Welcoming A New Wave

By Yasmeen Banu and Lee Li Ying

As National University of Singapore Dance Ensemble (NUSDE) turns 21 this year, it presented a flurry of performances directed by Zaini Mohd Tahir, Ensemble’s Artistic Director.  NUSDE also welcomed guest performers from Republic Polytechnic and most notably, professional contemporary company Frontier Danceland.

The evening started with Meltdown, a piece on how the pressures of society cause cracks in the human psyche. Characterized by staccato repetitions with sudden bouts of chaos and confusion, the choreography convincingly narrated the fine edge before the quiet descent into insanity. Zaki’s intelligent choice of music together with his cast’s technical capability and emotional commitment to the piece made the eerily frazzled, slightly maniacal expressions of his dancers believable.

The guest performance from Frontier Danceland was undoubtedly the best item of the night. A short excerpt from the original 40-minute piece, the ingenious choreography and the technical fluency of the dancers left us craving for the full length of the piece. Dancers from Frontier Danceland were clearly a league of their own, moving with an elastic strength that seemed to consume the stage. Fluid yet powerful, they were exactly what contemporary should look like.

Simurgh gloriously ended the night with its colourfully dressed dancers wearing printed sarees and traditional outfits. The dance describes the characteristic movements of birds, and how their collective journey of self-discovery is our journey.

The Next Wave presented an enjoyable evening, with performances that moved with a strong momentum and connected visually with the audience.