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IMPROVISATION DIALOGUE

pictures: Dorine Kleinloog and Jurriaan Bobbel

For the opening of the 'Werelddanswerkplaats' (World Dance Platform) in the city of Den Haag (The Hague) in The Netherlands on the 24th of November 2017 dancers/dance makers Aafke de Jong and Fazle Shairmahomed were asked to do an improvisation together, starting from their own roots in dance, slowly coming towards a dialogue.

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Shairmahomed has a multiple dance style background (a.o. western modern and contemporary, Butoh, hiphop and Vogue) and De Jong's dancing techniques are rooted in western modern dance styles and traditional Balinese. Therefor perhaps a well choosen couple for the opening of this new platform for world dance . 

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De Jong and Shairmahomed did not know each other on forehand and literally shook hands for the first time about one hour before the performance.

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Also composition student of Codarts Conservatory Krishna Sutedja (Bali, Indonesia) was involved to make a musical improvisation on the spot and singer Wayan Pitriana added another layer to the improvisation with her voice.

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Sutedja is a composer of contemporary gamelan and also studied tabla (Indian drums) at Codarts Conservatory in Rotterdam, from where he recently graduated cum laude. Wayan Pitriana, also from Bali, added her voice to this performance through her improvisational singing. 

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An interesting dialogue rose between various (western) 

contemporary dance styles and Balinese and Javanese dance movements, reacting on the soundscapes produced by Sutedja's laptop and live instruments, like a Balinese drum (kendang), 2-stringed zither (rebab), bamboo flute and bronze praying bell. 

video with complete aftertalk

Improvised movement

Fazle Shairmahomed  &  Aafke de Jong

Improvised music

Krishna Sutedja

Imprivised singing

Wayan Pitriana

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