TravelCent

Singapore Dance Graffiti

Singapore is always a surprise, with numerous opportunities to find yourself surrounded by cultural events that will really spark your appreciation for art, or fulfill an already-sparked desire to be put into a state of awe.  The virtuosity of the talents that live and work here demonstrates itself in multiple forms, and you can probably find whatever you might be looking for.  There’s so much happening here, in fact, that you can likely find most every form on any given evening.  There are many ways, then, to have a perfect night here, which just demonstrates further Singapore’s charm.  There are many paths to perfection.

One way is to spend the first part in a Japanese restaurant.  The food here is extremely fresh, and the chefs are very adept, and know so many splendid ways to prepare contemporary as well as traditional Japanese dishes.  Because of Singapore’s position as a major trading port, there are many necessary ingredients that are difficult to find anywhere else, but here, they are readily available, making your food absolutely stunning.  This can be followed with any entertainment, but if dance is on your mind, then you won’t want to miss Graffiti of The Celeste coming this March.

This is a new work by Arts Fission, and deals with the themes of the environment and the urban landscape, exploring the nature of change when nature comes into the city.  It is a very apt theme for Singapore, where the rich urban culture is in a tropical setting with forces of nature that are palpable and always present.  This is the same company where Wong Wai Yee has had a lot of splendid artistic history.  Her current work with Moving Arts, that teaches dance to children of all ages, along with the many other dance companies in town, shows that dance is alive and well in Singapore.

Angela Taylor in Baltimore

Baltimore is a wonderful place to relax and enjoy the rhythms of life in a cosmopolitan setting.  The city is very rich in resources, both physical and ephemeral, and some of the most exciting things here depend on the moment and the talent of the local artists.  There are plenty of attractions here, a gorgeous waterfront, and an extremely lively downtown scene.  One can reasonably expect to have plenty of good days shopping and exploring, spectacular meals, and evenings of fun and entertainment.  There’s some great hotels here that can make the stay truly delightful.

There are plenty of talented people in town, thankfully, to provide a sure and steady stream of interesting new work.  Some of the musicians are great at pleasing the crowds, some play excellent covers, and some make their own songs, and push the boundaries of their respective forms, creating new paths for the listeners to follow.  One of the latter is Angela Taylor, and it seems as though she’s spectacularly apt at pleasing crowds as well, moving them through wonderful evenings in different styles and textures.

She’s an indie folk singer from here who’s got plenty of chops.  She teaches at Peabody, and has won a Best of Baltimore award, as well as being a finalist for the Lilith Fair.  She also has a pretty impressive list of creds for recording, and knows her way around electronic music very well.  All of this adds together when she sings, where the voices inside burst out, sometimes with a purr and sometimes a roar, but always with an edge of empowerment, and messages of survival.  There is a lot of darkness here, but always with a very keen edge of hope on this knife of despair, making a delicate balance that is something to behold.

Singapore Memories

Singapore is a barrage of sensations, where sounds, colors, and smells are constantly coming at you, offering you new ways to turn your attention outward, and find new ways to chase your thoughts.  It’s a splendid city to get lost in, if you have the time, and one of the wonderful things about vacations is that funny thing they do to time.  You can enjoy all the sights that the guidebooks recommend, see the local shows, enjoy a Chinese restaurant, and find yourself distracted by the show of everyday life that’s going on in the streets.

There are plenty of entertainments in town, and all art forms, too.  With theatre, performance art, experimental music, installation art, and more, there are always lots of things to choose from.  There are also local filmmakers, too, and the indie scene is not necessarily at a level to compete with the big movie making cities, but with filmmakers like Eng Wee Pen, it is certainly alive.

She has two documentaries, Diminishing Memories 1 & 2, and they’ve both been earning her a lot of attention, and her reputation is growing as a young artist to watch.  Both of these films are about her family from her perspective, the first one constructed of her own memories as a nine-year old, and the second from her point of view today as a 20-something.  This is a very honest family portrait, framed in a way to make you constantly aware of the framing.  This is a rather brilliant touch, so that while we’re watching her memories, we think about how we construct our own.

