Front Row

There can’t be that many male ballet dancers in the country. But one is dancing with the Singapore Dance Theatre which has been regularly touring to Malaysia over the past several years. While the company was here in KL, our producer sneaked into klpac’s Pentas 1 and chatted with Jeremie Gan, a Malaysian ballet-trained professional dancer with the only ballet company in Southeast Asia, the Singapore Dance Theatre.

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A bharatanatyam dance show called “Shringara - Divine Love” explores the many facets of love through the stories of three couples from Indian mythology, using the distinct Kalakshetra style of dance. Dancers and choreographers Shijith Nambiar and Parvathy Menon, who are the next generation of ambassadors for the dance form, talk to us about the show and the enduring heritage of India’s Kalakshetra school.

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The idea of artificial intelligence (AI) immediately captures the mind, with all its possibilities and its potential problems. Using art to interpret AI in various ways, however, allows for a different take: one that engages not just with technology, but also imagination, emotion, and connection. “What AI Didn’t Tell You” is an art exhibition by People Ideas Culture that displays the works of five international artists, all revolving around the theme of AI.

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In terms of Southeast Asian art, Indonesia’s Raden Salleh and Juan Luna from the Philippines are two names that have great historical significance. John Clark, who is Professor Emeritus in art history at the University of Sydney, talks to us about these two Southeast Asian painters and how they are linked to both colonial and national histories in this region.

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One week after Malaysian’s historic general elections, we’re all still coming to terms with what it means to have a new government in power for the first time since our Independence. With ideas of change on everyone’s mind, what could this mean for Malaysian arts and culture? What are some of the things we’d like to see? We talk to three local arts practitioners about what they’d like to see for the local arts and culture industries under the new government.

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“Thicker Than Water” by TerryandTheCuz Productions is the first Malaysian-produced show to premiere off-Broadway in New York City this month, at the prestigious Public Theatre, no less. We talk to the show’s producer Terence Conrad about how preparations are going and what can be expected as opening night approaches.

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Street art is steadily rising from its underground roots to become a global art movement. Driven by his love for street art and seeing a gap in the market, Australian street art expert Shaun Hossack started the region’s first creative agency specialising in urban art and graffiti management. Hossack was one of the judges at the Mark Your Mark in Melbourne street art competition held in Kuala Lumpur, and he talks to us about the colourful future he envisions for this creative subgenre.

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The 14th General Election is just around the corner. We sit down with three arts practitioners to talk about the role of the arts in the democratic process, and how the arts in Malaysia reflect many of the wider anxieties currently facing our nation.

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Dama Asia is the new name for Dama Orchestra, and with that also some changes in the venue it calls home. The artistic director tells about moving out of its own cabaret space--an intimate theatre in Plaza Damas III to a club house in a recreational and residential resort. Tan Soo Suan, the company’s go-to songstress tells about the company second production at this new venue.

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Over the last few years, theatre company Big Nose Productions has presented tales from a variety of locations: the bedroom, the mamak, and even the toilet. For their latest production, they are visiting a lovable Indian mother’s kitchen. “Tales from Amma’s Kitchen” is a collection of 10 stories featuring a variety of very Malaysian characters, that use humour to explore issues like race relations, ageing, family, and prejudice. Producer, director, and writer Fa Abdul, and actor Narinder Kaur talk about how they bring the show to life.

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