Ever wondered what those French ballet terms you frequently heard in your Ballet class actually mean? Well, you are not alone. If you’ve ever been to a Singapore ballet academy, chances are you’ve heard all of them and have been curious enough to know what they actually mean.
Ballet as you know is a dance form that was performed for the aristocrats in France at the height of the renaissance era.
So what might float around as simple movement labels to many, are actually verbs in French that denote several key actions taken while performing ballet. In this article, we will look into some of these fundamental ballet terms, and make you privy to their accurate meanings in the process.
Fundamental Ballet Terms
Adagio
Adagio refers to a series of fluid and focused exercises that require dancers to move slowly and gracefully. Adagio does translate to ‘slow tempo’, and defines a tempo that demands deliberately mellow movements from ballet dancers.
Allegro
Allegro is quite the opposite of Adagio, and roughly translates to ‘Brisk Tempo’. It refers to a series of exercises that demand fast and excited movement from ballet dancers.
Arabesque
Arabesque refers to a pose in ballet where a dancer is required to stand straight or in a semi plié position on one leg while stretching out the other leg behind at a right angle. The shoulders are supposed to be square with arms held in such a way, they form a considerably long line from fingers to toe.
Battement Degage
Battement Degage roughly translates to disengaged battlement and refers to a brisk back and forth movement of the toes with the non-supporting leg while the toes are hovering just enough off the ground.
Brise
Translating to ‘Broken’, Brise refers to a step where the legs move right one after the other. The movement is simultaneous rather than concurrent. Brise is often paired with ‘brise vole’ to complete the form.
Cabriole
Translating to ‘Caper’, Cabriole refers to the jump that dancers execute in which they extend their legs outwards from the body, and hit their calves together before landing on the floor.
Chaines
Chaines is a very popular ballet movement wherein the dancer turns with support from both his feet while bringing both feet up and down in quick succession. This gives the impression of quick movement to the watching audience.
Chasse
Chasse roughly translate ‘To Chase’ and refers to a three step pattern wherein the dancers glides their feet together step-by-step.
Derriere
Derriere means ‘Back’ or more typically ‘Behind’. It usually refers to a pose or movement which signals backward movement.
Ecarte
Ecarte translates to ‘Seperated’ and refers to a position wherein the dancer faces one of the two corners in a room. The leg close to the audience is lifted in the second position in the air with the arms being raised in the same way as the leg; the dancer looks up towards the palm of the hand while the other arm remains frozen in a demi-seconde position.
Pirouette
Pirouette refers to a complete turn of the body with just one foot. The body remains focused entirely on the supporting leg, the arms push forward for the turn, but remain still while turning. The eyes appear aloof while the head turns.
Tendu
Basically translating to ‘Stretch’, Tendu refers to the position which requires dancers to slide one foot across the floor while keeping their toes fixated on the floor. Both legs should remain straight as one leg extends and returns back to its original position.
The Bottom Line
These are just some of the many fundamental Ballet terms you will hear in a ballet class. There are many more terms you will become privy of, as your lessons progress. The above poses and movements are crucial staples of any Singapore ballet academy you may decide to enroll in. Knowing some of them in advance will not only help you better prepare for your imminent sessions but also arm you with the knowledge required to learn ballet in a competent manner.
This year has not been an easy one for many but with the right amount of hard work and dedication, our DPA dancers managed to place in the Canaan Dance Online Competition 2020(Oct), International Ballet Grand Prix 2020 (Nov), Asian Grand Prix 2020 (Nov) and CSTD Digicomp (Dec).
Despite having to take our dance classes online throughout Circuit Breaker, we continued to train hard and never gave up.
Remember, aim high and dream big!.Congratulations to our 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟗/𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐝𝐩𝐚 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐬!
Amongst hundreds of competitors, 𝐂𝐒𝐓𝐃 𝐃𝐈𝐆𝐈𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏 𝐒𝐑𝐂𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎
Despite the circumstances, Get The Beat presented all dancers with an opportunity to compete through virtual means. Our TeamDPA and The Apprentice Company dancers put on their dancing shoes and costumes and put up their best performances for the videoing of which were judged online by the GTB judges.
Congratulations to our 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟗/𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐝𝐩𝐚 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐬!
