3rd DANCE EDUCATION CONFERENCE 2010

‘Unleashing the Potential of Dance Education’

Organised by the Ministry of Education

7, 8 and 9 September 2010, The Republic Cultural Centre

PROFILES OF PRESENTERS AND TRAINERS

MIRIAM GIGUERE

Dance Programme Director, Department of Performing Arts, Drexel University (Philadelphia, USA)

Dr. Giguere has directed the dance program at Drexel University since 1992. In this capacity, she directs the Drexel University Dance Ensemble, a 70 dancer company which performs two professional caliber dance concerts each year at the Mandell Theater. Her choreography for the ensemble has included collaborations with the Bucks County sculptor Yvonne Love, Drexel poet Miriam Kotzen, and illustrator Ralph Giguere from the University of the Arts.

Dr. Giguere is an active curriculum innovator, expanding and refining the dance curriculum at Drexel on a regular basis. During her time at Drexel, the dance program has added 15 courses to its roster. She is the author of the dance major curriculum at Drexel, which tracks students to graduate degrees in education, dance/movement therapy and physical therapy. She has also developed the community outreach programs at Drexel to include the Youth Performance Exchange, which brings college students into multiple Philadelphia schools every year to teach in residency projects, and she has developed a touring ensemble, which performs in 20 public schools every year. Dr. Giguere is also the creator of the Drexel Professional Dance Residency Project, which allows three professional dance companies to be housed in Drexel’s dance program each year to develop new work. Dr. Giguere acts as frequent guest choreographer for the Drexel University Theater program and founded Drexel University’s Dance Team, through the Department of Athletics.

Before coming to Drexel, Dr. Giguere performed and toured nationally and internationally with professional modern dance companies Ann Vachon / Dance Conduit, South Street Dance Company, Body Language Dance Company, and Terry Beck Troupe. Dr. Giguere was a soloist with Terry Beck Troupe when the company was awarded the prestigious Scottish National Critics Award at the Edinburgh Festival. While with South Street Dance Company, Dr. Giguere directed that company’s lecture demonstration program for school students before becoming assistant director. Dr. Giguere served as artistic director of Body Language Dance Company for five years.

Dr. Giguere is a Pennsylvania Council on the Arts fellowship recipient and frequent Artist in Residence for Philadelphia and surrounding area public schools. She has taught and directed dozens of school residency projects in public schools for regular education and special education students. Her residency projects have connected dance to curriculum in language arts, social studies, music, physical education and the visual arts. She is an experienced presenter on subjects relating to integration of the arts into academic curricula. Dr. Giguere has presented at regional conferences of the American Association of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, and the Philadelphia Arts in Education Partnership, and at national conferences for the National Dance Educators Organization, American Educational Research Association, the American Creativity Association and the American Culture Association/Popular Culture Association. Her research has been published in Arts Education Policy Review, the Journal of Dance Education, Selected Dance Research Volume 6, and Arts & Learning Journal.

Dr. Giguere graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania earning both a BA in psychology and an MS in education in four years. She earned her PhD in dance from Temple University, where she was awarded the Emerging Doctoral Scholar award. Her dissertation was recognised nationally by the American Educational Research Association with their 2009 National Dissertation Award for Arts and Learning.

RALPH BUCK

Head of Dance Studies, National Institute of Creative Arts and Industries

The University of Auckland (New Zealand)

