Dancing Queen

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - icon of Malaysian dance and a passionate champion of the arts, Datin Marion D`Cruz has at various times been a student, performer, choreographer and educator.

Malaysians will get to know more about her journey of dance in Gostan Forward at The Annexe Gallery in Central Market, Jalan Hang Kasturi, Kuala Lumpur from Friday to Sunday.

A production of Five Arts Centre, it is directed by Mark Teh and will showcase D`Cruz`s numerous roles over the decades.

A one-woman performance lecture, it traces her growth as a radical artiste, revealing her choices, strategies and influences over the span of her 35-year dance career.

D`Cruz, 55, will narrate stories about her performances, warts and all. She will also perform excerpts of her favourite and significant dance pieces including Terinai, Swan Song, Urn Piece and Chilayu.

“I`m not exactly alone in the show.

There`ll be `supporting actors`, appearing live as well as on video,” she said.

D`Cruz and Teh spent a month exchanging ideas.

“We watched lots of my previous productions to prepare for it,” she said.

D`Cruz said the showcase would highlight her “milestone” collaborations with various dance greats, as well as the stories behind some of her more outstanding performances.

She graduated with a degree in Performing Arts and a Masters in Dance from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Penang, and studied classical Malay, Javanese, Balinese and Indian dance locally and in Indonesia and Singapore.

D`Cruz also learnt ballet, modern and contemporary dance in London and New York.

“My year-long educational stint in New York from 1980 to 1981 is told in the show, as are my student days in USM, for these were the formative years of my dance career,” she said.

Both Teh and D`Cruz, who was one of the pioneer dance students of USM, describe Gostan Forward as an “excavating memory” initiative.

"Mark felt that it was a good time for dance and arts enthusiasts to know my works better, and indirectly, understand how Malaysian dance has evolved over the decades,” D`Cruz said.

“What we need are really good dance showcases that capture the imagination of enthusiasts. This is the challenge we face today,” she said.

While Gostan Forward highlights the contributions of D`Cruz`s well-known collaborators and mentors such as Indian classical dance exponent Dr Chandrabhanu and terinai (Perlis traditional dance) master Pak Meh, she insists it is not a “tribute concert”.

“It`s more of a discourse and an investigation into the arts scene,” she said.

Gostan Forward may remind audience of D`Cruz`s popular performance of 1982 titled Marion D`Cruz — Solo. It was this performance that first endeared her to art lovers.

Teh said: “Gostan Forward can be seen as a more developed and detailed sequel of sorts to Marion D`Cruz — Solo.

“For those who did not catch the 1982 show, this one`s a good introduction to Marion and her works.

“They`ll learn about the recent Bunga Manggar, Bunga Raya as well as the much earlier Joget Gamelan, and see how they are linked.” D`Cruz said: “These days, I`m better known as an educator, and this show will present the performer in me to those who have yet to see me in action.” Finally, there`s D`Cruz`s role in the formation of Marion D`Cruz And Dancers in 1983 and Five Arts Centre in 1984.

Teh said: “It was Marion`s vision to give space to homegrown theatre and dance that led to the formation of Five Arts Centre.” D`Cruz said: “My lifelong mission is to develop and nurture a contemporary Malaysian identity in dance. This passion isn`t mine alone, and Mark`s very much a part of it as well.” Gostan Forward will be staged at 8.30pm (Friday and Saturday) and 2.15pm (Saturday and Sunday). Entry is by minimum donation of RM10. Call 03-7725-4858. Dennis Chua

Source: http://www.nst.com.my (4 May 2009)

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