the Singapore Dance Theatre

SINGAPORE DANCE THEATRE
Founders ANTHONY THEN & GOH SOO KHIM
SINGAPORE DANCE THEATRE
T: 6338-0611 F: 6338-9748
W: www.singaporedancetheatre.com
Fort Canning Centre
2nd Storey Cox Terrace
Singapore 179618
ance
class
Introduction,
Description of Adult Dance Class
Singapore Dance Theatre
o-founded by the late Anthony Then
and current Artistic Director Ms Goh
Soo Khim, the Singapore Dance Theatre
(SDT) is one of the premier professional
dance companies to have emerged from
the Asia-Pacific region. An accomplished
ballet professional herself, Ms Goh leads
the company of 25 dancers who hail mainly
from various Asia-Pacific countries.
Performing six seasons in a year,
The Company holds a repertoire which
ranges from classical to contemporary
ballet, including works from renowned
choreographers like Jean-Paul Comelin,
Stanton Welch, George Balanchine, Jiri
Kylian, Nacho Duato, Boi Sakti, Goh Choo
San, Sakiko Oshima, Ohad Naharin and
Marie-Claude Pietragalla. SDT seasons
include performances at the Esplanade
Theatre, and at the Fort Canning Green,
residence of the widely popular Ballet
Under the Stars (BUTS) series.
SDT is committed to bring out the
finest in dance to audiences and ongoing
Education and Outreach programmes
are organized to provide people with
opportunities to appreciate dance. These
efforts aim to make dance more accessible
to the masses and to spread the beauty,
passion and discipline of dance to as many
people and to place Singapore in the minds
of international
dance aficionados.
Friends of SDT is our membership loyalty
enthusiasts and supporters of SDT.
Genre
Ballet
Description
LEVELS
A classical dance form demanding highly developed technique
** Students do not need to in Pointe shoes, but would require
canvas ballet slipper which can be purchased from
Sonata Rainbow Dancewear.
Allegro, grand pas de deux, and high leg extensions
Ballet aims to improve posture, flexibility and grace through barre
and centre work
**Students do not need to be on Pointe shoes, but would require
canvas ballet slipper. Jazz Ballet
A form of modern jazz with classical ballet foundations
A lively form of dance which incorporated jazz movement
Danced to jazz or upbeat pop music
Contemporary Dance
A form of dance that was developed in the early 20th century as
a reaction against the rigid techniques of ballet.
Can be danced to almost any style of music, or united with other
dance forms to create new styles of movement.
Pilates
program that was established
since 1993,
• Beginner I
• Beginner II
• Intermediate I
• Intermediate II
• Advanced
Concentrates on the toning of muscles
Focuses on training the core abdominal muscles.
Trains the mind as much as the body
Coordination of breath and controlled movements
** dance
Students have to bring their own exercise mat
for
Friends of SDT membership
Apart fr om discounts from the dance classes, Friends also enjoy privileges for our performance
seasons and special activities tailor -ed for them.
Adult Dance Class
Privileges f
s part of our commitment, other
than the main performing seasons,
Singapore Dance Theatre is also proud
to introduce the Adult Dance Class. For
working professionals raring to give dance
a go for the very first time, or for those
dying to relive those childhood dance
classes, the SDT ‘s adult classes have
something for everyone: from Ballet, Jazz
Ballet to Modern Dance, Classical Dance
and Pilates. Pitched at several levels of
experience, and taught by the company’s
stable of highly-trained dancers.
Friends of SDT
Membership is our
membership loyalty
program that was
established since
1993, for dance
enthusiasts and
supporters of SDT.
o r Fri e nds
•Complimentary souvenir progr am for all perfo rmances
Each class
begins
a Beginner I
(limited
to firstwith
30 Friends)
lesson and will progress to the next level,
· 20%
discount
off SDT
in the following
term.
When
the merchandise
class has
progressed to
Advance
II
level,
students
· 25% discount on all performing seasons tickets.
are encouraged
to
continue
the
term
whereFSDT rates for all
(except for Gala Events) ·Exclusive
the focus will ADC
be on
the artistry and simple
classes
choreography taught by the instructors.
· Exclusive Invites to FSDT events: Dance workshops,
The schedule
for the new term is
meet and greet with the dancers, FSDT day, Tutu
uploaded onto
ouretcwebsite for sign-ups, a
Tours
week or two before the end of the lessons.
Option
of backstage
rehearsal tour for all
Students are.· to
take
note of tour
theorvarious
FSDT members for every perfo rmance at a nominal
progressions price
of the levels and various
changes made.
Apart from discounts
from the dance
classes, Friends also
enjoy privileges for
our performance
seasons and special
activities tailor-ed for
them.
Privileges for Friends
10% discount for Adult Dance Class
Complimentary souvenir program for
all performances
(limited to first 30 Friends)
20% discount off SDT merchandise
25% discount on all performing
seasons tickets. (except for Gala
Events)·Exclusive FSDT rates for all
ADC classes
Exclusive Invites to FSDT events:
Dance workshops, meet and greet
with the dancers, FSDT day,
Tutu Tours etc
Option of backstage tour or rehearsal
tour for all FSDT members for every
performance at a nominal price
For more information, please visit http://www.singaporedancetheatre.com/friends/privileges.asp
For m ore information, please visit http://www.singapored ancethe atre.com/friends/privileges.asp
Adult Dance Class Instructors
Adult Dance Class Instructors
Pilates
Ballet (All Levels)
Began dancing in Ballarat, Victoria. Joined the Australian Ballet
School in 1994. Whilst studying, performed in Snow Queen,
Snugglepot and Cuddlepie and The Red Shoes. Toured Australia
as a member of the Dancers’ Company in Swan Lake, Our Waltzes
and Brother of Sleep. Joined Singapore Dance Theatre in 1997 and
danced the roles of Ballerina in Joachim Schloemer’s Petruschka,
the Pas de Trois in Marius Petipa’s Paquita, Pigtails in David Lichine’s
Graduation Ball, Kate Pinkerton in Stanton Welch’s Madame
Butterfly, and the principal role in Graham Lustig’s Cinderella. Has
performed in most of the Singapore Dance Theatre’s repertoire.
Most notably Lambarena, Maninyas, Who Cares?, Requiem,
Stamping Ground, Forgotten Land, Sextet, Dark Lullaby, Giselle,
La Traviata, The Nutcracker, Double Contrasts, Birds of Paradise, In
the Glow of the Night and most of Goh Choo San’s ballets.
Began dancing at Federal Academy of Ballet, Malaysia. Later
graduated from Professional Dancers’ course at Ellie Zhou Ballet
Studio under Ms Ellie Lai and Mr Zhou Gui Xin (2000-2002). In
2001, passed her Royal Academy Dance (RAD), Advance II with
Distinctions. She participated in SDT’s productions of Jean-Paul
Comelin’s Giselle and Stanton Welch’s Madame Butterfly before
joining the Company as an apprentice in February 2004 and
has been a full member since 2006. Danced in Graham Lustig’s
Cinderella, Jean-Paul Comelin’s The Sleeping Beauty, Ohad
Naharin’s Tabula Rasa, Paul DeMasson’s & Jeffrey Tan’s The
Little Mermaid, Boi Sakti’s Reminiscing the Moon and Jeffrey Tan’s
The Nutcracker. She was also involved in recent productions like
QUEST, La Sylphide, Coppelia, Impressions Ballet Under The
Stars and Legacy of Goh Choo San.
Kellie Van Der Ploeg
Jazz Ballet
Liu Xiao Mi
Xiao Mi was trained at the Beijing Dance Institute, China. Whilst
studying, performed in The Nutcracker and Swan Lake, as well as
graduation performances of Paquita and Don Quixote. Joined SDT
in July 2001 and danced in Anthony Then’s The Nutcracker, JeanPaul Comelin’s Giselle, Aaron Khek’s Bowl of Containment, Joanne
Lee’s b.r.e.a.k.d.o.w.n., Joachim Schloemer’s Petruschka, Sakiko
Oshima’s Le Festin d’Immortalite, Petal Miller-Ashmole’s The Red
Shoes, David Lichine’s Graduation Ball, Boi Sakti’s Reminiscing
the Moon, Stanton Welch’s Madame Butterfly, Graham Lustig’s
Cinderella, Paul DeMasson and Jeffrey Tan’s The Little Mermaid
and in June 2005, Les Noces and Rite of Spring choreographed
by Marie-Claude Pietragalla. She performed in The Nutcracker by
Jeffrey Tan the role of Effy in La Sylphide. Xiao Mi was involved in
recent productions like QUEST, Coppelia, Impressions and Ballet
Under The Stars and Legacy of Goh Choo San.
Lee Pei Nee
Natalie Clarke
Born in Sydney, Natalie studied at the National Theatre Ballet School
and then at The Australian Ballet School where she graduated from in
1993. Natalie joined SDT in 1994. Featured roles include Lambarena,
Birds of Paradise, Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, Fate in Romeo
and Juliet and Blue Bird in The Sleeping Beauty. In June 2001, Natalie
joined The West Australian Ballet. Performance highlights include:
Ted Brandsen’s Romeo & Juliet pas de deux, Hans Van Manen’s
Black Cake and Ashkat Galiamov’s Le Corsaire variations partnered
by guest artiste Sergey Pevnev from St Petersburg Ballet. Natalie
rejoined SDT in June 2004 and since then has danced in Jean-Paul
Comelin’s The Sleeping Beauty, Boi Sakti’s Reminiscing the Moon,
Marie-Claude Pietragalla’s Les Noces and Rite of Spring, and in the
lead role of The Little Mermaid. She most recently performed in The
Nutcracker and Last Watch by Jeffrey Tan, and Bolero by Thierry
Malandain.
Zhou Lin
Received her training at the Beijing Dance Institute, China. She joined
SDT in July 2001. Her principal roles include Aurora in The Sleeping
Beauty and Fairy Godmother in Cinderella. Other leading roles include
Jiri Kylian’s Forgotten Land, Stanton Welch’s Maninyas, Caniparoli‘s
Lambarena and Jeffrey Tan’s Last Watch. She has also performed in
many of SDT’s repertoire including Anthony Then’s The Nutcracker,
Jean-Paul Comelin’s Giselle, Petal Miller-Ashmole’s The Red Shoes,
Adult Dance Class Instructors
Stanton Welch’s Madame Butterfly, Sakiko Oshima’s Le Festin
d’Immortalité, Boi Sakti’s The Lost Space and Reminiscing the Moon,
and in Marie-Claude Pietragalla’s Les Noces and Rite of Spring. Zhou
Lin performed in Jeffrey Tan’s The Nutcracker, and was also involved
in recent productions like La Sylphide, Coppelia and Impressions.
Chihiro Uchida
Began dancing at Classical Ballet Academy S.O.U. at the age of
two and a half in Japan. In 2001, she won the Idemitsu Kousan
Scholarship at the 8th Asian Pacific International Ballet Competition
in Tokyo and was accepted into The Australian Ballet School. She
has performed in The Australian Ballet’s production of Graeme
Murphy’s Swan Lake (2002). In 2003 & 2004, she performed with
The Australian Ballet’s Dancers Company in Nutcracker. She also
performed the Blue Bird Pas de Deux in Aurora’s Wedding from The
Sleeping Beauty as part of the school’s 40th Anniversary. She was
the recipient of the Estate of Lady Nathan Scholarship from the ABS
(2003, 2004). Graduated from the school in 2004 and joined SDT
in July 2005. Her first performance with SDT was Reminiscing the
Moon by Boi Sakti followed by The Nutcracker by Jeffrey Tan. She
was also involved in recent productions like La Sylphide, Coppelia,
Impressions, Ballet Under The Stars and Legacy of Goh Choo
San.
