The biannual magazine of World Dance Alliance Asia-Pacific contains reports from our executive committee, our network chairs and our country chapters, as well as updates on upcoming events.
In this edition, we see how dance communities across the Asia Pacific region continue to respond to the challenges of the Covid-19 epidemic, which for many of us has meant settling into digital distribution as the new normal.
Also check out:
An update from the Global Executive on the discontinuation of the position of Secretary General;
A spread of images remembering and acknowledging the services of our departing Secretary General, Prof. Mohd. Anis Md. Nor;
A reminder that the WDAAP AGM will happen this month in conjunction with the 2020 WDAAP/TDRS Conference from 26 to 27 December in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
… as well as beautiful and inspiring images of dance from across the Asia-Pacific.
One of a series of film clips in celebration of International Dance Day 2020:
With the support of DANZ, the WDAAP country chapter in New Zealand, Associate Professor Nickolas Rowe, from the University of Auckland, along with his co-creators, present the film Dancing7Cities.
The Dancing7Cities team has chosen to make the award-winning feature film Dancing7Cities openly accessible around the world. The film is extremely relevant in current times and explores dance in the public domain, weaving through Laos, Finland, Palestine, Fiji, Australia, Lebanon and Italy. https://youtu.be/BgZwgJ8VjNE
Asia–Pacific Channels is the bi-annual magazine of the World Dance Alliance Asia-Pacific (WDAAP), published by Ausdance National in collaboration with MyDance Alliance in Malaysia. It profiles dance events and activities from WDA members throughout the Asia–Pacific region.
Back issues of Channels can be downloaded from here. The archive of Channels dating back to 1996 is available from the Ausdance website.
Dear Friends, Practitioners, Scholars, Advocates, and Supporters of Dance World Wide,
This is a message of hope and aspiration.
As the world reels under the Covid-19 pandemic, we are all confronted with having to adapt to new-normal amidst great challenges to our dance community. Natural disasters such as the Amphan cyclone in South Asia, the bushfires in Brazil and Australia, the global Covid-19 pandemic continue to pose great uncertainties, destroying precious lives and livelihood, causing our robust economies to form into trickles, affecting the arts industry to reach an unprecedented low point.
Nonetheless, our resilience in responding to such calamities has been exceptional, as we engage our dance communities to adapt to the ever-changing landscapes. Our myriad backgrounds and culturally diverse communities have been our greatest reservoir of talent pools for our creative endeavors, time tested and fastidiously honored.
As an independent, non-profit, non-political organization that promotes the recognition, development and mutual understanding of all forms of dance, WDA stands as a united community against all forms of racial inequality, ethnic hegemony and cultural superiority. Dance is Life and lives lived in inequality matter.
Guest Editors: Dr. Priyanka Basu, Dr. Ilana Morgan, Dr. Julie Mulvihill Coordinator (Submissions): Dr. A.P. Rajaram
The World Dance Alliance (WDA) announces a call for original scholarly articles and performance reviews for Volume 7 of the Journal of Emerging Dance Scholarship (JEDS), from emerging scholars in the discipline of dance. Authors must be currently pursuing a graduate degree (M.A., M.F.A., Ph.D., or equivalent) or be within five years of having graduated (the degree does not need to be in dance, but the article must be focused on dance as an evolving discipline).
Manuscripts should contribute innovative scholarship into contemporary or historical dance, research methodologies, critical choreographic analysis, ethnographic studies, pedagogical practices, or other topics opening insights into the field of dance studies. Research should be original and supported by outside resources. Research engaging participants must show compliance with Institutional Human Participants Review procedures.
One of a series of film clips in celebration of International Dance Day 2020:
Both of Akram Khan’s parents were born and raised in Bangladesh. He grew up hearing stories of the Bangladesh Liberation War from his family, including his uncle who was a freedom fighter. His mother was studying at prestigious Dhaka University when she went to hear ‘Bongobondhu’ Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Ramna Race Course on 7 March 1971, calling out to his people to liberate Bangladesh. It was so crowded, she had to step on a rickshaw to try and catch a glimpse of him! Even today she can remember how his words moved her.
For this work, Akram draws on his childhood stories and his families’ sense of national pride to present to Bangladesh the essence of Bongobondhu’s spirit. Using Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s powerful speech as inspiration, Akram invited composer Vincenzo Lamagna to create the score in this new piece. Akram created an 8-min piece titled Father: Vision of the Floating World that featured as part of the 100-year anniversary of the Father of the Nation, Sheik Mujibur Rahman, on Tuesday 17 March 2020 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The work was performed by three Akram Khan Company dancers who spent four weeks in a rehearsal residency in the heart of the country teaching the movement to 25 dancers from Dhaka.
Artistic Director and Choreographer Akram Khan Creative Associate Mavin Khoo
Composer Vincenzo Lamagna, devised in collaboration with vocalist Sohini Alam Lighting Designer Ric Mountjoy Costume Designer Marie Cantenys Collaborator to Costume Designer Margaux Lalanne
Rehearsal Director Yen-Ching Lin Lead Dance Artist Lani Yamanaka Dance Artist Elpida Skourou Dance Artist Raziman Sarbini Dancers Abu Nayeem, Alka Das Pranti, Amit Chowdhury, Ana Akter, Anandita Khan, Ariful islam, Farzana Yeasmin, Fifa Chakma, Aviroop Hridoy Sharma, Imran Ishtiaque, Maria Farih Upama, MD Hanif, Mehraj Haque Tushar, Mohana Meem, Zuairiyah Mouli, Parsa Evana, Prantik Deb, Samina Prema, Shammy Akhter, SI Evan, SI Shafiq, Sohan Arefin, Sudeshna Swayamprabha Tathoi and Sweety Das, Umma Habiba.
Head of Legacy & Project Manager Christine Maupetit Project Consultant Eeshita Azad
DHAKA team
Costume Correspondent Faiza Ahmed Blues Communications – Event Company Farhadul Islam – CEO Blues Communications
Protik Chowdhury – Project Manager/Technical point of contact
Antu Tomnoy – Artist liaison coordinator
InternationalDanceDay is celebrated on 29 April every year, and commemorates the birthday of French dancer, ballet master and reformer Jean-Georges Noverre. This year’s IDD message is by South African dance activist Gregory Maqoma.
“We are living through unimaginable tragedies, in a time that I could best describe as the posthuman era. More than ever, we need to dance with purpose, to remind the world that humanity still exists.”
Asia–Pacific Channels is the bi-annual magazine of the World Dance Alliance Asia-Pacific (WDAAP), published by Ausdance National in collaboration with MyDance Alliance in Malaysia. It profiles dance events and activities from WDA members throughout the Asia–Pacific region.
Back issues of Channels can be downloaded from here. The archive of Channels dating back to 1996 is available from the Ausdance website.
The conference is confirmed to be held in Taiwanfrom December 26 to 27 this year. Since no travel is allowed during the pandemic time, the conference ishonoring all selected presenters from abroad utilizing the video presentations as well as with the local presenters on site in Kaohsiung, the second largest city in Taiwan. There will be around 200 participants from Taiwan, while 19 paper presenters will be placed side by side with the local scholars in the same panel. In addition, eight selected dances will be displayed in the Showcase Film Program with the pre-recorded film video from India, Bangladesh, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines and the United States. Continue reading →