Ralph Buck’s research is within dance education, curriculum design, pedagogy and community dance. Ralph is an experienced teacher in primary, secondary and tertiary contexts. Ralph has presented his dance education research in forums in Taipei, Kuala Lumpur, Paris, New York, Auckland, Sydney. He is actively involved in the World Dance Alliance and World Alliance for Arts Educators. In 2009 Ralph was presented with The University of Auckland Teaching Excellence Award. Since joining the National Institute of Creative Arts and Industries (NICAI) in 2005, Associate Professor Buck has led a Dance Studies programme increasingly recognised, both in New Zealand and abroad, for its commitment not only to dance performance and technique, but to dance theory, research and pedagogy. NICAI Dance Studies students are guided and trained by leading dance professionals and dance educators from New Zealand and around the world, and both staff and students from the programme participate in festivals and symposiums at home and abroad. Students also explore dance and disabilities, working with special needs high school students, children who are hospitalised, and residents of a retirement village. "Ralph is widely recognised for his focus on dance as a powerful educative and research tool, as well as a performance art. His knowledge of dance in all its nuances, combined with his ability to communicate and translate that knowledge to students, make him richly deserving of this award," said Professor Sharman Pretty, then Dean of NICAI.

CAREN CARINO

Head and Principal Lecturer, Department of Dance, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts

Dr. Carino has earned three related degrees: Doctorate in Southeast Asian Studies from the National University of Singapore (contemporary dance research); Master of Fine Arts in Theatre & Dance (dance performance and choreography emphasis) and; Bachelor of Education (dance emphasis) from the University of Hawaii, USA. Dr. Carino’s prolific career includes almost three decades of experience as practitioner, academic, administrator and educator. Her professional career includes dancer with the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, USA as well as Head of Department at LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts before her appointment as Head of Dance and Principal Lecturer at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. Currently Dr. Carino serves as Advisor/Assessor to Singapore’s Ministry of Education and National Arts Council. She is also affiliated to the World Dance Alliance (Singapore), where she held the position of President for several years prior to assuming the position of Research and Documentation Network Chairperson.

SIRI RAMA

Performer and Arts Educator

Siri Rama is an Indian dancer based in Singapore. She is proficient in the styles of Bharata Natyam and Kuchipudi and has given numerous recitals and lecture-demonstrations in these styles all over the world. An innovative choreographer, Siri has a large repertoire of solo items in both styles; she has also choreographed several full length dance dramas. She runs her own dance school in Mumbai, has taught for seven years in Hong Kong, and has trained over a hundred dance students, several of whom have won prizes at prestigious competitions, and four of whom have recently given arangetram performances. In May 2000, Siri completed a PhD degree on dance sculpture, under the guidance of Dr. Rajeshwari Ghose, at the Department of Fine Arts, University of Hong Kong.

Siri started learning classical dance at the age of four, gave her first full length dance performance at the age of six, started her dance school in Mumbai, the Kanaka Sabha Centre for Performing Arts, at the age of fourteen, choreographed and conducted her first full length dance drama, Ramayana, at the age of fifteen, went on her first foreign solo performance tour to Germany at the age of twenty, and conducted her first arangetram performance at the age of twenty five. She has won several prizes in dance competitions throughout her school and college years, and was awarded titles of Singar Mani by the Sur Singar Samsad in Mumbai and Nritya Shivali by the Shivali Cultural Society, New Delhi. Archana Nrityalaya felicitated her in 1991 for being an outstanding dance teacher. Siri has performed full length Bharata Natyam and Kuchipudi concerts in several cities all over the world, including several cities in India, the USA, Hong Kong, Germany and Dubai. She has also staged several dance dramas in Mumbai and Hong Kong, notably the Ramayana, a commissioned production of Buddha Charita, a dance adaptation of Girish Karnad's Hayavadana and Tyagaraja's Nauka Charitam. Siri's dance troupe at the Kanaka Sabha Centre was invited to perform for the Indian Prime Minister at an international conference in New Delhi. Siri Rama has a special interest in the interaction of dance and technology. She was invited to choreograph and perform a full length Indian dance recital to the accompaniment of submissions to the International Computer Music Conference in Hong Kong in 1996; she also participated in the World Wide Simultaneous Dance Event on the internet in 1997 and in an experimental webcast of a solo dance interpretation of the story of the Silappadikaram at the University of Pennsylvania.