Toru Okada
Graduated from The Australian Ballet School. Received the Keith
M. Christensen Award for Excellence and Australian Multicultural
Foundation scholarships. As a student, danced in The Nutcracker,
Swan Lake and Giselle. Performed in Coppelia and Manon with The
Australian Ballet and Romeo and Juliet with the English National
Ballet. Joined the SDT in April 2003. Performed in Sakiko Oshima’s
Le Festin d’Immortalité, Marius Petipa’s Paquita, Stanton Welch’s
Madame Butterfly, Graham Lustig’s Cinderella, as the Drummer
Boy in David Lichine’s Graduation Ball and Jean-Paul Comelin’s
The Sleeping Beauty. He was cast in Marie-Claude Pietragalla’s
Les Noces & Rite of Spring and Reminiscing the Moon by Boi Sakti,
and performed in Jeffrey Tan’s The Nutcracker. More recently, he
also performed as Gurn in La Sylphide and was involved in QUEST.
Toru took the lead male role in Coppelia, and had principal roles in
Impressions and Ballet Under The Stars.
Robert Mills
Born in Australia, Robert trained at the McDonald College in Sydney
and graduated from the New Zealand School of Dance (NZSD) in
2002. Whilst at NZSD, he performed works by George Balanchine,
Sir Kenneth MacMillan, Natalie Weir, and leading roles in Goh Choo
San’s Beginnings and Double Contrasts. He also danced with The
Royal New Zealand Ballet in their 2001 National Tour. Since joining
Singapore Dance Theatre in January 2003, he has performed the
solo boy in Natalie Weir’s Dark Lullaby, the Pink Pas de Deux in Jiri
Kylian’s Forgotten Land, Summer in Graham Lustig’s Cinderella, and
the Tiger Pas de Deux in Val Caniparoli’s Lambarena. Other SDT
repertoire include Stamping Ground, Maninyas, The Lost Space,
Graduation Ball, In the Glow of The Night, Birds of Paradise, Tabula
Rasa, Le Festin d’Immortalite, Reminiscing the Moon, Madame
Butterfly, Marie-Claude Peitragalla’s Les Noces, Thierry Malandain’s
Bolero, and the world premiere of Quest. He performed the lead role
of the Nutcracker Prince in Jeffrey Tan’s The Nutcracker and danced
in Jeffrey’s Tan Trio, Last Watch, Negro Y Blanco, and Breath of
Love. In 2006, Robert’s debut choreographic work Paradise Falling
was featured at Ballet Under The Stars. He has also performed in
Raymonda Act III, Whose Voice Cries Out?, La Sylphide, Coppelia,
Impressions and Legacy of Goh Choo San.
Chen Wei
Trained at the prestigious Beijing Dance Institute in China. Upon
graduation, became a member of the Tianjin Ballet Company for
a year before joining SDT in November 2002. Performed in most
of the SDT repertoire including Petal Miller-Ashmole’s The Red
Shoes, Sakiko Oshima’s Le Festin d’Immortalité, David Lichine’s
Graduation Ball, Jiri Kylian’s Stamping Ground, Stanton Welch’s
Madame Butterfly and Graham Lustig’s Cinderella, Jean-Paul
Comelin’s The Sleeping Beauty, and in Marie-Claude Pietragalla’s
Les Noces and Rite of Spring, and Jeffrey Tan’s The Nutcracker. He
was also involved in recent productions like QUEST, La Sylphide,
Coppelia, Impressions, Ballet Under The Stars and Legacy of
Goh Choo San.
Details of the Adult Dance Class Syllabus are as follows:
Level
Beginner I
Grand rond de jambe: the leg is straightened
Syllabus
Barre exercises to increase flexibility and strengthening of the abdominal and back
muscles
Barre work: Plie, Tendu, Rond de Jambe, Fondu, Adage, Grand Battement, Battement
Glisse, Battement Lent
Beginner II
Intermediate I
Center: Port de bras, Tendu, Fondu, Frappe, Grand Battement, Pirouettes
Intermediate II
Advance I
Advance II
Medium allegro: Sissone, Temps Leve, Pirouettes, Jete Ordinaire
Petite allegro: Jete, Assemble, Changement, Glissade, Battement Petite, Grand
Battement en cloche, Port de Bras
Grand Allegro: Grand Jetes, Pas de Chat, Pirouettes
All of the above, coupe fouette raccoucci, faili Assemble, travel turns
(pose turns or chaine)
Glossary:
Barre
A horizontal bar, approximately waist height,
used for warm-up and exercises for ballet
techniques. The study of ballet, and each class,
will commonly start at the barre for everyone.