Amongst hundreds of competitors,
𝐆𝐄𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎
𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐃
Raphael Leo Kay Yih
𝐉𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐎𝐏 𝟏𝟎
JUNIOR SOLO (11&U OPEN)- 1ST POSITION
JUNIOR SOLO (11&U STUDENT CHOREO) – 1ST POSITION
(𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘔𝘴 𝘒𝘰𝘬 𝘏𝘶𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪)
Lee Hao En
𝐏𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐏 𝟏𝟎
PETITE SOLO (8&U BALLET) – 1ST POSITION
(𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘔𝘴 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘺 𝘠𝘦𝘰)
Charlene Quek Woo Nim
𝐏𝐑𝐄 𝐉𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐎𝐏 𝟏𝟎
PRE-JUNIORS SOLO (10&U OPEN) – 2ND POSITION
(𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘔𝘴 𝘒𝘰k 𝘏𝘶𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪)
Marilynn Nathania Budiarto + Ignacia Tan Zi Yao DUO/TRIO
PETITE LYRICAL/CONTEMP (7-8) – 1ST POSITION
(𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘔𝘴 𝘈𝘴𝘩𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘛𝘢𝘯)
Raphael Leo Kay Yih
JUNIORS SOLO (11&U BALLET) – 2nd POSITION
(𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘔𝘴 𝘒𝘰𝘬 𝘏𝘶𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪)
Lee Hao En
PETITE SOLO (8&U OPEN) – 3RD POSITION
(𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘔𝘴 Dianny Tan)
Vivienne Crystalynne Elle Lie
𝐏𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐏 𝟏𝟎
PETITE SOLO (8&U BALLET)
(𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘔𝘴 𝘒𝘰𝘬 𝘏𝘶𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪)
Teo Kaydes JUNIORS SOLO (11&U LYRICAL)
JUNIORS SOLO (11&U BALLET)
JUNIORS SOLO (11&U OPEN)
(𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘔𝘴 𝘒𝘰𝘬 𝘏𝘶𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪)
Jovell Chia Qiao Xuan
PETITE SOLO (8&U BALLET)
PETITE SOLO (8&U LYRICAL)
PETITE SOLO (8&U OPEN)
(𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘔𝘴 𝘒𝘰𝘬 𝘏𝘶𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪)
Goh Yun Xi
JUNIORS SOLO (12&U BALLET)
JUNIORS SOLO (12&U OPEN)
(𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘔𝘴 𝘒𝘰𝘬 𝘏𝘶𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪)
Lin Zi HanPRE- JUNIORS SOLO (10&U BALLET)
PRE- JUNIORS SOLO (10&U OPEN)
(𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘔𝘴 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘺 𝘠𝘦𝘰)
Olivia Cheng Qin YiJUNIORS SOLO (11&U OPEN)
JUNIORS SOLO (11&U BALLET)
(𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘔𝘴 𝘓𝘦𝘯𝘢 𝘍𝘰𝘰)
Kayleen Lee Jingxuan
JUNIORS SOLO (11&U BALLET)
JUNIORS SOLO (11&U OPEN)
(𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘔𝘴 𝘊𝘳𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘓𝘶𝘮)
Koh Si Min Sara + Teo Kaydia
(𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘔𝘴 𝘔𝘦𝘭𝘺𝘯𝘥𝘢 𝘛𝘦𝘯𝘨)
Tan Zhi Yu + Emma Yeo Han Yu
(𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘔𝘴 𝘛𝘴𝘻 𝘘𝘪𝘯𝘨)
DUO/TRIO PRE JUNIOR LYRICAL/CONTEMP (9-10)
Clarisse Lee Jie Ning PETITE SOLO (8&U BALLET)
(𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘔𝘴 𝘊𝘳𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘓𝘦𝘦)
Charlene Quek Woo Nim
PRE- JUNIORS SOLO (10&U BALLET)
(𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘔𝘴 𝘒𝘰𝘬 𝘏𝘶𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪)
Koh Mei Xuan EvisPRE- JUNIORS SOLO (10&U LYRICAL)
(𝘙𝘦𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘔𝘴 𝘐𝘷𝘺 𝘕𝘨)
Nicole Loh Ziting
(𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘔𝘴 𝘐𝘷𝘺 𝘕𝘨)
Lim Xuan Yi Cady
(𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘔𝘴 𝘌𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘒𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯)
JUNIORS SOLO (12&U LYRICAL)
Heelori Rawat
JUNIORS SOLO (13&U BALLET)
(𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘔𝘴 𝘒𝘰𝘬 𝘏𝘶𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪)
𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐦
Athena Clare Tham Yun Kay + Wee Ting Xuan, Giselle DUO/TRIO
JUNIOR CLASSICAL (11-12) – 1ST POSITION
(𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘔𝘴 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘺 𝘠𝘦𝘰)
He Jia Xuan Elliora + Phebe Pang Kai Xin + Charlotte
ChiangDUO/TRIO PETITE CLASSICAL (7-8) – 2nd POSITION
This December, we have planned various intensive trainings led by professionals of the different dance genres. We were honoured to have the following professionals train our TeamDPA and The Apprentice Company (TAC) dancers, giving them an experience of a lifetime!