John Brack, Painter of Melbourne

John Brack was a painter who was born in Melbourne, Australia and is quite famous in his home town, as well as becoming very well known throughout the world, with the collectors and the other painters on the international art scene.  The top Melbourne hotels, dining establishments and galleries have been appreciative of his style for years, and his paintings of the life in Australia have a modern edge that is intriguing and innovative.  He paints landscapes, figures and still lifes, with a sensibility that does not employ the use of myth, legends, or history.  He painted the sprawling expansion of the cities of Australia, as well as the singular man sitting with a drink in a pub.  He documents the aspects of modern life in ways that are becoming iconic, much in the way some of the pieces of works by Andy Warhol became during that time period.  His sense of irony and his keen wit made him a force to be reckoned with, layers of complex meanings detail the simple aspects of this modern world.  His retrospective work will be on temporary exhibit at the Art Gallery of South Australia beginning in October, and will hang throughout the month of January, 2010.

When questioned Brack has stated that he had comments to make about society, but that for him, he had to make those comments without the use of words and language.  He paints everyday aspects, but in a way that was very distinctive to his world view, and that sense of humor.  To him, what was of utmost importance was the human condition, and the wish to have been able to understand that condition a bit more by studying it, as well as the desire to be able to illuminate that, and illustrate that in ways that the viewer could understand.  He spent the earlier years of his career painting those that were part of his immediate surroundings, his wife, his children, his friends in the world of art, and those he passed on the streets.  His art changed a bit as time went on, and he began to paint still lives more that he had in the past.  It has been twenty years since a gallery has held a retrospective of his world, and those familiar with it, are waiting in eager anticipation.

Choy Brothers and Yimin Opera Troupe

Cantonese Opera is an immensely popular art form in Singapore, having existed for many centuries. Since the Cantonese Operas are such a traditional and vital part of the entertainment culture, the selection of opera companies and their productions are numerous. There are many recognizable themes to the productions but the unique style each performer brings to their performance adds an additional measure of enjoyment for the audience. The love, dedication and passion the performers feel for their art is evident in their exciting and extremely skilled performances.

The Choy Brothers Opera Troupe and the Chinese Theatre Circle are among the most active and prominent Cantonese Opera companies in Singapore. These companies and others have many highly admired and respected performers. Tham Fung Meng and Chan Mei Yin are two of these. Meng studied with the Chinese Theatre Circle and many of the most renowned Chinese artists. The Yimin Opera Troupe and the Yi Meng Cantonese Opera Group were both created by Meng. She also directed the Echo Cantonese Opera Group at the Eunos Community Centre. To this day, one of her most outstanding, and most remembered performances was in 1999 as the Princess Turandot with Wu Suet Yee. The following year she performed with Yee again in a special engagement showing of three opera excerpts.

Chan Mei Yin is another highly regarded performer, appearing regularly with the Kreta Ayer Community Centre Opera Troupe. She also serves as the company’s director. This an extremely popular, long-standing opera company with the unique distinction of being an all female cast. Using her incredible singing skills and acting talents, Yin is usually playing the male character in these productions. Dining at the best Singapore restaurants and attending a Cantonese Opera is truly a remarkable and pleasurable evening for tourists staying at the best Singapore hotels. It also makes for a standard evening out for locals.

The Scholar Maid

Every September and October Singapore hosts its annual International Cantonese Opera Festival. The Chinese Theatre Circle, which had its start in 1981, developed and organizes this cultural event. Traditional Cantonese opera is a standard element in Singapore’s society and is also extremely attractive to tourists who are staying in one of the best Singapore hotels. In addition to hosting the annual festival, the Chinese Theatre Circle is also the busiest opera company in Singapore. It gained its non-profit status in 1995 and has been offering an abundance of excellent productions since then.