STEPHANIE BURRIDGE

Dance Critic and Educator

Stephanie Burridge trained at the Laban Center (UK), holds a BA in Anthropology/Arts History (Australian National University) and a Ph.D. in Contemporary Dance from London Contemporary Dance School in association with the University of Kent (UK). As Artistic Director of Canberra Dance Theatre (1978-2001) she commissioned many of Australia’s leading choreographers, composers, visual artists and performers – she was awarded the first Choreographic Fellowship at the Australian Choreographic Centre, an ACT Lifetime Achievement award and received Australia Council funding for choreographic projects over several years. Tasmanian born, she now lives in Singapore where she has lectured at LASALLE College of the Arts and Singapore Management University, been a research consultant at the National Institute of Education, is a dance critic, author and editor of numerous publications including Shifting Sands: Dance in Asia and the Pacific (2006) and Beyond the Apsara: Celebrating Dance in Cambodia (2009). She is the Series Editor for the Routledge Celebrating Dance in Asia and the Pacific series.

TERESA PEE

Dance Educator and President, World Dance Alliance (Singapore)

Teresa Pee focused her BA (Dance) studies on Dance Education and on Curriculum Writing. In 1999, Teresa was awarded the Master of Arts, majoring in Dance, from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australia, for her in-depth research into the development of ethnic dance in Singapore. Since her graduation from QUT, Teresa’s focus has been in the area of dance in arts education. She has developed and written dance education curriculum programmes, and she has worked with key personnel of schools and dance practitioners, on dance in arts education. She has presented papers at conferences & dance Journals on dance and dance education in Singapore. Teresa presented papers at the 2004 CORD/WDA Asia-Pacific/ICKL International Conference in Taipei and the 2006 Hong Kong Dance Festival. Her papers have been published in the Queensland University of Technology publication ‘Two-way Traffic: Aspects of Australian/Asian Interculturalism in Theatre and Dance’, the Ochanomizu University’s Annual Journal ‘Studies of Dancing’ and the Dance Education Forum in Singapore. In 2007, she headed the Symposium sub-committee for the WDA (Singapore) Conference: Asia-Pacific Dance Bridge – Exploring Partnerships. She led the WDA team for the Dance Education Conference, organised by the Ministry of Education, Co-Curricular Activities Branch, in partnership with NAFA and WDA (Singapore). She was a member of the Technical Committee of the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) in developing its new module “Performance Technique in Dance”. Teresa was awarded Your Move – Part 1 Language of Dance Fundamentals and Your Move – Part 2 Develop Language of Dance Principles both in 2006 in New York, and completed the Labanotation Teacher Certification Course for the Elementary Dance Natation Bureau Teaching Certificate in Taipei, in August 2007. She now lectures in Dance Teaching modules at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA). She is currently the President of World Dance Alliance Singapore (WDAS).

JOHN MEAD

Choreographer, Educator and Artistic Director and Co-Founder of MI Arts

John Mead is an internationally recognised choreographer, performer and educator. Working professionally over the past 30 years, he has choreographed over 120 works, which have been performed in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Greece, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, and the United States. Mr. Mead won the prestigious "Lausanne New Choreographers Competition" in 1988, hosted by Bejart Ballet Lausanne, Switzerland. From 1993 to 1998 John was a visiting faculty member of the official school of the Bejart Ballet: Rudra Bejart Lausanne. From 1993 to 2000 Mr. Mead was the Artistic Director of John Mead & Dancers in New York City, and was also an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the New York University Program in Dance Education. Currently Mr. Mead is the Artistic Director and Co-Founder of MI Arts Ltd, a multi-faceted arts organisation based in Singapore and dedicated to Concert Dance, Narrative Film Production and Creative Dance Education outreach. John also has had a long history as a creative movement specialist and innovator. He first began working in creative movement with primary school students when he was a senior in high school. Known for his good humour and ability to convey the magic of movement to young children, Mr. Mead has taught creative movement to children of all ages in numerous venues over the past 35 years across the United States.