Classical Ballet by Leanne (Dancer at Singapore Dance Theatre), Bryan (NAFA, NYC)
Jazz by Rachel (ATOD Jazz Honours)
Contemporary by Xian Cui (BA Hons in Dance Choreography – Falmouth University UK)
A Vast majority of kids simply love to move and wriggle to a beat they adore the most. Parents can capitalize on this habit and turn it into a skill that can prove fruitful in their child’s growing years. There is simply an array of benefits in having your kid learn to dance at an early age.
Learning dance can help young children develop their motor skills, it can boost their confidence and also help them better communicate in society. Don’t just take our word for it. In fact you will find ample research on the matter to back our claims.
Depending on your child’s passion and preference, you can enroll him or her in any style of dance class such as Jazz, Hip-Hop, Contemprary or Ballet they like. However, with so many dance classes in Singapore to choose from, finding the right dancing classes for kids can be a rather overwhelming endeavor for parents.
So to make matters a tad bit easier, we decided to put in a little work into researching ourselves and were able to come up with some of the very best dancing classes for kids in Singapore today. These are some of the most prestigious dance studios in all of Singapore, with classes spearheaded by the best dance instructors in the world.
With 16 state-of-the-art dance studios spread across Singapore, Dancepointe Academy offers a safe and fun environment for kids to learn any style of dance they prefer. Dancepointe Academy accept students as young as 3 years old and offers lessons that are tailor-made to be compatible with the child’s level of comprehension and skill.
You can sign up your kid to their ballet, hip hop, jazz, contemporary or salsa classes at fees that don’t burn through your pocket. Also the fact that the school also offers RATD and CSTD examinations makes it one of the finest dance academies in Singapore for kids who are serious about taking up dance as a hobby, and a potential career.
2 – Attitude Performing Arts
Attitude Performing Arts has been around since 15 years, and has built enough of a raved about reputation to make it to this list. Although the school primarily focuses on offering Classical Ballet classes through CSTD and RAD syllabi, they also provide Jazz, Contemporary and Hip Hop classes to children as young as 3.
3 – All That Jazz Dance Academy
Contrary to its much revered title, All That Jazz Academy engages in offering a vast variety of popular dance lessons in Hip Hop, Tap, Musical theatre and Contemporary art-forms to kids of all ages. The classes offered here are preferably more suitable for recreational students and youngsters who want to venture into a more formal aspect of the art. Rest assured, All That Jazz Academy excels in the department of providing high standards of artistic dance lessons to kids aspiring to sharpen their grooving skills.
4 – Dancer’s Dream Studio
Dancer’s Dream Studio began in 2017 with the aim of offering a safe and holistic environment for kids and adults who wanted to learn Latin Ballroom Dance. Fast forward to the present, and DDS has already succeeded in providing fun and effective lessons to kids as young as 2 years old. DDS focuses on teaching techniques to 5 major dance styles in Latin Ballroom Dancing such as Cha Cha Cha, Jive, Rumba, Samba and Paso Doble.
5 – Elevate Dance Academie
When it comes to dancing classes for kids in Singapore, Elevate Dance Academie is in a league of its own. The school accepts students as young as 3 years old and puts them through a program that complies with international dance syllabi. Students can expect to develop their skills as performers with the help of the stage exposure, international immersion programs and local excursions that the school provides during the course of their classes.
