Yvonne Ng’s newest creation, All That Is Between, reflects her ongoing curiosity about the intersections of isolation, ritual, and the physical expression of comfort. The piece features interpretations by dance artists Morgyn Aronyk-Schell, Johanna Bergfelt, Amelia Brown, Charlotte Cain, and Sierra Chin Sawdy.
Originally from Singapore and now based in Toronto, Ng is an award-winning choreographer, performer, and artistic director known for her innovative and thought-provoking contemporary dance works. Her choreography often explores themes of identity, culture, and connection, drawing on her diverse upbringing and experiences. As the founder of tiger princess dance projects, she has presented her work internationally and earned acclaim for her ability to blend emotional depth with intricate movement. Ng’s Artist Perspective essay outlines the genesis of the world-premiere work, All That Is Between.
A few years ago, my return trip home from New York was delayed at the Newark Airport for almost 8 hours. Due to high winds, the planes couldn’t take off.
The terminal where we had to wait was old and small, with bad air circulation and low ceilings. Over the course of the day, the small terminal became more and more packed with frustrated delayed passengers. Over the hours, the room became very warm – HOT. I managed to find a spot for myself on a long bench close to the window, trying to not overheat from all my layers of winter clothing.
During all of this, a young man made himself a quiet, comfortable corner close to me. With a hushed elegance, he started to prepare for what, at first, did not seem to make sense. He was beginning to prepare for his prayers, wearing the head covering, prayer shawl, and tefillin. As he began quietly praying and shuckling, a calm rippled outwards across the room. It wasn’t all-encompassing, but the change in mood was palpable.
My fascination and curiosity came from noticing that a number of mass movements, especially found in prayer and taken on its own, could be considered self-soothing gestures. I was born in multicultural Asian Singapore and was brought up a Catholic, with the other half of my family being Buddhist and Daoist.
This experience eventually led to the creation of All that is between, a movement-based work that began with my curiosity around the tensions, strengths and paradoxes between disorder (wordless stories in bodies) and connections; and curiosity around the power of collective identity and collective isolation. That is, what lies under or within our container.
All That Is Between delves into how comfort is physicalized at individual and institutional levels. The choreography interweaves in the movement notes of religious ritual, incorporating gestures that have been deconstructed, rebuilt, then upended, and that brush through the audience like familiar shadows. The work explores raw responses to loneliness and isolation, and the solace we find in the familiar, whether on our own or in congress with others.
I hope you will join us for this exploration into the power of collective identity, and collective isolation – a meditative journey, delving into the depths of what lies beneath our surface.
The contemporary dance piece All that is between runs September 12-14, 2024 at Aki Studio. Visit nativeearth.ca to reserve tickets.
© Yvonne Ng, SesayArts Magazine 2024
