Contemporary Thai Dance

Some time ago I had the pleasure to attend an contemporary Tango dance in Bangkok. The dancers were all Thais. A most amazing feast for the senses. Who would deny that the slender Thai body – be it female or male – is made for this art of the alchemy of human motion.

Lithe, pliant and highly agile, those Thai bodies with their determined minds are extremely gifted dancers. However, they rarely receive any opportunities to develop their skills, particularly in modern dance and classic ballet. Most talented people lack the financing needed to fund enhancing activities and/or projects.

This is a huge problem for Thai dancers. A problem some people attempt to solve. One of them is Thai choreographer and dancer Jitti Chompee*, who has been trained in classical ballet and became a modern dancer who worked around the world with prestigious artistic directors and choreographers.

Khun Jitti has a new production “In Tune” about the “delicate avenues of human emotions and interactions.” With passion he shares his thoughts about Thai contemporary dance and the upcoming performance. Makes some important reading for parents and educators as well.

By Jitti Chompee, Dancer, Producer, Choreographer

Apart from classical ballet, modern dance is also thinly represented in Thailand. I strongly believe that this dance style will allow young artists to find their own voice and identity, which will challenge their existing ideas to evolve into their own way of art.

We propose a project that would help fulfill this void. The project is initiated from a strong determination and desire of a young Thai professional artist who is working with world famous dance companies, such as the American Ballet Theater, and of professional Thai artists with international experiences.

They all have high ambitions and are eager to use their experiences to develop master dance pieces in their hometown Bangkok.

One of those working groups consists of professional artists from Thailand, Switzerland and France, working together to create a performing dance form in a contemporary style with experimental music.

Some synoptic thoughts first.

Today, we have naturally come to believe that technology is not only necessary, but also an essential element for a convenient and modern lifestyle. It is undeniable that our way of life has become much easier due to technology. However, technology is also a double-edged sword with its own consequences.

A faster and more convenient lifestyle can result in the loss of emotional values in our everyday routines. Happiness, passion, even inspiration can depreciate over time due to the rise in our expertise toward technology.

This is the theme of our theatrical performance and we will explore technology’s impact on our lives through the delicate avenues of human emotions and interactions.

In this performance, dancer Natalie* (Sarawanee Tanatanit) represents a new generation of kids who have the ability to be self-taught via technology and media. With just a click of a mouse, children like her learn instantly because they believe in what they see and hear from the internet.

The lack of face to face conversation with others stunts their emotional development and maturity. They grow up believing in technology and media without questioning their origins, the true authenticity.

Natalie’s performance illustrates this by her conjuring up of mythical Thai characters from fantasy into reality. Natalie draws from the epic story Ramakien, partly written by King Rama I and his son King Rama II in 1797.

The way technology and media impact our lives is a complex subject that experts only have begun to study. Through our performance, we hope to raise awareness and encourage our audience to examine how technology and media have impacted their lives.

As artists, we strongly feel human emotions and the ability to empathize are critical to leading a fulfilling life. Our performance embodies hope that technology and media will not undermine the very emotions that make us human. With much excitement and anticipation, we hope you will be in the audience!

Performances: August 20th, 2008, 8 pm at Patravadi Theater

- Jitti Chompee, choreographer and dancer born 1974, has been trained in classical ballet by David Shields and William Morgan at Varaporn-Kanchana Ballet School.

In 1988 he was awarded a scholarship from the Jean M.Wong School of Ballet in Hong Kong after which he went to Paris where he studied Modern Jazz as taught by Prof. Mikael Wattincourt.

From 2000 to 2001 he attended the Alvin Ailey school in New York as a full time scholarship student. During that period on a work study scholarship he learned various styles of dance from the likes of Milton Myers, Lonne Moretton and Fred Benjamin.

He was immersed in a broad curriculum of dance techniques and has become equally proficient in modern dance and neo classical ballet. He is a modern dancer and has continuously worked with prestigious artistic directors and choregraphers such as Ismael Ivo, Marcia Haydee, Rafiga Akhundova, William Morgan and Luca Bruni.

He has also worked for Bangkok Ballet Theater, Company Performing artists, MTV New York, Les Ballets Persans in Stockholm and Oplas Teatro in Italy.

- Sarawanee Tanatanit, co-choreographer and dancer, started her ballet training at Dance Center at the age of six. She later studied at Varaporn-Kanchana Ballet School.

At the age of eight she tool an interest in rhythmic gymnastic under the influence if Mrs. Blasgovesta Ignatova. In 1994, she won the gold medal in the Junior Rhythmic Gymnastic Championship of Thailand.

1995 she participated in the Southeast Asian Game Competition in Chiang Mai and brought back one gold and one silver medal. The same year she received the scholarship from the Sport Authority of Thailand to continue her gymnastic training in Vancouver.

1997 she joined the Goh Ballet Academy in Vancouver. She participated in many world class ballet competitions including the Asian-Pacific Ballet Competition in Japan, the Helsinki International Ballet Competition in Finland, the Genee Award Ballet Competition in London and was awarded the Solo Seal from the Royal Academy of Dancing.

In 2001 she won the Prix de Lausanne Apprenticeship Award in Switzerland which offered her the opportunity to join the American Ballet Theater studio company in New York City under the Australian director John Meehan.

She became an apprentice in the American Ballet Theater under the directorship of Kevin McKenzie and a member of the company until presence. She toured with the company all over the U.S. and the world.