Contrary to the meticulous technique of ballet or the free-spirited nature of Hip-Hop, Jazz is a different beast all together. A Jazz class can both comply with your expectations as well as surprise you on different occasions.
Needless to say, no two days will be the same when you are taking a Jazz dance class. It is this uncanny novelty that makes the prospect of enrolling in a jazz class exciting and fascinating in equal measure.
So if you are someone who’s fiddling with the idea of experiencing a Jazz dance class in Singapore, we can help you better prepare for the same on both a mental and physical level.
So without much further ado, here’s what you can expect from your Jazz Dance Classes in Singapore as a beginner.
What to Expect from Your Initial Jazz Dance Classes in Singapore
1 – Grooving to Popular Music
The fact that music is integral to any form of Dance, let alone Jazz, is a no brainer. The mood of an entire dance session will strongly depend on the choice of songs playing in the class. Bland choice of music can really sour the atmosphere of a class, which otherwise demands an energy fueled by infectious excitement. Dance instructors understand and thus often pair their dance sessions with popular music that is probably topping the billboard charts worldwide.
2 – Style Mastering
Jazz relies strongly on mastering an array of styles that give the dance form its distinct definition. In retrospect, you will find the same steps and style choices in most Jazz dance classes around the globe. These steps include jazz square, ball-change, turns and leaps, just to name a few. The steps you perform will largely depend on the kind of music playing or the type of Jazz class you have opted to undertake. For e.g. A musical theatre style jazz class will offer a chasse lesson which is more of ‘lifting’ and ‘airy’ as compared to a chasse lesson thought in a Hip Hop class.
3 – Dress Code
Most jazz dance classes have a very flexible approach to dress codes. It isn’t nearly as strict as a ballet class that makes it mandatory to wear costumes complimentary to the aesthetic of ballet. While some Jazz dance classes may ask you to wear a leotard, a majority of classes will still give you the freedom to choose clothes that make you more comfortable. As far as dance footwear go, you will see jazz dancers normally wear sneakers or split-sole jazz shoes. You can enquire with your dance studio regarding your style and dress code before your first class.
4 – Intensity
One thing you can most definitely expect from a jazz dance class is the fact that it will always be bold and energetic. You will be required to ‘give it your all’ when performing in a jazz dance class. Whether you are warming up, crossing the floor or learning your steps, your trainer will require you to exhibit peak energy every time.
The Bottom Line
What you do in jazz class will vary in nature depending on the teacher instructing you. So people’s experience is bound to be different across different studios. So we can ultimately only speak with confidence in favor of the dance classes we offer our students.
At Dancepointe Academy’s dance classes in Singapore you can always expect to learn while having the best time of your life. It doesn’t matter what music you are tapping your feet to, or what shoes you are hitting the dance floor with. In the end we guarantee to offer a dance class bound to keep you sweating and smiling while you master the groovy dance style of jazz.
A big congratulations to all award winners of the 2020 Canaan Dance Online Ballet Competition. Your hard work and dedication has paid off, keep it up and we’ll see you at the next one!
On 1st Dec we were honoured to have special guest Rosa Park, 2009-2016 Principal Dancer of Singapore Dance Theatre hold a masterclass specially for our TAC dancers. Our dancers turned up, “turned out” (ballet terminology) and gave their absolute best during the session. It was such great fun and we would like to thank Rosa Park once again for the fruitful and unforgettable masterclass!
Every Tuesday and Thursday 7-9pm at Dancepointe Academy @ARC Fees: $400 per term of 22 lessons. Period: Jan to Jun 2022
In Brief
The Presence Project Dance Company comprises handpicked talented and versatile contemporary dancers guided by a team of professional dance teachers. It is a dance talent enhancement programme in the form of a contemporary dance company that offers high quality training in contemporary dance technique, performance and choreography at intermediate and semi-professional levels.
The Presence Project Dance Company has the philosophy of enabling its dancers to become the best they can be through developing advanced dance skills in today’s professional arts environment.
The Presence Project Dance Company holds the belief that dance must take place in a positive, mindful and energetic environment with equal parts of personal movement, emotion, group dynamics and music. It reflects versatility as it constantly evolves to reflect changes in Singapore’s dance scene.
