Production: Within.Without
Company: T.H.E Dance Company
Reviewer: Stephanie Burridge
Date: 7 Jan 2009
Time: 8.00pm
Place: Esplanade Theatre Studio
Rating: 3 out of 5
In its latest production, Within.Without, T.H.E Dance Company mixed some tried-and-true, familiar contemporary-dance phrases with some real risk-taking. Using a collaborative approach, four dancer-choreographers explored what family means to them, and while each had a distinctive voice, the work melded effectively together as it evolved.

It was a bumpy ride in places, though, and this was not helped by the choice of music, ranging as it did from melodramatic baroque refrains to a soundscape of flushing toilets and water sounds. Still, the performance was testament to the strong sense of cohesion in this young group. All the dancers are strong but more importantly, they can delve beneath the steps to create characters and truthful interpretations. This comes from trust, working together and building an understanding of the intention of the choreography.

Within.Without began with a simple greeting as two of the dancers piled on each other playfully. Throughout the work the seven dancers interacted, folded into themselves and on to each other, as they explored the essence of family bonds and the common dilemma between commitment to the family and to the self.

There were tender moments, episodes that included violent spasms of movement, manipulation, aggression and joy. Feelings were explored through abstract movement rather than sticking to a structured, episodic narrative… each character was able to develop as the scenes unfolded. Father and son, mother and child, married couples, naughty children and rebellious teens all appeared at some point.

While all of these sections pulled people together, they also tore them apart, physically and psychologically: a metaphor for the power of the family unit and each member’s struggle within it to find their own individuality. There were light and dark moments and a good mix of graphic descriptions (such as the family miming eating together) and stark symbolism.

For instance, Kuik Swee Boon, cigarette in hand, manipulated his partner by effortlessly swinging her about the stage with careless abandon. However, there was an overall gentleness and serenity in the spirit of the work despite the fragmentation within the family and the fracturing of individual emotions. The dancers, as families do, seemed to regroup and reunite to go forward again. In the end, individual phobias and eccentricities were accommodated by the group.

A challenge for contemporary choreographers is to find original movement that can express their ideas and feelings. While there were some stellar solo performances from the likes of Kuik and Zhuo Zihao, often the endless chain of falling softly onto the floor became repetitive and much of the partnering looked as if it originated in a contact improvisation class.

Despite these shortcomings, the depth of individual expression from each dancer made the piece work. There were insightful performances that demonstrated the wisdom of allowing dancers to explore their own creativity and movement styles. The lighting design by Anna Rouhu supported the work and complemented the floor design, creating an optical illusion of multiple levels and ramps from a flat surface.

The quality of Within.Without was high with even performances by well-trained contemporary dancers. They are interesting to watch as their individuality is allowed to prevail and their understanding of the choreography emerges in each section of the work. It will be interesting to watch the journey of this company as it makes its way in the Singapore dance scene.

“The performance was testament to the strong sense of cohesion in this young group.”

Credits
Choreography: Kuik Swee Boon, Lee Mun Wai, Zhuo Zihao and Yarra Ileto
Dancers: Kuik Swee Boon, Silvia Yong, Zhuo Zihao, Lee Mun Wai, Jennifer Pau, Charlyn Lin, Lee Mun Wai, Zhuo Zihao and Yarra Ileto
Lighting Designer: Anna Rouhu