this in-between space, to experience a moment of stillness within the currents of contemporary life.”
The work also features a cast of international creatives, including South Korean costume designer Choi In-sook, Malaysian sound artist Kent Lee, lighting designer Adrian Tan from Singapore and projection artists SEESAW, based in Macao and Hong Kong.
Kuik has also played a pivotal role in the company’s longstanding ties with Korea, having talent-spotted and invited Kim Jae-duk to be the company’s first resident choreographer in 2010. Kim is a contemporary dancer who heads the Seoul-based Modern Table Dance Company.
“T.H.E Dance Company has had the privilege of cultivating deep artistic relationships with the ROK over the past decade, through collaborations, residencies and festivals,” said Kuik. “It is an honor to mark this diplomatic milestone with a performance that underscores how the arts create space for dialogue, resonance and shared humanity beyond borders.”
Officials echo the sentiment. “(This performance) speaks volumes of the people-to-people links that we have, which we will continue to nurture and strengthen through cultural cooperation with our partners in Korea,” said National Arts Council Chief Executive Officer Low Eng Teong.
Singapore Ambassador to Korea Eric Teo expressed his hope that the performance would “deepen cultural understanding between our two countries and our peoples.”
hwangdh@heraldcorp.com