Ballet training is integral to The Presence Project Dance Company, affording the dancers a sense of heightened bodily awareness, mental discipline and movement sensibilities that they can incorporate in their contemporary dance performances. Dancers also experience K-pop and hip-hop styles as an occasional part of the programme, widening their movement repertoire and musicality while elevating overall fitness levels.
The dancers of The Presence Project Dance Company strive for creative originality, movement versatility and technical proficiency. Performing innovative, deeply personal and experimental choreography, the Company pushes its dancers’ conceptual boundaries and exposes them to interdisciplinary arts.
The dancers of The Presence Project Dance Company perform at least three original new works over the year. These are created by distinctly different choreographers, exposing the dancers to very different creative processes. They have the opportunity to perform internationally as well.
Key Aims
The Presence Project Dance Company aims to:
Actively identify talented and motivated young people for further development in dance. Thereafter the teachers develop each dancer’s understanding of his/her own physical potential so he/she can dance safely and with understanding
Provide a challenging yet supportive environment that nurtures the dancer as a reflective performer and creative artist
Collaborate, where appropriate, with other art forms to establish a key link between dance and other artistic disciplines
Ensure that the dancers have the opportunity to work with and learn from established professional dance artists
Extend the cultural experience of the dancers through visits to see professional dance work in a range of genres, theatres, galleries and concerts
Provide information about further dance training and higher education so that participants can make informed decisions about future career choices and pathways
Approach
As part of a broad and balanced dance education, The Presence Project Dance Company identifies, via auditions, young people 16-21 years with talent, potential and passion to benefit from specialised dance training.
The dancers have access to high quality, intensive and rigorous dance training under a highly experienced team of professional dance teachers and artists.
The Presence Project Dance Company balances technical training with creative activities, ensuring dancers experience a holistic dance training programme.
The Presence Project Dance Company’s training programme is delivered twice a week – on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. In addition to this, there are intensives held at specific junctures of the training programme. Dancers are exposed to professional-led masterclasses during such intensives. These may be led by local or overseas teachers. There are also immersion masterclasses with professional dance companies in Singapore.
Training Content
Dance Technique and Performing Skills
Dancers undertake classes in ballet, contemporary and other complementary dance classes designed to sharpen their technical and performance skills in the following areas:
Physical strength, flexibility, agility, co-ordination and movement efficiency
Correct posture, placement and alignment
Spatial awareness, body alignment and design
Articulation and clarity of movement
Movement vocabularies of the styles studied
Projection / focus; clarity of intention; appropriate use of dynamics
Sensitivity to musical phrasing and dynamics
Use of different movement qualities
Ability to respond / be present in the moment of performance
Use of energy and sense of whole-body engagement
Collaborative skills are encouraged through dancers’ active engagement as learners in the creative process through discussion, reflection and evaluation.
Workshops and Choreography
Dancers have regular workshops with professional choreographers. They are encouraged to be imaginative, innovative and take creative risks through:
Exploring dance ideas/concepts in response to a variety of stimuli e.g., kinesthetic, literary, visual, auditory, contemporary issues, repertoire, styles and traditions
Selecting, structuring and refining movement material
Developing initial movement ideas into final choreographic form through selecting and developing action, dynamic, rhythmic and spatial content
Using choreographic devices, e.g., motif, variation and development, chance, unison, canon, climax
Forming the overall shape of the dance
Structuring appropriate relationships between content and form in the expression of a dance idea
Considering the relationship of dance and music
Communicating artistic intention and the expression of dance ideas/concepts
Reflecting and evaluating throughout the choreographic process
Performance Opportunities
To develop the dancers’ practical experience of performing, there are regular performance opportunities in a variety of settings and to different audiences, including:
Informal sharing of work for family and friends
Contributing to the youth and community dance platforms
Performing in dance spaces within or outside of Singapore
Complementary Training Areas
To ensure that every dancer encounters a range of artistic and creative opportunities and is prepared for possible progression into further training, the following are included either as part of the training or in the additional intensives:
Workshops by local or visiting artists in a range of dance/movement genres e.g., Korean, Hip Hop, Dance Theatre etc
Trips to see professional dance work in a range of genres and a variety of cultural experiences available in Singapore including theatre performances and art exhibitions. Such trips broaden dancers’ awareness of current dance companies and styles, and may be complemented by a workshop given by dancers from the performing company
Collaborative music and dance projects
Higher education and career information and advice
Professional Artist Commissions
Each year, The Presence Project Dance Company will commission professional artists (local and overseas) to work with the dancers. This exposure to the professional dance world is a key element of the training.