SOM MD SAID, P.B.M

Choreographer, Arts Educator and Artistic Director, Sri Warisan Som Said Performing Arts Ltd

Dancer and diplomat, Som M Said, who received the Cultural Medallion in 1987 and the Pingat Bakti Masyarakat (Public Service Medal) in 1992, has been bringing Malay dance to an international audience since the 1970s. her entrepreneurial spirit and ability to make the arts relevant to today's youth that won her the 2009 Berita Harian Achiever Of The Year award. She is the 11th person and only the second woman to receive the annual award, given to Malay-Muslim individuals for outstanding achievements in their chosen field. Previous recipients include assistant secretary-general of NTUC Halimah Yacob, master potter Iskandar Jalil, composer Iskandar Ismail and fashion designer Ashley Isham. Som is a dynamic cultural ambassador for Singapore who has thrilled international audiences with her choreography. A dancer with Singapore’s National Dance Company in the 1970s, and she has since 1974 been a choreographer of Malay dance for television, festivals and parades. She received the Ministry of Community Development’s Cultural Medallion in 1987 for her contribution to Singapore’s dance and for her promotion of the Republic’s cultural exchange programmes. Som currently participates actively in the arts Exposure and Arts Experience Programme conducted in primary and secondary schools in the Arts education Programmes organised by National Arts Council, supported by Singapore Totalisator Board. Her years of involvement in the promoting of performing arts, specialising in Malay and multiracial presentations have resulted in many successful works locally and at international festivals. A pioneering member of the Sriwana Cultural Group in 1965, Mdm. Som taught and directed the dance section from 1968 and was appointed as the Artistic Director of its dance section in 1985 to 1999. She has also been recognised for her work with the nation’s children, winning the National Youth Service Award in 1979. In 1992, she received her PBM ‘Pingat Bakti Masyarakat’ award from the President of Republic of Singapore on Singapore’s 27th National Day. Mdm. Som is currently a choreographer for Instant Asia, a dramatic dance presentation of Singapore’s diverse cultural heritage. She has travelled to Russia, Kagoshima, Athens, Cairo, Dubai, New Delhi, West Germany, Nepal, Milan, New Zealand, Korea, Vancouver, Toronto, Brisbane Adelaide, Melbourne and Taiwan for the cultural promotion of Singapore. With Som’s more than 30 years of successful experience in promoting, producing and directing dance, Sri Warisan Som Said Performing Arts Ltd seeks to continue to play an expanded role in the promotion of culture and arts education, focusing on children and youths, and aiming to make arts accessible to all.

OSMAN ABDUL HAMID

Choreographer at the People’s Association, resident choreographer at the Centre for the Arts, NUS

Osman Abdul Hamid joined the People Association and the former Sriwana Mala Dance Groups in 1979 and was trained by Mr Nongchik Ghani, Mr Saileh Buang and Mdm Som Said. A tutor/choreographer of the NUS Ilsa Tari since 1995, he is also the choreographer of the Peoples Associations Malay Dance Group. His works are often presented together with music. Osman's works have been regularly showcased overseas. From 1984 to 1991, he represented Singapore at four ASEAN Performing Arts Festivals and in many overseas cultural exchange programmes. His concert, EXPRESSI. . .ERA. . . BERMIJLA, was highly commended by the performing arts circle. In 1996, his dance was selected by the National Arts Council to be featured in the 4th ASEAN Dance Festival. He also represented the People's Association Cultural Troupe in a special performance in commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of ASEAN in Tokyo, Japan in 1997. Singapore was represented in the 1999 Chinese New Year Parade in Hong Kong by his choreographed item, which featured a combined performance by the People's Association Malay Dance Group and the Orkestra Melayu Singapura. In 2000, he was selected to lead the People's Association Cultural Troupe to participate in the Asia-Europe Folk Festival at the second Kyongju World Culture EXPO held in Korea. His highly acclaimed works were also featured during the People's Association's 40th Anniversary Celebration concert entitled Harmony in Motion, the Chingay Parade and the Singapore Arts Festival's Festival Village at Fort Canning Park. In recognition of his talents and dedication in promoting Malay dance in Singapore, Osman was conferred the prestigious Singapore Youth Award (Service) in 1993 and the Young Artist Award by the National Arts Council in 1994. He has also be appointed to the Board of Directors of the Malay Heritage Centre (June 2007 - June 2009)

