Building human
connections through dance
connections through dance
Choreography: Kuik Swee Boon (Singapore)
In collaboration with video artist Gabriela Tropia Gomes (Brazil), sound artist Darren Ng (Singapore), lighting designer Tommy Wong (Singapore), photographer Tan Ngiap Heng (Singapore).
Titled Old Sounds in the 2008 original and renamed O Sounds in 2010, this full-length multimedia dance work is a rich composite of city sounds, endangered dialects, folk songs and dance-on-screen. How much of our tradition can we afford to lose? How much have we already lost and will we be able to reclaim it? O Sounds explores the tensions and complexities arising from the erosion of tradition in our bid to be increasingly progressive and modern.
The work comes at an appropriate time, when globalization, progress and mass consumerism are rapidly changing the way people live. It throws the spotlight on our struggle in trying to maintain the fragile balance between retaining the essence of who we are and our insatiable desire to move endlessly forward.
Through extensive research, choreographer Kuik Swee Boon interviewed and collected material from various Chinese dialect groups around Singapore. These dialects and their history are on the verge of extinction. The collected materials – in the form of spoken memoirs, folksongs and stories – are incorporated into original music composed by Darren Ng, and complemented by video art and film projection by Gabriela Gomes.
Commissioned by the National Heritage Board of Singapore 2009, and restaged at the Singapore Arts Festival 2010.
Praise for O Sounds:
“Kuik had crafted a dance that was both fluid and fast paced, with intricate pairings and engaging ensemble work” – Cheah Ui-Hoon, Business Times
“The intense, careening choreography grappled and mesmerised in stunning duets interjected with fine solos, as well as powerful company work… T.H.E Dance Company is a home-grown force to be reckoned with.” – Tara Tan, The Straits Times
Premiere: 11 – 13 September 2008, National Museum of Singapore Gallery Theatre.
Tours: July 2011, Chang Mu Dance Festival in Goyang, Korea.
November 2010, Dubai, UAE, Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre (DUCTAC).
November 2010, Singapour Festivarts in Paris, France, Quai Branly Museum.
July 2010, 17th Annual International Dance Conference and Performance Festival in Bytom, Poland.
May 2010, Jakarta, Indonesia, Komunitas Salihara Theatre.
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premiere date 13–16 Oct 2022 | Singtel Waterfront Theatre | Kuik Swee Boon
premiere date 2–4 Dec 2022 | Esplanade Theatre Studio | Kuik Swee Boon & Kim Jae Duk
premiere date 2–4 Dec 2022 | Esplanade Theatre Studio | Kuik Swee Boon & Kim Jae Duk
premiere date 13–16 Oct 2022 | Singtel Waterfront Theatre | Kuik Swee Boon
premiere date 13–16 Oct 2022 | Singtel Waterfront Theatre | Kuik Swee Boon
premiere date 13–16 Oct 2022 | Singtel Waterfront Theatre | Kuik Swee Boon
premiere date 13–16 Oct 2022 | Singtel Waterfront Theatre | Kuik Swee Boon
premiere date NA
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premiere date 9–12 Jun 2022 | Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre | SAtheCollective, Nine Years Theatre & T.H.E Dance Company
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premiere date Feb 2022 | National Museum of Singapore
premiere date The Making of PheNoumenon: A 360° Immersive VR Experience《现·象 360°虚拟實境》with English Subtitles
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premiere date NA
premiere date 3–5 Dec 2021 | Esplanade Theatre Studio | Anthea Seah & Albert Tiong
premiere date 3–5 Dec 2021 | Esplanade Theatre Studio | Anthea Seah & Albert Tiong
premiere date 16–18 Sep 2021 | Goodman Arts Centre Black Box | Nah Jieying, Klievert Jon Mendoza, Goh Jia Yin & Maybelle Lek
premiere date 25–26 Jun 2021 | Esplanade Theatre Studio | Dimo Kirilov Milev & Jos Baker
premiere date 22–23 May 2021 | Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre | Kuik Swee Boon & Kim Jae Duk
premiere date 12–14 Dec 2019 | Esplanade Theatre Studio | Kuik Swee Boon
premiere date 16–19 Jul 2019 | Esplanade Theatre Studio | Kim Jae Duk
premiere date 6 Apr 2019 | Supercell Festival | Kuik Swee Boon
premiere date 16–17 & 23–24 Mar 2019 | National Gallery Singapore | LPD'i & T.H.E Dance Company
premiere date 11–12 Oct 2018 | Esplanade Outdoor Theatre | Kuik Swee Boon
premiere date 15–16 Jun 2018 | Esplanade Theatre Studio | Kim Jae Duk
premiere date 28 Mar–6 Apr 2018 | Esplanade | Kim Jae Duk
premiere date 1–4 Mar 2018 | Esplanade Theatre Studio | T.H.E Dance Company and Nine Years Theatre
premiere date 7–9 Dec 2017 | Esplanade Theatre Studio | Kim Jae Duk
premiere date 7–9 Dec 2017 | Esplanade Theatre Studio | Kuik Swee Boon
premiere date 7–9 Nov 2017 | Esplanade Theatre Studio | Dimo Kirilov Milev
premiere date 22–24 Jun 2017 | Esplanade Theatre Studio | T.H.E Dance Company and Muscle Mouth
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premiere date 1–2 Dec 2016 | Esplanade Theatre Studio | Kuik Swee Boon
premiere date 7–10 Sep 2016 | Daegu International Dance Festival | Kuik Swee Boon
premiere date 20–21 May 2016 | SOTA Drama Theatre | Kuik Swee Boon
premiere date 28–30 May 2015 | SOTA Drama Theatre | Kuik Swee Boon
premiere date 4–6 Dec 2014 | Esplanade Theatre Studio | Kim Jae Duk
premiere date 8–10 May 2014 | SOTA Drama Theatre | Kuik Swee Boon
premiere date 29 & 30 Nov 2013 | Esplanade Theatre Studio | Kim Jae Duk
premiere date 29 & 30 Nov 2013 | Esplanade Theatre Studio | Kim Jae Duk
premiere date 7–9 Dec 2012 | Esplanade Theatre Studio | Kim Jae Duk
premiere date 7–9 Dec 2012 | Esplanade Theatre Studio | Xing Liang
premiere date 16 & 17 Mar 2012 | University Cultural Centre Theatre | Jeffrey Tan
premiere date 3 & 4 Dec 2011 | Esplanade Theatre Studio | Kuik Swee Boon & Kim Jae Duk
T.H.E Dance Company is supported by the National Arts Council under the Major Company Scheme for the period from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2023.
© T.H.E DANCE COMPANY 2023. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED