'Floating flower' is one of B.OOM!'s award-winning pieces (Photo: B.DANCE)
The eagerly-awaited Damansara International Arts Festival (DIAF) is back for a second instalment, gathering artists from all over the world for a 13-day programme from July 2 to 14.
Artistic director Bernard Goh, who shared his desire to open the DPAC stage to more varied perspectives in performing arts, explained about the theme this year, 'Convergence 3'.
“We have staged various performances in DPAC. But we think that this platform should be widely known and utilised by more people to make full use of its colour and vitality... In addition to music, dance, and drama performances, we have also prepared other programmes for the public. This include children’s storytelling sessions, workshops, and a variety of others. We believe in working hard to bring you more comprehensive works of art.”
Here are five shows to look forward to.
Sublime Musical Journey: The Story of Perseverance
July 2 to 3
Touted as the first Chinese singer-songwriter in the local music scene, Chew Paul Wah debuted in 1990 with her first album You Only Leave Lonely. After a few years, Chew left the limelight to hone her skills behind the scenes – where she focused on music production, song writing and vocal coaching – for 30 years. Back from her hiatus, the songstress will be performing a nostalgic list of songs, sharing her musical journey with the world.
BLANK
July 5 to 7
Blank, written by Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour who is also widely known for his play White Rabbit, Red Rabbit, is a collaborative performance between the actor and the audience. Working without a director, the actor must perform according to a script he or she has never seen. Some words in the script are left blank to be filled in, generating a new story every night. The highly-anticipated show is curated by Instant Café Theatre Company’s Jo Kukathas and performed by talented cast such as Ghafir Akbar, Farzana Hussaini, Sharifah Amani, Mwaffaq Alhajjar and Arief Hamizan.
B.OOM! by B.DANCE
July 5 to 7
When independent choreographer and B.DANCE founder Tsai Po-Cheng pioneered his dance project B.OOM! in 2016, his intention was to bridge the gap between cultures by showcasing unique and talented performers from all over the world. Despite the differences between the performers and audiences, Tsai believed the expression of art and dance can transcend language and cultural barriers. For DIAF 2019, Tsai has shortlisted a host of award-winning dancers from Spain, Italy, Portugal, Vietnam, Luxembourg, Taiwan and the Netherlands — all of whom specialise in diverse dance disciplines rarely seen on the Malaysian stage.
Vibra el folclor Colombiano
July 11
Columbian singer and composer Concha Bernal brings her world tour to Malaysia in a concert representative of Caribbean fusion folklore. Bernal’s work includes a mixture of tropical rhythms and sounds typical of the drum, caller and bagpipe but she keeps her performances fresh by introducing modern compositions and instruments. Charismatic and spontaneous, Bernal will please the audience with a powerful show reflective of her Latin spirit.
The Strangers
July 13 to 14
Bringing multi-national dancers together from all over the world such as Japan, Korea, Thailand and Malaysia, The Strangers is an honest and courageous display of the human condition behind superficial differences. Stories about identity are conveyed through non-verbal and poetical play, encouraging the audience to look beyond the surface of our physical differences. Argentinean director Leandro Kees and dramaturg Julia Heße, whose cultural backgrounds lend a contemporary flavour to the Eastern production, will be leading this show.
All tickets are priced at RM68. For all showtimes, see here.
