Fast Forward

Rhythmic movements to a beat: this is dance. But 35-year dance veteran Marion D’Cruz would tell you it is so much more than that. Gostan Forward is a performance lecture that follows the thread of Marion’s development as a radical artist through her wide-ranging influences and her methodology. As a dancer, choreographer and educator, she brings personal style and flair to these roles. Marion has an unique story to tell and perform. A selection of her favourite and most representative works—Terinai, Swan Song, Urn Piece, Chilayu, and more—will delight audiences. Armed with BA in Performing Arts and an MA in Dance from Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Marion has studied a mind-boggling array of dance forms—from classical Malay, Javanese, Balinese and Indian dance, to ballet, modern and contemporary dance, choreography and Labanotation (a standardised system for analysing and recording human motion). In 1983, she formed the Marion D'Cruz and Dancers Company, which has performed locally and internationally, from New York to Singapore. She is also a founding member and executive producer of Five Arts Centre, the fearless collective of artists and producers that pushes the boundaries of alternative art forms from theatre to music in the Malaysian arts scene. Marion creates deeply personal works to develop the idea of a contemporary Malaysian identity in dance.

Catch the doyenne of dance in her collaboration with director Mark Teh and visual designs by Grey Yeoh. Gostan Forward will be held as part of The Annexe’s Arts for Grabs weekend with four shows: 8.30pm on 8 and 9 May and 2.15pm on 9 and 10 May. Admission is by donation of RM10 minimum.

Text Maybritt Rasmussen Photo Courtesy of Five Arts Centre 

Article taken from KLue Magazine May 2009, Issue 127