HENRY NG CHAY KUANG

Founder, Artistic Director and Choreographer, Dance Horizon Troupe (Singapore)

Henry is currently the Founder and Artistic Director of Dance Horizon Troupe (Singapore). He is also the principal of the troupe’s training programmes and Artistic Advisor for a temple situated in Indonesia. Beside this, he is also actively involved in choreography and teaching dance under the Ministry of Education. He has travelled to Hong Kong and Malaysia to hold dance training programmes and serve as a judge for the dance competitions held there. At the same time, Henry presides as the dance grading examiner for the well-known dance company – Dance Ensemble Singapore Ltd. Henry’s impressive dance experiences started off in the year of 1976 when he first began as a dancer himself with the National Dance Company. He represented Singapore in the ASEAN Arts Festival, in various countries like Indonesia, Thailand, Brunei and Philippines. In 1983, he decided to retire from the stage front and re-direct his goals to becoming a full-time choreographer. To this end, he has made tireless efforts to take up many dance courses overseas to constantly improve on his choreography knowledge and skills. His works are not only seen in Singapore but are also showcased beyond national boundaries as he led several dance troupes to countries like Sweden, Prague, Canada, Australia, Korea, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia in the International Music and Dance Festivals. Henry’s choreography explores versatility, creativity and innovation. He gathers his inspirations from his personal feelings hence his works revolves around nature and depict exuberance, vitality and youth. Over the years, Henry has made considerable contributions to the local arts scene. He has helmed several dance performances like Dance? What Dance?, Oriental Epics, Living Within, ASHA, A New Inspiration, Quindance, Sense, Enter 1773, Beyond Horizon I and II as well as Why Not Dance?. Apart from this, he has conducted dance camps and talks targeted at the youths to promote greater appreciation for these performing arts. Furthermore, his involvement in initiatives such as the Arts Festivals, Chinese Cultural Dance Festivals, River Hongbao, Chingay and National Day Parade reflects his commitment to cultivate a more vibrant local arts scene.

PETER GN

Senior Specialist, CCA (Dance), Education Programmes Division, Ministry of Education

Peter’s personal dance journey began with performing ballet at National Junior College, and has since included training and performance in contemporary dance and streetdance. He studied dance analysis and choreography at the Masters level in London, UK, under the tutelage of accomplished contemporary dance artists and lecturers. As a student, he performed prolifically, and his training has so far also included exposure to short choreography classes at the Taipei National University of the Arts and the Beijing Dance Academy. Since 1996, Peter has professionally instructed contemporary dance and streetdance in many schools, the HomeTeam NS-JOM Clubhouse, MOE Sports and Recreation Club, Civil Service Club, ITE Centre for Music and the Arts and NUS Centre for the Arts. His choreography has been featured at Danceworks, school concerts, the International Physics Olympiad Closing Ceremony 2006, SEAMEO Closing Ceremony 2006, Singapore Youth Festival, National Day Parade and key MOE and YOG-related events. His ensemble works, Chasm and Wreck’d, staged in Southwest London’s public concerts in 2009, received positive audience reviews. In May this year, Peter choreographed and led a groundbreaking 2010-second mass dance involving a thousand participants at the Singapore 2010 Youth Sports Conference Closing Ceremony. He also presented a paper on male popular dance culture at the International Conference for Physical Education and Sports Science hosted by NIE this year. At MOE, he provides consultancy on dance issues to schools and arts institutions, forging strong alliances with local and international dance groups and organisations at creating platforms for dance performance. Peter also holds a Masters (Research) degree in Philosophy, with a focus on metaphysics.