FUSE#2

Element# 2
BAHASA KOREOGRAFI
what is the point of me?
by Norhaizad Adam
What is the
point of me?
by Norhaizad Adam
Imperfection is necessary. Thus, I feed on insecurities. I use
my pleasant and afflicted experiences to collect visual
keywords to shape my artistic practice. I take pride in
listening and trusting my instinct. It is not in my interest to be
rebellious, break the boundaries and to be controversial. I do
not desire for my works to appear self-indulgent as I am a
private person. So, as a divergent strategy, I relate my
ideations with the affairs in Singapura.
What is the point of me? What do I represent?
What does the traditional and the contemporary really mean to me?
From 2004 and in my humble beginnings as a Singapore Malay dancer in Azpirasi,
I fondly recall rehearsing in a studio in a local community centre. I remember
experiencing dilemma on self-worth. Often hungry to seek affirmation from Malay
dance gurus. Always actively listening to mostly biased concerns and giving in to
senseless call of duty all in the name of ‘keikhlasan’, translated as sincerity.
Impressionable and unconscious, I myself had created my
‘baggage’ as a Malay traditional dancer. This is evident from
listening to disparate responses to my works: encouragement,
caution, misgivings, motivation and misconceptions from a
purist perspective of Malay traditions and culture.
After I dissected my works and its choreography design, the
term ‘in-between’ often crops up as a recurring motive.
Threading this along, it purposively forms a part of my artistic
practice. I challenge myself to zoom in on issues using
powerful and powerless lenses. I begin to question binaries
such as traditional - contemporary, stage - on-site, performers
- audiences, wrong - right
Photo credit: Bernie Ng
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