Happy Together

Happy Together
Dance Performance by Elysa Wendi
Saturday 4 & Sunday 5 February 2012, 8pm
The Substation Theatre
Admission: $20 & $10 (concession)
 available from the box office
Contact mishaal 6337 7800 / boxoffice@substation.org
This is an OpenHouse event 

The idea of Happy Together came about after an encounter with a group of elderly musicians from the Traditional Southern Fujian Music Society. This music group comprises of a vocalist, flute player, pipa and 2 string players. Their lives revolve around the playing of melancholic ancient music which provides a link to their ancestors. After the initial meetings, the different artists would gather every Sunday to listen to their weekly playing while following temple rituals like keeping a long-term promise to old friends.

As a contemporary artist, one seeks for new understanding of such ancient music heritage and its relevancy in contemporary art-making. Striving to comprehend the interpretation of this music, dance artist Elysa Wendi and traditional arts researcher Wang Tian Yu have been exchanging perceptions and ideas in meeting after meeting, in order to decipher the beauty of Nan Yin whilst making connections within their own creative processes.

Finally, as an initiative behind this dialogue, Elysa decided to start an intimate performance-dialogue to continue her conversation with this ancient music and her relationship with the elderly musicians. The performance dialogue will also feature film maker Lei Yuan Bin, contemporary dance artists Elysa Wendi and Scarlet Yu Mei Wah, and the elderly musicians from the Traditional Southern Fujian Music Society.

Happy Together presents a humble dialogue between contemporary voices and traditional sounds. Sometimes, being together provides happy epiphanies! We invite you to this simple gathering, filled with little thoughts.

Elysa Wendi (Singapore)

In the past 13 years of artistic journey, Elysa has risen to various challenges as she undertook different roles in her career in contemporary choreographic works, curatorial projects, dance film-making and set design. She has worked as the Assistant Artistic Director in The ARTS FISSION Company from 2004 to 2009. She also serves regularly as advisor and jury to National Arts Council Singapore’s organized events. In recognition of her works, Elysa received the CULTURE AWARD from the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) in 2006. Being brought up in South East Asia, Elysa has always been introspective about the function and expression of Ritual Dances in Asia. Her curiosity in presenting dance in a different perspectives and positive attitude towards learning continues to fuel her drive as an alternative dance artist. Her 2 collaborative dance films with Nigel Sim and Azhar Syukor, Flux and Void-Decked were screened in Hong Kong, Macau, Guang Zhou and Beijing in November 2010 under Jumping Frame Video Dance Festival and were nominated for Singapore Short Film Festival 2011. Both films were screened in Burgundy Dance Film Festival, Romania Digital Art Festival and Pool-Dock-11 Screening in Berlin under 2010 Jury Selection. Currently she is working on 3 short dance films about the river in Singapore, Thailand and Korea with the assistance of Singapore National Arts Council Art Creation Fund.