Usually wooden and mounted along a wall,
usually with the mirrors, there are also portable
barres for individuals or group work.
Pile (plee ay)
It means bent and is a smooth and continuous
bending of the knees.
Tendu
Tendu is a battement where the extended
foot never leaves the floor. The working foot
slides forward or sideways from the fifth or first
position to reach the forth or second position,
lifting the heel off the floor and stretching the
instep. It forms the preparation for many other
positions, such as the ronds de jambe and
pirouette positions.
Rond de jambu (ron deh ja mm)
Literally “circle of the leg”. Actually, half-circles
made by the pointed foot, returning through
first position to repeat; creating the letter ‘D’
on the floor. From front to back rond de jambe
en dehors, or from back to front rond de jambe
en dedans.
Rond de jambe à terre: straightened leg
with pointed toe remaining on the ground to
sweep around.
Rond de jambe en l’air: in the air. The leg is
lifted to the side, movement is only below
the knee. If the thigh is horizontal, the toe
draws an oval approximately between the
knee of the support leg and the second
position in the air. If the thigh is in the lower
demi-position then the oval is to the calf of
the support knee.
Demi-grand rond de jambe: the leg is
straightened and sustained horizontal to
make the circle to the side. If not reversed,
foot returns past the knee.
and sustained at grand battement height,
with the foot making the circle high.
Requires advanced “extension” flexibility
and strength. If not reversed, foot returns
past the knee.
Fondu
Fondu is a battement (usually slower) from a
fondu (both knees bent, working foot on the
cou-de-pied of the supporting leg) position and
extends until both legs are straight.
Adage
In a classical ballet class, the Adagio portion of
the lesson concentrates on slow movements to
improve the dancer’s ability to control the leg
and increase extension (i.e., to bring the leg into
high positions with control and ease).
Grand battement: (bat-mal)
This is a kicking movement of the working leg
(i.e. the leg that is performing a technique).
Battements are usually executed in front (en
avant or à la quatrieme devant), to the side
(à la seconde) or back (en arrière or à la
quatrieme derrière).
battement glissé is a rapid battement
normally taken to 2-3 centimeters off the
floor (literally means a “gliding” battement).
See battement tendu jeté.
battement lent is a slow battement, normally
taken as high as possible, which involves
considerable control and strength.
petit battement is a battement action where
the bending action is at the knee, while the
upper leg and thigh remain still. The working
foot quickly alternates from the cou-de-pied
position in the front to the cou-de-pied
position in the back, slightly opening to the side.
grand battement is a powerful battement
action where the dancer takes the leg as
high as they can, while the supporting leg
remains straight.
grand battement en cloche is a grand
battement which continuously “swishes”
forwards and backwards passing through
the first position of the feet (literally: large
battement with pendulum movement).
Port de bras (por d’brah)
Means “carriage of the arms”. Movement of
the arms to different positions. The basic port
de bras exercise moves from bras bas to first
arm position, to second arm position, then back
down to bras bas. A full port de bras moves from
bras bas to fifth overhead and back down.
Frappe
Frappé is a battement where the foot moves
from a flexed position next to the other ankle,
and extends out to a straight position, by doing
so hitting the floor (the so-called frappé).
Pirouette (pii roh ett)
A controlled turn on one leg, starting with one
or both legs in plié, rising onto demi-pointe
(usually for men) or pointe (usually for women).
The other leg can be held in retiré position, or
in attitude, arabesque level or second position.
