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Amrita Performing Arts presents
A CONTEMPORARY DANCE PLATFORM
An evening of Cambodian contemporary dance
About a Contemporary Dance Platform
The contemporary dance platform is a new phase for Amrita Performing Arts in nurturing and furthering Cambodian artist's choreographic development. Following on the momentum of years of artistic collaborations with international choreographers and directors, Cambodian choreographers are tapping into their new found skills as well as their classical training in the creation of new works, as they continue to develop their own Cambodian contemporary dance vocabulary. Through this platform, works by Cambodian choreographers will be created, developed and showcased alongside highlights from our ongoing international collaborations. For this very first platform, three works are presented.
Our choreographer Chumvan Sodhachivy (Belle) is recreating Bach Cello Suite with three female dancers. This piece that was originally developed by Amrita's artists in 2010 in collaboration with Institut Francais du Cambodge. It was later re-choreographed in collaboration with Nam Narim and performed at World Dance Alliance 2012 in Taiwan, Our Roots Right Now in January 2013 in Bangkok, and TARI Festival in July 2013. Belle is re-exploring the dance with three of her fellow dancers.
At the same time Narim is reviving her work, Dream, which she created with Taiwanese dancers at the three-week 2013 Young Choreographer Project she participated in Taiwan in July 2013.
Last but not least, our dancer Chy Ratana (Leak) is performing Ferocious Compassion choreographed by Peter Chin, artistic director of Toronto based Tribal Crackling Wind.
The Dance Platform is more than just this performance. As well as the process of creating these pieces, the choreographers and dancers also have the chance to receive artistic feedback from other dance specialists. On Sunday, we are holding an Artist Talk (invitation only) for the wider dance community in Cambodia: Phon Sopheap (Amrita Performing Arts, Cambodia), Arco Renz (Kobalt Works, Belgium) and Peter Chin (Tribal Crackling Wind, Canada) share their experience in contemporary dance choreography. Later in the day the Amrita dancers will have a discussion and feedback session with Indonesian dance expert Dr Sal Murgiyanto, local dance master Proeung Chhieng and choreographers Peter Chin (Tribal Crackling Wind, Canada) and Arco Renz (Kobalt Works, Belgium).
CREDITS
FEROCIOUS COMPASSION
Choreographer Peter Chin
Rehearsal Director Phon Sopheap
Dancer Chy Ratana (Leak)
Music Peter Chin, Buddhist monks of Nymgal monastery, Portishead
Produced by Amrita Performing Arts
Executive Director Kang Rithisal
Associate Director Hannah Stevens
Production Coordinator Hourt Bunny
Prod. Assistant Chen Borey
Comms Manager Claire Wilcock
Comms Officer Lim Hout Chhay
Finance Officer Mech Keom Eang
Office Assistant Lim Chanboramy
Production photographer Anders Jiras
Production videographer Chuon Sarin
Choreographer's notes
Ferocious Compassion Ferocious Compassion continues from the work that was established with Inside the Mask with Chy Ratana, exploring the virtuosic solo Khmer traditional/contemporary dancer. In this work, a series of transformations are ritualized: a dancer speaks about wearing a Lakhoan mask, a boy emerges from innocence when he is filled with compassion for a dead animal by the side of the road on his way to see his teachers, and a boy discovers an inner strength and ferocious discipline through his identification with a wild animal.
Peter Chin
Dancer's Text in Ferocious Compassion
The mask I wear is weighty. And so is the costume.
Wearing a mask, I can see only things right in front of me. For a side view, I will have to turn my head completely.
All the movements are strong, firm, and clear.
When performing in a mask, we have to concentrate heavily on the movements, directions, and everything around us.
When performing in a mask, we have to bite the string in the mask, or keep our mouth open wide, to hold and support the mask so that it will neither shake nor twist.
BIOGRAPHIES
Peter Chin (Choreographer)
artistic director of interdisciplinary dance company Tribal Crackling Wind, has been called a "renaissance man" based on his work as a dancer/ choreographer, composer/musician, writer, designer and director. Chin was born in Kingston Jamaica, and is based in Toronto and Phnom Penh. Since receiving a Chalmers grant in 2002 to carry out independent research at the Royal University of Fine Arts in Phnom Penh, Chin has worked intensively alongside many Cambodian artists. In particular, Chin has been a close collaborator with Amrita Performing Arts Phnom Penh on over five projects since 2006. Chin's performance works and dance films have been presented across Canada at major dance and music festivals, as well as in Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, Taiwan, India, Singapore, Holland, Croatia, the UK, Jamaica, Mexico, Columbia and the United States. Peter Chin is the recipient of numerous awards including four Dora Mavor Moore Awards for dance, as well as the Muriel Sherrin Award for international achievement in dance, a Gemini award for his performance in the film Streetcar, among others.
Chy Ratana (Leak) (Dancer) graduated from the Secondary School of Fine Arts with a Baccalaureate in 2000, specializing in the monkey role of the Lakhaon Kaol (Cambodian male masked dance) form and in 2012 was awarded a BA degree in choreographic arts at the Royal University of Fine Arts, Phnom Penh. In 2006, Leak developed a strong interest in contemporary dance and since then has been a featured dancer in works by Emmanuèle Phuon, Peter Chin, Arco Renz and others which have toured internationally. He remains faithful to his traditional skills but he is also eager to further develop as a contemporary dancer. Leak also enjoys performing as an actor and was recently a featured character in Loy 9 – a new Cambodian TV drama. Leak was a featured dancer in CRACK – a new work of Cambodian contemporary dance by German choreographer Arco Renz that was awarded the 2012 ZKB Patronage Prize in Zurich Switzerland in September 2012.
Amrita Performing Arts is an International NGO based in Phnom Penh, with US non- profit status. Amrita is committed to the creation of Cambodian contemporary dance and theater, responding to the creative drive of a young generation of artists who have taken on the task of ushering Cambodia's ancient performing arts heritage into the future. Our work is developed through workshops based on intensive exchange and dialogue with international collaborators. All of our efforts emphasize capacity building as we assist in nurturing a new generation of Cambodian choreographers, directors and practitioners in all areas of arts management.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We would like to thank the following individual for their contribution to making this platform possible: Arco Renz, Peter Chin, Proeung Chhieng, Sal Murgiyanto, and Anders Jiras. Thanks also goes to the Indonesian Dance Festival (IDF) and The Embassy of Republic of Indonesia for their support.
HOW TO SUPPORT US
Amrita Performing Arts is an international NGO with US non-profit status. We depend on private contributions to ensure that we can continue to support and nurture Cambodia's burgeoning performing arts community. Contributions can be made on line through our Google donation system available through our website.
Amrita Performing Arts
PO Box 1140
128G9 Sothearos Boulevard
Phnom Penh 12301
Tel: 023 220 424
info@amritaperformingarts.org
www.amritaperformingarts.org
You can also visit us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and the Amrita blog.
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