NUS Dance Synergy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (April 2008) |
 |
The quality of this article or section may be compromised by wording which promotes the subject in a subjective manner without imparting real information. You can help Wikipedia by removing peacock terms or finding content which backs the claims. |
 |
| NUS Dance Synergy | |
|---|---|
| Genre(s) | Modern Contemporary Jazz Ballet |
| Years active | 1978–present |
| Website | [1] |
The NUS Dance Synergy is a dance company at the National University of Singapore (NUS). It was formed in 1978 under the name of Jazz Ballet Group. The group strives to promote dance as a modern art form that incorporates jazz, modern and contemporary dance elements. The group won 1st Prize in the first Asia Pacific Dance Competition in 1999, and 2nd Prize the following year.[1]
The group has been under the artistic direction of their Resident Choreographer, Fan Dong Kai, since 1997, and the tutelage of their Technique Tutor, Gillian Tan, since 2000. Under the artistic direction of Fan Dong Kai and Gillian Tan, Synergy's dancers have showcased challenging and interesting dance pieces.[citation needed]
Contents |
[edit] Resident Choreographer: Fan Dong Kai
Fan Dong Kai obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Choreography from the Beijing Dance Academy in 1989. He was subsequently selected to study choreography under the tutelage of Mr Ben Stevenson, Artistic Director of the Houston Ballet in the United States in 1988, and was engaged as a Guest Choreographer by the Houston Ballet Academy in 1991. He joined the Peoples Association Dance Company as a Senior Choreographer in 1994 and is currently the Artistic Producer of the Singapore Chingay & Events Network. He has been the tutor/choreographer of the NUS Dance Synergy since 1997.
Over a span of 20 years, Fan Dong Kai has choreographed numerous works, including dances featured at festivals held in France, Philippines, Taipei and Singapore. He has also received many awards for his works which were featured at competitions held in China. His major productions for the Peoples Association Dance Company include New Journey I, New Journey II (Monologue) and New Journey III (Longings), which was presented in conjunction with the 1997 Festival of Asian Performing Arts. His other achievements include his choreographed works for the Singapore Dance Theatre, Chingay, National Day Parade Mass Display and the official launch of Singapore Chingay & Events Network (SCENE) held at Suntec City.[2]
[edit] Technique Tutor: Gillian Tan
Gillian Tan received her BFA degree in dance from Purchase College, State University of New York in 1995. She is currently a dance lecturer for the dance department at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts.
Gillian Tan began her professional dance career with the People’s Association Dance Company under the Artistic Direction of Lim Fei Shen. Upon returning to Singapore while working with Singapore Dance Theatre as Production Executive she was also active in dance projects as an independent choreographer, dancer and teacher.
Her appointment as technique tutor with National University of Singapore’s Dance Synergy began in 2000. In 2003 Gillian Tan travelled with Dance Synergy under the CFA International tour to India. Subsequently she was appointed as Artistic Advisor for Dance Synergy’s annual Exxon-Mobil Campus Concert – Terpsichore production as well as creating several works for them since 2004. Some of her works with Synergy include “Summer Heat”, “Crimson Red, Cobalt Blue”, “Scherzo Haze”, “Happy ever After” and “From New York with Love”. In 2005 she was commissioned by the NUS Centre for the Arts to choreograph a dance for NUS Dance Synergy during the NUS Centennial celebrations.
Gillian Tan was often commissioned by Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) to direct musicals and create new works. She has since directed two musicals for NYP; “Journey Through Time” in 2004 and “Dance Alive” in 2007. Her works with Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts include “Loft” and in that same year “Voices Within”, which was performed at the Esplanade Studio Theatre and Thammasat University in Bangkok, 2006. She also serves on one of the advisory committees at the National Arts Council.[3]
[edit] Performances
Each year, Dance Synergy participates in two concerts held under the auspices of NUS Centre For the Arts (CFA). For the NUS Arts Festival in February, there is Terpsichore, an annual feature sponsored by ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, a concert that serves as a platform for members and alumni to explore their choreographic potential. In September, there is the Dance Reflections series. Held biennially, this is traditionally major concert. In the years between, as with the Hybrid Moves concert in 2007, they have collaborated with the other six dance groups in NUS for a combined concert.
Aside from these two shows, Dance Synergy also participates in external competitions, events and functions. Some of these include:
- Aberdeen International Youth Festival at Aberdeen, Scotland (2004)
- National Day Parade (2004)
- ExxonMobil Campus Concerts
- NUS Homecoming Concert at University Cultural Centre Foyer
- NUS Centennial Challenge Evening at Suntec Ballroom
- NUS Centennial Roving Exhibition at Jurong Point Shopping Centre