There is a spectacular display of symbolic and colorful costumes in Chinese Opera, and while a tourist may wonder at their beauty, their social significance is a central component of their design. This is true also for the many graceful and harmonious movements that are incorporated into the dance. Most often the stories and plots of these operas relate to traditional Chinese themes and are based on the ancient classics. This is manifested not only in the movements and costumes but also in the set designs. Every aspect of the opera is stylized and employs an economy of gesture. A moral lesson is often incorporated into the theme and so are elements of patriotism, loyalty and honor.

One of the more popular productions that was produced by the Chinese Theatre Circle was the 2007 performance of The Scholar Maid. Hong Kong playwright, Mr. Tang Di Sheng, wrote the original script, and CTC’s Mr. Leslie Wong condensed it into a tour hour production. The story depicts a well known academic, Tang Bo Hu of the Ming Dynasty, who falls in love with a woman he met a court, Jui Xiang. He disguises himself as a servant in the home of the Prime Minister to win her heart. The Scholar Maid is a comedy, and as such includes many obstacles and situations that get in the way of Hu’s pursuit. Ultimately though, his plans succeed and true to its genre, the opera has a happy ending. One of the songs from this opera, Meeting at the Temple, continues to be a hit with Cantonese opera lovers.

Beaches

Ibiza is one of the beautiful Balearic Islands off the coast of Spain in the Mediterranean Sea. It is the second smallest of the four major islands, though it is definitely not short on cultural heritage, scenic wonders or entertainment. As with the other islands, it is known for its spectacular beaches that offer plenty of opportunity to enjoy one of a number of water sports. Some of the more common sports include boating, swimming and scuba diving. Each of the island’s beaches has interesting aspects, unique views and natural attractions. And with all of them, the beaches are extremely popular. Two of the more popular beaches on Ibiza are the Talamanca Beach and the Playa d’en Bossa Beach. Tourists staying in the best Ibiza hotels have no problem gaining access to these sandy parks.

The Talamanca Beach is located very near to Ibiza Town, and is frequented by locals as well as tourists. It is an elongated curved beach that borders the Talamanca Bay. It has extremely soft sand that leads into the water and is ideal for sunbathing. There is also a wooden boardwalk that covers the length of the beach and is an excellent way to stroll along as one finds their perfect spot. There are plenty of nearby restaurants and many of these are open all year. Some of the hotels are open year round as well, which makes it a perfect spot for a winter vacation. There are showers along the beach for swimmers to wash off after a dip in the Sea.

The Playa d’en Bossa Beach is also extremely popular and has the longest stretch of sand on the island. This beach becomes even busier when the south wind blows, as it is a popular place for windsurfing. This beach has plenty of bars and restaurants along it, and there is a style and taste for everyone. Beach parties are common with house music pulsating with the waves. For families and individuals who prefer a quieter time, it is recommended they wander over to the far end of the beach. One of the secrets of the beach is a hidden bay at the beach’s end. Few people are aware of this and it is usually quiet and secluded.

The Bengal Tiger

Delhi India is a major city with much to offer in the realm of cultural arts and entertainment. However, to really experience much of the natural beauty and wonders of India, a tourist may have to venture far outside the city. For those adventure seekers, willing to travel the distance and make their way through the country’s terrain, they may actually be able to see first hand one of the beautiful Bengal tigers. This is becoming less of a possibility due to the increased endangerment of this amazing species. Tourists staying in one of the five star hotels in Delhi may even explore some of the conservation efforts the country is putting forth.

The Bengal tiger is a subspecies of the well-known Siberian tiger and is known for its beautiful stripes. It is most commonly found in India and Bangladesh, although they have also been seen in parts of Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan and Myanmar. It is one of the largest of the Siberian tiger subspecies and historically has been one of the most populous. These amazing animals were at one time found throughout the Indian Subcontinent, though their natural habitat has been greatly reduced due to increasing amounts of interaction with humans and technology. At this point, while most of the world’s tigers are still found in India, they are reduced to small, isolated populations, which contributes to their danger of extinction.