The pirouette can return to starting position,
or finish in arabesque or attitude positions, or
proceed otherwise. A pirouette can be en
dehors turning outwards, or en dedans turning
inwards. A correct turning technique involves
the execution of a periodic whipping movement
of the head, so that the the dancer keeps his/
her gaze on a single spot; this technique is
known as “spotting”. This is particularly relevant
in the traveling turns, such as tours chaînés or
piqués, because it helps the dancer to keep the
correct direction of movement.
Ballet Positions
Assemblé (au sem blay)
It is a movement where the first foot performs a
battement glissé/degagé, “swishing” out. With
the dancer launching into a jump, the second
foot then swishes up under the first foot. The
feet meet together in mid-air, and the dancer
lands with both feet on the floor at the same
time, in third or fifth position.
Changement de pieds (shanje-mawn duh pyay)
Literally “exchange of feet”. A jump in which the
feet change positions in the air. For example,
beginning in fifth position with the right foot front,
plié and jump, switching the right to the back,
landing with the left foot front in fifth position. In
the Vaganova’s method, petit changement de
pieds indicates a changement where the feet
barely leave the floor.
Sissonne (see-SAWN)
It is a jump from both feet onto one foot with
the exception of sissonne fermée, sissonne
tombée and sissonne fondue, which finish on
two feet. Sissonne may be performed petite
or grande. The petites sissonnes are sissonne
simple, sissonne fermée, sissonne ouverte
at 45 degrees and sissonne tombée at 45
degrees.
Allegro (a-lay-GROH)
A term applied to all bright and brisk movements.
All steps of elevation such as the entrechat,
cabriole, assemblé, jeté and so on, come under
this classification. The majority of dances,
both solo and group, are built on allegro. The
most important qualities to aim at in allégro are
lightness, smoothness and ballon.
Temps levé
A term of the Cecchetti method, meaning
‘time raised’, or ‘raising movement’. This is a
hop from one foot with the other raised in any
position. The instep is fully arched when leaving
the ground and the spring must come from the
pointing of the toe and the extension of the leg
after the demi-plié. In the Cecchetti method the
term also means a spring from the fifth position,
raising one foot sur le cou-de-pied.
Pas de chat
The dancer jumps sideways, and while in midair, bends both legs back to touch the feet to
the buttocks, with knees apart. The Dance of
the Cygnets from Swan Lake involves sixteen
pas de chat, performed by four dancers holding
hands with their arms interlaced.
Chaînés (sha ney)
This is a common abbreviation for tours chaînés
déboulés, which is a series of quick turns
on alternating feet with progression along a
straight line or circle. They are also know as
chaînés tournes. In classical ballet it is done on
the pointes or demi-pointes (on the balls of the
feet).
01 As can be seen from the 02 As
picture, the toes are turned
out and the feet is placed
with the heels together.
When this position is
complete, the knees will be
back to back.
alike to the first
position, the feet are now
spaced approximately a
foot apart from one another
with heels opposed and
maintain a 180-degree
turnout.
Glissade (glee sahd)
Literally, to glide. This is a traveling step starting
in fifth position with demi-plié: the front foot
moves out to a point, both legs briefly straighten
as weight is shifted onto the pointed foot, and
the other foot moves in to meet the first. A
glissade can be en avant, en arrière, dessous,
and dessus.
Grand jeté (grahn jeh TAY)
A long horizontal jump, starting from one leg
and landing on the other. It is most often done
forward and usually involves doing full leg splits
in mid-air. The front leg brushes straight into
the air, as opposed to performing a develope or
“unfolding” motion. Also called grand écart en
l’air, and referred to in some schools as Saut de
chat, or Grand Pas de Chat.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_
ballet_terms
04 This position involves a
slight movement of the left
foot. The left foot is placed
in front of the right foot
with the toes pointed out to
make the fourth position.
05 In the last position, it
is identical to the fourth
position, except now that
the left foot is forward and
the heel of one foot is in
line with the toes of the
other foot.
03 In this position, the right
maintains its position from
the second position. The
left foot now comes forward
with the heel to form a
90-degree with the right foot,
overlapping by approximately
half a foot.