ScRach MarcS and Raw Moves Photos

(SINGAPORE, 12 January 2021) Singapore’s nationwide dance movement, Got to Move (GTM), kicks off its sixth edition from January to March 2021. Presented digitally for the first time, the annual initiative by the National Arts Council (NAC) aims to raise awareness and grow appreciation for dance through a range of highly accessible and participatory programming. Members of the public can look forward to joining a series of interactive digital dance programmes and learn more about communicating perspectives through movement while getting to know some of Singapore’s prolific and upcoming dancers.  

Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Sector Development) at NAC, Mr Low Eng Teong, (pictured right) shared, “Dance in Singapore has evolved; it is no longer just about performance. The art form is viewed by many as a language that is increasingly practised worldwide as a way of self-expression and raising awareness on social issues. Through past editions of Got to Move (GTM), we have seen people from diverse backgrounds grow in their dance journeys. With the safety and well-being of dancers and participants in mind, GTM 2021 will feature digital dance programmes, with technology creatively incorporated in its showcase, in hope of making dance accessible and enjoyable.”  

Providing A Digital Stage for Dance Works

GTM has commissioned five original digital works which push the creative boundaries of the dance community as well as foster dialogue and appreciation for the practice. In the next three months, digital dance programmes from our local arts groups, Raw Moves, ScRach MarcS, TRDOco, The Arts Fission Company and The Kueh Tutus will utilise multiple online formats, ranging from Augmented Reality (AR) applications and filters, to an interactive dance film. Each digital dance programme will include unique touchpoints to provide a novel and engaging dance experience, while simultaneously kept accessible for all to enjoy. In the coming months, audiences can also catch a glimpse of the dance groups’ creative processes through the GTM social media pages.

Kicking off the season is XITY Augmented Reality Application by Raw Moves, where participants will experience dance through an AR application and discover the city-living environment through an audio geometry experience. This programme is an extension of the company’s interdisciplinary live performance of XITY which fuses movement, sound and visual animation. Building on the momentum of accessibility and interactivity, ScRach MarcS’ Lens Lens Revolution invites audiences to experience the integration of traditional fusion movement and music elements into modern street styles through a series of three Instagram AR filters, where participants get to exchange dance moves, enhanced with special animation graphics. 

TRDOco, a contemporary dance company, draws on the strength of technology to amplify its message in To Or Not. Participants can look forward to a youth-centric narrative that follows the lives of two teenagers in this interactive dance concept video. The video tackles the salient social issue of mental health and social support, inviting audiences to inhabit the persona of a character and toggle between multiple scenarios to make their own decision on how the story should unfold.  

Launching in time for the March holidays are two family-friendly programmes that invite younger audiences to join in the fun. The Kueh Tutus’ Plotterpus Adventure Tours lets parent-child pairs interact digitally with imaginary baby Plotterpi through a series of choreographed movements. For families seeking adventure in the comforts of their homes, they can assume the role of a wild beast avatar through two Instagram AR filters by The Arts Fission Company, and enter the fantasy realm of The Ballroom of Magnificent Beasts.  

The digitalisation of dance works have provided our artists the opportunity to reach new audiences and employ new forms of creation to enhance their offerings. These digital dance programmes also complement the initiatives by NAC to encourage digitalisation, including digital dance projects supported by the Digital Presentation Grant for the Arts (DPG).

Retelling the Singapore Dance Story

The dance scene in Singapore has grown steadily through the years, professionally and recreationally. As part of GTM this year, a spotlight will be cast on 100 dancers from prolific veterans to emerging artists and newcomers across different dance genres for the public to learn of our local dance talents, and gain insights into what our diverse scene has to offer. Members of the public can uncover their stories on GTM social media pages, learn of how they got into the practice and what keeps them going. Discover how Bharatanatyam dancer Malini Bhaskar fell in love with dance by watching her grandmother and dance veteran, Santha Bhaskar, at rehearsals; how contemporary and street dancer, Hwa Wei-An, hopes to find his unique voice by combining various styles learnt over the years. Stories from veterans such as Frontier Danceland’s Artistic Director and Cultural Medallion recipient Ms Low Mei Yoke, fresh faces like contemporary dancer Adelene Stanley, and street-latin dancer Brenda Liew will also be featured in the coming months. 

Championing Inclusivity through Dance

GTM supports and promotes meaningful dance programming tailored for different communities and audiences. Leveraging the encouraging shifts observed in the arts and underserved communities in Singapore, the recent editions of GTM feature programming that reaches out to sectors with varied needs in a bid to foster and champion inclusiveness in the arts. This year’s edition is no different and will feature a series of videos under Dance x Social, showcasing ways in which dance groups are engaging with the underserved communities. Hear about how local dance company Flamenco Sin Fronteras has been working with the seniors at Social Health Group, and witness how independent artist Wong Wai Yee and Diverse Abilities Dance Collective (DADC) have been impacting the lives of special needs children through dance. 

The first of the digital dance programmes will be launched on 18 January 2021, on Got to Move’s Facebook and Instagram pages. All five programmes are available for free, and registration applies for some. For more information on Got to Move 2021, please visit GTM’s Facebook page

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