(Photograph Credits:Malcolm Fu )
21 November 2019 — On that chilly Thursday night, I made my way to School Of The Arts (SOTA) for the opening night of liTHE, a contemporary dance showcase by T.H.E Second Company. Now, here’s something about me: I am a complete novice when it comes to dance. I’ve always quietly admired the grace and energy that dancers exude, but I’ve never quite read much into it, until that night.
There were three stories unravelled with every movement, almost an episodic-like narrative that touched on little fragments of humanity: intimacy, separation and strength. I’ve been moved and here’s why.
(Photograph Credits:Malcolm Fu )
The first piece was ”This is how we meet/part- Phase 3’, choreographed by Marcus Foo. What first struck me was the brown, earthy tones of the attire worn on the six dancers. It suggested groundedness, yet their movements were fleeting. My favourite moment in this piece was when the dancers stood on the light streaks on the floor: some were balancing as if they were on a tightrope, others were hopping from one streak to another in a lighthearted manner. It was a wonderful use of lighting, almost as if a goodbye is as profound as a hello.
(Photograph Credits: Malcolm Fu )
The next segment was equally thought-provoking. This time, the mood was grey and there was the sound of rain. A doppelgänger of a female dancer dressed in something that looked like a poncho, with post-it notes pasted all over it. ‘Gaps 《缺口》’ explored our coping mechanisms and the futility of absolving pain completely. I was particularly struck by the facial expressions of the dancers: one convulsed and the other had fear and helplessness on her face. It was visually astounding.
(Photograph Credits:Malcolm Fu )
‘Quietly She Treads’ was the last instalment and, like the previous two, it was nothing short of contemplative. The stripping of clothes as part of the performance emulated one coming into her own skin. The pieces of fabric which looked like crumpled papers hung in the air as the dancers continued to dance — a strangely liberating sight. What I took away from this performance was feminine strength and individuality: becoming more of oneself, stripped away from expectations of others.
The night was cold, but there was something so heartwarming about the showcase I couldn’t help but appreciate the lessons learnt about moving on.