Exchange programme between MDT-DADC & DSFI
Exchange programme between MDT-DADC, Singapore and Down Syndrome Federation of India (DSFI).
About Maya Dance Theatre
Maya Dance Theatre, Singapore is a well-known name in the field of dance that brings together contemporary dance with classical movements. Started by Ms. Kavitha Krishnan, Maya Dance Theatre has a new initiative. Maya Dance Theatre is in its 13th year of what has been an eventful and progressive journey. The company continues with its vision to use the arts to bring awareness to social issues, addressing issues like violence against women, mental wellness and many others. Drawing tools from Bharatha Natyam, contemporary dance and other Asian forms, Maya has created an expression that resonates beyond borders which is grounded in the visceral nature of the human spirit!
The company believes in connecting through dance and movement with people and communities and building its creative network. With essence of exploration, discovery and collaboration as the main tenets of the company, the journey continues to address social issues and spark conversation within our community.
Maya Dance Theatre was a recipient of National Arts Council’s SEED Grant FY2012-2015
DADC - Diverse Abilities Dance Collective, also known as DADC, was founded in June 2018 as an initiative by Maya Dance Theatre. The idea took root from Kavitha Krishnan and Shahrin Johry, and eventually realised itself in 2018 with the introduction of 6 members, with leadership from Eva Tey and programme leader Subastian Tan. Their training programme is funded by Tote Board and supported by SG Enable.
DADC has performed on multiple stages, sharing their passion for dance throughout the community and aims to promote the idea of co-existence – to learn from each other as unique individuals with diverse backgrounds unified by their love of dance. Most recently in November, DADC presented its first production, Speaking With Hands, in collaboration with guest choreographer Liz Lea from Canberra, Australia, with support from National Youth Council and National Arts Council.
The team’s first-ever international performance was in Chennai, at the IIT Sarang.
During this trip, they also were a part of the exchange program with the Down Syndrome Federation of India. The center saw a beautiful cultural eschange where methodologies for dancing was also discussed. While dance and expressions remain the same, the way of expressing is different.
The first program during this interaction was a dance recital by Ms. Babli Ramachandran. On the song, “Theeratha Vilayattu Pilla “ on Krishna, Babli mesmerized everyone with her expressions. So much so that the dancers from MDS asked Babli to teach them how to emote. The dancers from MDT then presented their piece which was followed by the teaching methodology followed by both the countries.
It was a time of learning and sharing. And this interaction between the countries just proved that Music and Dance do not believe in any barriers..
A few pictures that captured the moment is given here.