Testimonials
Chloe:
“The Presence Project Dance Company (TPPDC) has provided me with an enriching and fulfilling dance education. The instructors taught me that dance is so much more than a long phrase of movements, and the little details we add in make a huge difference in the tone and feeling of the dance.”
Julia:
“My experience in TPPDC has allowed me to grow not only through dance but also as a person. We are exposed to different genres often and these have made me more versatile as a dancer. Here in TPPDC, we are trained to be physically and mentally strong through the high commitment level and high intensity training.”
Vernice:
“TPPDC has been an enriching experience that allowed me to explore parts of dance and myself that I never knew could be explored. The exposure has enlightened me on the familiar in the unfamiliar and the new in the old of a variety of dance genres. This close-knit family has supported me through new discoveries in the art form and has encouraged us to push out of our comfort zones together. This to me is what makes this journey more fruitful.”
Annabel:
“TPPDC has been a rewarding journey for me as I have learned more about myself through dance. It has been a great outlet for me to discover new genres and forms of self-expression.”
Emelyne:
“My year with TPPDC has been a fulfilling one that has not only helped me rediscover my passion for dance, but which also allowed me to forge strong bonds with like-minded individuals through our passion for dance. The happiness and hardships we went through as a TPPDC dancer has shaped us individually to become versatile, distinct and original dancers, and collectively as a team. The variety of masterclasses we have been exposed to has helped me explore different areas of dance that I never knew I would enjoy, and has built my confidence in dancing and performing.”
Shyan:
“Joining TPPDC was one of the best choices I have made. Being exposed to the various dance genres, forms and cultures has truly been such an eye-opening experience for me. My biggest takeaway from this team is that I dance to express myself, not to impress others.”
Priscilla:
“Throughout my stay with the Company, I have been exposed to the different philosophies and training styles of dance instructors specialising in a wide range of genres. Thus, it has been an enlightening journey in which I am able to take elements shown by the different instructors and infuse them in my own contemporary-based dancing. I have been able to find joy as well in learning in this safe space while being surrounded by hardworking and friendly peers.”
Neha:
“It has been an absolute delight to be part of TPPDC. It has given me the various opportunities to get out of my comfort zone and widen my horizons. Thus, grooming me to be a more confident, versatile and knowledgeable dancer. For this, I am truly grateful.”
Keena:
“Through training with TPPDC, I have learnt to become more confident and open-minded. The environment is welcoming, and we push each other to become the very best versions of ourselves. We are given many opportunities to learn outside of our primary genre, which has allowed me to expand and deepen my dance repertoire. I am incredibly grateful for my team and am glad I took the chance to train with them.”
Sandy:
“As a dancer, I have always wanted to improve my craft and since young, I have learnt quite many dance styles. Since joining TPPDC, I have realised how much more I can grow in my application of movement in dance, whether it be contemporary dance or street-style. I also gained opportunities to do the things I have always wanted to do, such as filming a dance solo and being on screen. TPPDC has led me to bigger insights into the dance industry, and I also had the chance to do more than just dance performances; such as writing the poem for our ‘Engines’ dance film and bonding with my fellow dance friends.”
Alyssa:
“Being a part of TPPDC has been a very fulfilling and enriching experience that I will never forget. Over the past year in TPPDC I am very thankful to have not only been given the opportunity to learn from so many talented instructors, but also to have been able to grow alongside all my wonderful friends. Being exposed to so many different dance genres and teaching methods has helped me gained a greater understanding of myself as a dancer and how I am able to effectively use my body while dancing.”
Li Meng:
“TPPDC has given me the opportunity to be exposed to different genres, and to be taught by different mentors who have influenced me in my dance growth significantly in one way or another. It has given us the push and confidence to keep trying and improving, to be uniquely ourselves, and to create our own presence. I have found a group that I am heartened to go through this journey together with and which has inspired me in many ways. TPPDC has given me the chance and discipline to grow and to keep doing so for many more years down the road, in my dance journey.”