The diet of the Bengal tiger consists entirely of meat, which classifies them as carnivores. They eat a variety of other animals that are found in their natural habitat including water buffalo, boars, deer and antelope, among many others. Occasionally they will also consume smaller animals such as monkeys, birds and rabbits, though this is not enough to sustain their necessary daily calorie intake. Also, though infrequently, they have been known to consume other major predators as the need demands. Because humans have encroached upon their natural habitat, the Bengal tigers have been known to attack and eat humans. This should serve as a precaution to over eager tourists who may wish to get up close and personal.

Dancing in the Streets

Street Dance is an umbrella term used to describe dance styles that evolve outside of dance studios. Competitive street dancing started in the early 1970s among the New York City gangs, such as the Zulu Kings and the Rock Steady Crew. The street dance movement know as ‘King Tut’ uses the head and arm movements of the Egyptians dance style depicted in the hieroglyphic of Egypt. Break Dancing, dancers spin the body on the head, back, hands and performing aerial dives and complicated fast footwork, started in the Bronx and grew out of the graffiti art and rapping culture. The aims of break dancing which developed control and coordination of acrobatics and athletic feats either solo, with a partner or in a group to demonstrate the superiority over rival gangs. Break Dancing exploded on to the world market not to long after the late 70’s and became popular among non-gang members and any American traveler could witness this phenomena being performed on the train platforms in India all the way to witnessing break dancer as young as eight perform right outside one of Singapore Luxury Hotels to earn a living.

Break Dancing evolved to what is called ‘Body Popping‘ with terms like The Turtle and The Beetle Crawl. Body Popping consist of a jerky articulation of isolated parts of the body creating a chain of movements which appear to ripple. A mechanical effect is created by tensing the muscles in a stiff body; the exacting movements are small and sharp. Today’s street dancing is commonly used specifically for the many hip-hop dances and funk dances and are no longer considered gang related. The popularity among the younger generations have taken street dance to a whole new level. There is now an American television show almost dedicated to the street dancer called ‘So You Think You Can Dance?‘.  Which has brought legitimacy to the once gangster related activity and is now being taught in the better known dancing schools and studios.

Find Dining a must

My parents, no matter what their finances were, no matter if they were in a fight, always went out ‘Fine Dining‘  every Friday night. This is the one activity they would not give up. Even if they didn’t enjoy each others company for the evening, they enjoy the socializing with their favorite waitstaff, favorite Maitre’d and favorite bartender. My mom would tell them one of her new dirty jokes and my dad would flirt with all the females.

No matter where they were in the world, from Singapore Fine Dining to the obscure small towns like Harlan, Kentucky Fine Dinning, they would always make instant friends with the entire staff of the restaurant they were patronizing, by inviting the staff to come by the bar they would go to after eating and offering to by them drinks. My mother, when she and my father visited a friend in a small town in Germany, made instant friends with the Burgermeister who was dinning next to them at a Fine Dinning restaurant because she invited him to go for drinks afterwards at his favorite watering hole. Today, they still correspond back and forth via the mail.

It was a rare opportunity for me to be able to join them, when I was old enough, and witness how my parents transformed right before my very eyes from the disciplinarians of the house into the most wonderful and delightful people anyone would ever like to meet. My parents were fun to hang around with and truly a revelation I will always treasure along with my friends who were also invited a few times and treated to a night of dressing up to Fine Dine, drink and laugh all night long. Surprisingly, my friends always ask me how my parents are doing and if they’ll ever be invited to go out with them again. Surprising because they are what you’d call non-conforming agitators, but for some reason, getting a chance to dress up and go out for the evening with my folks made them forget about their resolve and just enjoy. I will forever be grateful to my parents showing me a side of life that I rarely get a chance to do, Fine Dine and for letting me see that they are some much more than my parents, they are a gift to treasure and enjoy.